ible and able

I’ve often wondered if it was possible, passable, feasible or even remotely achievable, to understand when one should “ible” and when one should “able”.

Do you get confused when spelling words that end in “ible” or “able”? Many of us do—for good reasons. Sometimes it seems easy to understand, and one would expect it to be understandable. However, do you fall fallible to terrible and indefensible errors? Although your desire to be competent is commendable, do your failures render you contemptible in the eyes of other insensible, but laudable writers?

Don’t fall into lamentable despair! Refrain from audible cries of terrible woe.

Help is obtainable, permissible and intelligible. Guidelines exist, locatable and accessible.

Three things to note:

First, there are no new “ible” words being created.

Second, there are 4 -5 times as many “able” words as there are “ible” words.

Therefore, every writer’s toolbox should contain the list of the most common “ible” words copyable from the website of EnglishClub.com:

Third, other great references, such as the OWL (OnLine Writing Lab) and hemscott.net give us rules:

1. If the base part of the word is a real word itself, you should add “able”. For example:  comfort + able = comfortable.
2. If the base part of the word ends in the letter “e”, drop the final “e” and add “able”. For example: admire – e + able = admirable.
3. “ible” words are not based on real words. For example: ed + ible = edible.

OK! I hear you screaming, “What about …!”

Sadly, you have much to scream about because there are many exceptions to these rules. Therefore, like so much in life, you’ll have to get busy learning the rules plus all the exceptions to the rules.

Go to it! Here are three webpage references to get you started:

http://www.englishclub.com/writing/spelling_ible.htm

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_spelible.html

http://www.spelling.hemscott.net/ends8.html

Les Stephenson

Up From Down Under  - June 2009