SPELLING LESSON 24

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Among the common suffixes in English are the suffixes or and er. These suffixes mean one who or that which. For example, builder, one who builds; actor, one who acts; heater, that which heats. But we are confused many times to know whether to add the suffix or or er to form these derivative words. There is no exact rule which can be given, but the following rule usually applies with but few exceptions:

To the shorter and commoner words in the language add the suffix er. For example, writer, boxer, singer, etc. To the longer and less common words, usually those derived from the Latin or the Greek, add the suffix or. For example, legislator, conqueror, etc.

There are a number of words in the English like honor, in which the last syllable used to be spelled our instead of or. You will probably run across such words as these in your reading. This mode of spelling these words, however, is being rapidly dropped and the ending or is being used instead of our. There are also a number of words in our language like center, which used to be spelled with re instead of er. The re ending is not used any more, although you may run across it occasionally in your reading. The proper ending for all such words as these is er. There are a few words, however, like timbre (a musical term) and acre, which are still properly spelled with the re ending.

The spelling lessons for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, contain words from which derivatives can be formed by adding er or or. Look these words up in the dictionary and be sure that you have added the proper suffix. The list for Friday consists of words which you may find in your reading spelled with the our ending. The list for Saturday contains words which you may find spelled with the re ending instead of the er.

Monday

  • Create
  • Produce
  • Profess
  • Debate
  • Govern

Tuesday

  • Edit
  • Consume
  • Consign
  • Legislate
  • Design

Wednesday

  • Solicit
  • Pay
  • Success
  • Observe
  • Invent

Thursday

  • Vote
  • Debt
  • Organize
  • Sail
  • Strike

Friday

  • Labor
  • Neighbor
  • Rumor
  • Valor
  • Candor

Saturday

  • Theater
  • Scepter
  • Fiber
  • Somber
  • Meager
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

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