from time to time i have come across words like perseverance, importance, maintenance etc. and negligence, diligence, oppnent, imminent etc. and would question myself why it should be import"ance" but not import"ence"...
i mean, is there a rule to distinguish when the suffixes will be ant/ance or ent/ence, or it would have to be traced back to the time when words are invented?
if there does exist a rule or sth, i guess there won't be any hassle to learn them by heart, words end with "ance/ant" and "ence/ent" are so easily mixed up..
i know this makes a tough problem but i would appreciate your help, thx
-ant/ance; -ent/ence?
2010-06-21 11:58 pm
回答 (2)
2010-06-22 5:02 pm
✔ 最佳答案
A first thumb rule can help, but it is unorthodox. Remember, there are exceptional cases (that means not 100% true). For the form XXXXXX t ?? (after T)
You can tell whether it is 'an' or 'en' by checking the letter preceeding 't'. If it is a vowel, then 'en'; if not, then 'an'.
Import??t - the letter before t is 'r' (non-vowel), then Importance
Impot??t - the 2nd last ditto is o (vowel), then Impotent
account??t - letter n, then accountant
attend??ce - letter n, then attendance
Please check out other words of the same form.
For the form XXXXXX n ?? (after N) - the same rule applies, but more exceptions.
immin??t - vowel i, - imminent
oppon??t - vowel o - opponent
Exceptions: maintenance - in fact it carries 't????' - a very complicated one.
I have given you the hint. Please check it out thoroughly and develop the rule by yourself.
2010-06-22 22:09:17 補充：
Other examples:
resi dent (i is vowel)
inno cent (o is vowel)
redun dant (n is not a vowel)
resis tant (s is not a vowel)
2010-06-24 09:32:14 補充：
examples on exception:
respon dent (n is not a vowel, but 'dent')
correspon dent (ditto)
2010-06-22 8:01 pm
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