Writing Book 5 · Lesson 37

Abbreviations and affixes — meet the words

You have met these and used them; now you choose between them.

The words

-ment
the thing that happens
-tion
the act of
-able
can be
-less
without
-ful
full of
-ly
in that way
-ist
a person who

Watch how it is built

1-ment means about the same as the thing that happens.
The measurement was exact.
2-tion means about the same as the act of.
Observation takes patience.
3-able means about the same as can be.
The result is measurable.

Two ways to say it

✗ The measurement was exact. — this is not wrong, but it is everyday talk.

✓ The measurement was exact. — this is how a writer says it.

Ask yourself: “Which of these is closer to what I mean?”

Remember

One ending can turn a verb into a thing.

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