adding 'k': panicKing

googl · Post by **googl** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 7:04 am

Dear teacher,

I'd like to ask about the rule:

Final -c changes into -ck before -ing, -ed, -er etc.

We change -ic to -ick before -ing and -ed

1. Before which suffixes we change c->ck? -ing, -ed, -er and others? (I suppose vowel suffixes?)
2. Do we change only the words ending in -ic or do we change all words ending in -c? (What to do when a word, for example, is ending in -ac?)

Alan · Post by **Alan** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 7:49 am

Yes, a single 'c' verb-ending will always change to 'ck' when a suffix starting with a vowel is added to it.

Such verbs are, however, extremely rare, and 'picnic' and 'panic' are the only two that readily spring to mind.

I cannot think offhand of any that end in other combinations, such as -ac.

(Please try to keep this forum for questions about GRAMMAR and USAGE: spelling issues can normally be resolved easily by reference to a good dictionary!)