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Finals in -y and -ie

I) The difficulties of words ending with a Y or the sound [i]? 

a) When a special ending ( plural- third person singular or suffixes) must be added to a word ending with a Y preceded by a consonant, the Y must be changed into an I. 

- busy=>busier/ business // happy=> happier/ happiness// carry=> carried=> carriage// marry=> married/ marriage// pity=> pitiable/ pitiful

NB:  Nouns and verbs ending with a Y preceded by a consonant have their plural or third person singular (in the simple present ) in -IES. 

- lady=> ladies// (mais boy=> boys - Y preceded by a vowel)

- to marry=> marries/ married/ marriage// (but to stay=> he stays - Y preceded by a vowel)

 a pony=> 2 ponies                               

    a fairy=> 2 fairies

II) a Y does not change if placed after a vowel (see above) or when placed before - ing or - ish:

- To play=> player/ playing. // To stay=> he stays/ staying/ To marry=> marrying// To carry=> he carried=> carrying

- Baby=> babies=> babyish/ forty (40)=> fortyish (around forty)

Exceptions: say (said) - lay (laid) - pay ( paid) which are irregular forms.

III)  -IE is turned into -Y before -ING.  

- die=> dying// lie=> lying// tie=> tying. 

   V= vowel; C= consonant

You see! That was easy! Now, you can face the test! Go for it!  

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