Spelling with Suffixes Multiple Choice Quiz | English

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. If a person always tells the truth, or if a statement is true, which NOUN could be used to convey this fact?

Answer: veracity

"Veracity" is a noun because it ends in -ity. "Veracious" is the adjectival form of the word since it ends in "-ous". However, changing one letter of either word results in a different word: "voracity" means extreme appetite, and "voracious" means extremely hungry, neither of which make sense in this context.

2. If there are three people in a group, I might say there are a few. If there are eight, I might say there are several. If I saw a crowded group of twenty people, which ADJECTIVE could I use to describe the number of people?

Answer: numerous

The word "numerous" means "many". The suffix "-ous" indicates that the word is an adjective. "Numerical" can also be recognised as an adjective because it ends in "-al". However, it means "related to numbers", and it is not the correct word to use. The word "enumerate" is a verb (ends in -ate), and "numerousness" is a noun (-ness).

3. Which of these is a correctly spelled synonym of "agreement" that is a NOUN?

Answer: accordance

In the word "accordance", the suffix "-ance" shows that the word is a noun. However, some words use "-ence" instead of "-ance", so you have to be careful. The word "according" can be several parts of speech, but it cannot be a noun. An accordion is a musical instrument and not a synonym of "agreement".

4. Which ADVERB would you use to describe the efficient manner in which a sponge soaks up water?

Answer: porously

"Porously" is an adverb (it ends in -ly). "Porous" is an adjective (-ous), and "porousness" is a noun (-ness). All of these words are related to "pore". The pores in the sponge allow the water to soak through. Even though "poorly" is an adverb, it cannot be used to describe a sponge.

5. If someone is able to choose or make a decision, which NOUN could be used to represent that condition?

Answer: volition

The word "volition" is often preceded by the word "own", forming "of [his/her/their] own volition", or with a name instead of the possessive pronoun. It is a noun, since it ends in "-tion". "Volitional" is an adjective (-al), and "volitionally" is an adverb "(-ly)". The word "volatile" is a completely unrelated adjective with several meanings, one of which is "variable".

6. There is another NOUN that is used to mean the ability to make decisions. Which one of these is it?

Answer: discretion

"Discretion" is a noun (you can tell by the "-tion" at the end). It has a second meaning, which is the quality of being discreet. "Discrete" and "discreet" are both adjectives, and they are both easily confused. "Discrete" means "separate" (as an adjective), while "discreet" means "secret" (also as an adjective).

The word "digression" is another completely different and unrelated word, meaning "something that is unrelated to the topic". It is also a noun, since it ends in "-tion".

7. If someone is required or responsible to do something by law, this ADJECTIVE can be used. However, this word often has "not" preceding it, meaning that person (or company) is not responsible, and it is often seen on warnings on packages of potentially dangerous products.

Answer: liable

"Liable" is an adjective, which can be seen by the suffix "-able". The word is commonly used in the negative. One possible sentence, if Joe Co. was an actual company, could be "Joe Co. is not liable for damages by misuse." "Liability" is a noun. The completely unrelated word "libel" is a type of crime (and therefore a noun). "Lible" is not a word at all.

8. It's done quickly. It's done efficiently. Which correctly-spelled ADVERB means both of these combined?

Answer: expeditiously

"Expeditiously" is an adverb formed by adding "-ly" to the adjective "expeditious", which means "fast and efficient". The word "expeditious" ends with "-tious", which shows that it is an adjective. Other adverbs formed by adding "-ly" to words ending in "-tious" are ambitiously, nutritiously, and fictitiously. Be warned that there are exceptions - "suspiciously" has a C, not a T.

9. Which word is a VERB that means to make invalid or to prevent?

Answer: nullify

"Nullify" is a verb, since it ends in "-ify". "Nullification" (-tion) and "nullifier" are both nouns. "Nullificate" is not a word at all.

10. This VERB can mean "to end" or "to finish". In some cases, it can mean "to kill".

Answer: terminate

The ending "-ate" shows that the word is a verb (although there are exceptions). "Termination" is a noun (-tion), "terminal" can be a noun or an adjective, and "terminator" is a noun (-or).

Source: Author hotdogPi

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Spelling with Suffixes Trivia Quiz

Many words end in suffixes that tell what part of speech they are: "-ous", "-tion", "-ly", "-ity", and many others. Let's see how many you can identify correctly.

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