Lesson 19
The suffixes able and ible
Tested List
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
adaptable
available
attainable
agreeable
regrettable
forgettable
controllable
adorable
advisable
excitable
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
noticeable
changeable
manageable
visible
audible
legible
edible
possible
credible
tangible
Self-Correcting the Pretest and Discovering the Generalization
1. Write adapt + able = on the board, a chart, or an overhead projector.
Have a student write the pretest word. Allow students who have
misspelled adaptable on their pretests to cross the word out and to
rewrite it correctly. Introduce each of the next three words—
available, attainable, agreeable— in the same manner.
2. Then write regret + able =. Before the pretest word is written, lead
students to identify the base word regret as a VAC word. Ask what
must happen to the final consonant when the suffix able is added and
have a volunteer write regrettable. Continue this procedure with the
words forget and control.
3. Now write adore + able =. Lead students to recognize that the base
word adore ends with a silent e. As the word adorable is written,
have a student cross out the final e in the base word to show that the
e is dropped. Continue the procedure with advise and excite.
4. 4. Next write notice + able = and ask students if the word notice
ends with a silent e. Write the incorrect spelling noticable. Underline
the letters cable, and ask students how the word would be
pronounced if the final silent e were dropped. Remind students that c
and g have a hard sound when followed by the vowels a, o, or u.
Lead students to understand that the final silent e must be kept if the
c or g is to retain a soft pronunciation. Cross out or erase the
mispelling and write the correct spelling of the pretest word
noticeable. Continue the procedure with the words changeable and
manageable. Allow time for students to correct their pretests.
5. Tell students to look at the first thirteen words and make a
generalization that applies to all of the words. Lead students to
recognize that able has been added to whole words. Suggest a
mnemonic device for six of the first thirteen words: they begin with
the letter a and use the suffix that begins with the letter a.
6. Write vis + ible = and ask students if vis can stand alone as a
complete word or if it is a root. Have a student write the pretest
word. Repeat the procedure with the remaining words, all of which
are roots that cannot stand alone without the suffix. Lead them to
understand that ible has been added to roots. Ask students to identify
the two ible words that have a root that ends with the letter g. Point
out that the soft sound of g is retained when the g is followed by the
vowel i. Allow students time to correct their pretests.
Checking for Understanding
To verify students' understanding of the lesson generalization, direct them to read the spelling
words and to answer the questions on the student page. Discuss the answers with them. Then
have students read the lesson generalization and discuss it.
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Grade 7 Spelling SkillBuilders