Quiz-Tree

Abstract Noun Suffixes: State, Quality, and Process

This quiz covers five suffixes that convert verbs and adjectives into abstract  nouns: -tion/-sion, -ity/-ty, -ness, -ment,  and -ance/-ence. These endings appear constantly in SAT reading and  writing passages. After completing this quiz, you will be able to spot these  suffixes in unfamiliar words and use them to infer meaning.

Question 1 of 10
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Question 1
The suffix -tion appears in common words like celebration. When the root ends in d or s, the suffix typically becomes -sion, as in revision. What does this suffix mean?
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The suffix -ity appears in words like clarity and ambiguity. A shorter variant, -ty, appears in words like loyalty and safety. What does this suffix mean?
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The suffix -ness appears in words like kindness and awareness. What does this suffix mean?
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The word assessment contains the suffix -ment. How does -ment shape the meaning of this word?
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The suffix -ance appears in resistance. The same suffix appears as -ence in words like confidence and patience — the vowel follows the root's spelling and must be memorized. What does this suffix mean?
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The word nation ends in -tion. A student concludes that since -tion means "act or state of," nation must mean "the act of nat-ing." What is wrong with this reasoning?
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The word vividness contains the suffix -ness. Which statement best describes what -ness contributes to this word?
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The suffix -ment appears in disenchantment. The root disenchant means "to free someone from an illusion or an idealized belief." What does disenchantment most likely mean?
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The suffix -ity appears in perspicacity. The root perspicac- comes from a Latin word meaning "sharp-sighted" or "clear-seeing." What does perspicacity most likely mean?
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The suffix -ence appears in quiescence. The root quiesc- comes from Latin meaning "to become quiet or still." What does quiescence most likely mean?
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