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Unit 29: Spelling the endings -ous and -us

Page 4 of 9

Unit 29: Word ending: -ous, -us

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Page 4 of 9

Spelling the word endings ous and us

Teaching point The suffix ous means 'full of'.
Adding this suffix usually changes a noun into an adjective.

danger > dangerous adventure > adventurous fury > furious

Words ending in ous do not always split clearly into root word and suffix,
for example:

enormous serious anonymous fabulous

When there is a clear root word, normal rules for suffixes apply (most of the time!):

1. If the root word ends in e, drop the e when you add ous:

fame + ous = famous virtue + ous = virtuous

2. Unless the root ends in ge, in which case keep the e (see Unit 19, p8 for more details):

advantage + ous = advantageous

3. When the root word ends in y, change y to i and add ous:

vary + ous = various ceremony + ous = ceremonious

Rule breakers break spelling rules Watch out for rule breaking beautybeauteous and pitypiteous where the y changes for e not i

4. For British spellers only. Learn to spell British English words ous and us
When the root ends our, change for or and add ous:

glamour + ous = glamorous odour + ous = odorous

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