Suffixes - Rules for Using "ance" and "ence"

[BJCooperIT]

Sometimes I have difficulty with this rule. For instance, I have to stop and ponder whether it is dominance or dominence. I found this everything2 writeup but there are waaaay too many "rules" to remember. Anyone have a tip that is a bit easier?

^{Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw}
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[Stella740pl]

BJCooperIT,

Thanks for an interesting reading.
Have to say, I don't have a tip for you, easier or otherwise.

May be that's because I have never had to stop and ponder if it is dominance or dominence, experience or experiance, etc. I just know it by heart. I feel it. I don't know why. Maybe because English is not my first language. Maybe for other reasons. (And, therefore, can't see what is confusing there. I know, I am not being too helpful.)

Well, some time ago I had to stop and think, whether it is receipt or reciept, field or feild, but not anymore. Some spelling issues still confuse me, but it's a different story.

 

[BJCooperIT]

My feeling is that if you pronounce it properly, you usually will know whether it is "ance" or "ence". My problem is, with some words, I must be saying it incorrectly. To my credit it is usually only the exceptions, but in English the exceptions are what make the language difficult.

^{Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw}
Consultant Developer/Analyst Oracle, Forms, Reports & PL/SQL (Windows)
My website: Emu Products Plus

 

[Stella740pl]

My feeling is that if you pronounce it properly...

I don't know. I guess if it was the case, with my accent, I would write all of the words incorrectly.

 

[Trevoke]

Knowing the etymology of the words helps, so if you learn greek and latin, you'll be set.
Were you looking for a simpler answer? You could also read through the dictionary.
There are no easier answers.

-Haben sie fosforos?
-No tiengo caballero, but I have un briquet.

 

[medic]

It is easy to know that dominance is the correct one because it is derived from its adjective form dominant. Same way as negligence is to negligent. I've never heard of the words dominent and negligant.

OTOH, I'm not sure if I'm using a correct rule here, since English is just my second language.

 

[tgreer]

I use this very simple rule: always use -ance, except for words that end in -ence.

Thomas D. Greer

http://www.tgreer.com

 

[Stella740pl]

Medic,
English is not my first language, too.

But I have a feeling that your rule won't help that much. You wouldn't believe, but many people speaking English as their native language would write dominent and negligant.

Maybe that's because of 'e' and 'a' would produce a very similar sound (maybe it's what OP eluded to). In many languages it's not the case.

For ESL folks, who learned English not by sound in their early childhood, but through reading in their later years (middle school and up) it's most often not the case. You see 'a' - you brain registers 'ah', you see 'e' - you brain registers 'eh', or something to that effect.

I also have to mention that many of those words exist in other languages and leave marks in those ESL brains.

tgreer,

I like your rule!

 

[tgreer]

For no good reason at all, I give you:

dance, glance, lance, prance
fence, hence, whence

Most of the time, "-ant" is pronounced as a schwa, whereas "ent" is pronounced Tolkein-ishly: domin-uh-nt. neglig-ent.



Thomas D. Greer

http://www.tgreer.com

 

[grooke]

I'm dyslectic and I have one golden rule that I'm sure always works. If I think its '-ance', then write '-ence' and vice versa.

You have my greatest sympathy.

Gil

 

[SilentAiche]

I like the rule, too. Problem is, I have trouble with certain of the root words.

Worst offender: consistent. For some reason, I always think it should be consistant. 2nd place goes to dependent.

Fortunately, this has been going on for so long that I now recognize the offenders in time to correct them.

Tim

[blue]______________________________________________________________
I love logging onto Tek-Tips. It's always so exciting to see what the hell I
said yesterday. [/blue]

 

[Stella001]

and thus the reason spell check was invented.

 

[tsdragon]

I think the reason spell check was invented was because young wizards- and witches-in-training kept getting their incantations wrong and causing all sorts of havoc. It was intended to put some limits on what could go wrong with a misenchantment.

Tracy Dryden

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.

 

[SantaMufasa]

Barb,

The link you supply in your original post contains very helpful "rules", but I had to force myself to read on to the rules section when the author ended his first sentence with the very "un-wise" use of the word, "grammar-wise".

Thanks for the post.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
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