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CONTENTS FEATURE: A few usable (or useable) tips about two troublesome suffixes GRAMMAR COACH: Fielding your questions FINDER'S FEE: Recommend a friend—and earn up to $500 FEATURE: A few usable (or useable) tips about two troublesome suffixes      For most writers, the beginning sentence of a document is the most difficult to write. After the words begin to flow and the piece of writing begins to take shape, writers may instead find themselves stumbling on some of the endings ­ word endings, that is.      The suffixes "-able" and "-ible," by which a verb ("achieve" or "flex," for example) can be transformed into an adjective ("achievable," "flexible") can create confusion. While some words take the "-able" adjectival suffix (or "-ably" adverbial suffix), others require "-ible" (or "-ibly"). The only certainty is the absence of a firm rule to determine which suffix to use. A couple of methods do exist, but both are susceptible to exceptions. Or should that be susceptable"? METHOD "A" consists of three guidelines: A-1. If the "root" noun or verb is a complete word, add "-able" to make it an adjective. Examples: accept  >  acceptable commend  >  commendable correct  >  correctable depend  >  dependable laugh  >  laughable predict  >  predictable (method B fails for this word) suit  >  suitable understand  >  understandable A-2. If the "root" word ends in a silent letter "e," delete the "e" and then add the suffix "-able" to make it an adjective. Examples: achieve  >  achievable advise  >  advisable desire  >  desirable quote  >  quotable value  >  valuable A-3. If the "root" is not a complete word, add "-ible" to make it an adjective. Examples: admissible credible divisible edible perceptible permissible possible susceptible visible      The list of exceptions is frustratingly long, however. Rule A-1 goes out the window with these words: access  >  accessible combust  >  combustible contempt  >  contemptible convert  >  convertible deduct  >  deductible digest  >  digestible flex  >  flexible      Rule A-2 is violated by these words: charge  >  chargeable (the "e" is retained for proper pronunciation) collapse  >  collapsible manage  >  manageable (the "e" is retained for proper pronunciation) response  >  responsible reverse  >  reversible      Some words can be spelled either with or without the silent "e," including: drivable / driveable lovable / loveable movable / moveable sizable / sizeable usable / useable      Rule A-3 is ignored by these words: demonstrable (but method B supports this word) irritable (method B supports this word) inevitable navigable (method B supports this word) negotiable (method B supports this word) penetrable (method B supports this word) tolerable (method B supports this word) METHOD "B" consists of two guidelines: B-1. If the adjective is related to a noun that ends in "-ation" the suffix "-able" is most likely the proper adjectival form, as shown here: commendation  >  commendable consideration  >  considerable demonstration  >  demonstrable (method A fails for this word) irritation  >  irritable navigation  >  navigable (method A fails for this word) negotiation  >  negotiable (method A fails for this word) penetration  >  penetrable (method A fails for this word) toleration  >  tolerable (method A fails for this word) valuation  >  valuable B-2. If the adjective is related to a noun that ends in "-ion" the suffix "-ible" is most likely the proper adjectival form, as shown here: accession  >  accessible (method A fails for this word) admission  >  admissible conversion  >  convertible (method A fails for this word) digestion  >  digestible division  >  divisible perception  >  perceptible vision  >  visible      The method B guidelines are somewhat squishy also. For example, the word "correct" (which is related to the noun "correction") defies rule B-2 and turns into "correctable" (which method A supports).      The verb "predict" (which is related to the noun "prediction") ignores the "ion" rule in conversion to the adjective "predictable" (which method A supports).      The adjective "credible" is unrelated to a noun that ends in either "-ation" or "-ion," but rather to the noun "credence." Method B is no help in determining the adjective related to the verb "eat"; it's "edible." Likewise, the adjective "understandable" has no "-ation" or "-ion" corollary; it's related to the noun "understanding." The adjective "dependable" is related to the noun "dependence." And "renewable" correlates to the noun "renewal."      If you're unsure whether an adjective ends with "-able" or "-ible" and you have no dictionary at hand, try to apply either or both of these probability methods. To be sure you're right, though, check a dictionary. Doing so would be — well, sensible. GRAMMAR COACH: Fielding your questions 1. Barry S. wrote:      "Which is correct: 'coursework' (one word) or 'course work' (two words)? My Associated Press Stylebook doesn't cover it, and most of the Google references have it as one word. So which is it?" The grammar coach replies:      You're right to be hesitant about simply letting Google occurrences determine usage because so many people misuse terminology as a result of unwillingness to consult a dictionary.      The AP Stylebook does not contain an entry for "coursework" or "course work." The stylebook's first reference for spelling, style and usage is Webster's New World College Dictionary, which does not include an entry for "coursework" — meaning that it should be retained as two words. Likewise, the "closed" (single-word) term does not appear in Merriam-Webster Online, in the American Heritage Dictionary or in the online Cambridge Dictionary of American English — but it does appear in the online Compact Oxford English Dictionary.      Somewhat related is the term "class work." Although Webster's New World College Dictionary shows "classmate" and "classroom" as closed terms, it contains no entry for "classwork." The same is true for American Heritage.      Regarding "compound words," The Chicago Manual of Style says "Probably nine out of ten spelling questions that arise in writing or editing concern compound words. Should it be selfseeking or self-seeking? Is the word spelled taxpayer, tax-payer or tax payer — closed, hyphenated or open? Most such questions are readily answered by the dictionary. If the compound is used as a noun, the chances are good that it will appear in an unabridged dictionary, in one of the three possible spellings." We recommend retaining "course work" as two words until Webster accepts it as a closed word. 2. Gary C. wrote:      "An alumna of my business school sent an e-mail message to the dean's office in which she wrote, 'As a MA graduate in Philosophy, and native of [our town], the university plays such an important role in my life. When driving today, I saw a billboard for the university's MBA program. It said something about AN MBA. I am confused and stumped — isn't is A MBA? AN is for vowels. This concerns me, for it makes us appear to be uneducated.' So is 'an MBA' proper, or not?" The grammar coach replies:      Gary, the billboard is correct. Both The Chicago Manual of Style and the Associated Press Stylebook say that the article ("a" or "an") preceding an acronym is determined by the way the acronym or abbreviation is read aloud. Webster's New World College Dictionary further explains that "a" is used before words that begin with a consonant sound or a sounded "h" (as in a degree, a home, a uniform), while "an" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound or a silent "h" (e.g., an egg, an honor, an ultimatum). Phonetically, MBA is pronounced "em-bee-ay" so "an MBA" is correct. The letter "M" is pronounced with an initial vowel sound (em).      If you were spelling out the full name for the degree, the article "a" would be appropriate: "a master of business administration degree." Please consult the February 2009 edition of EditPros News for a more detailed explanation.      Incidentally, the alumna who sent you the e-mail message committed three errors of her own in her sentence "As a MA graduate in Philosophy, and native of [our town], the university plays such an important role in my life." First, you know by now that she should have written "AN MA graduate." Second, the dangling prepositional phrase that begins her sentence declares that the university (the subject of the sentence) is an MA graduate. She should have instead written "As an MA graduate ... I believe the university plays an important role...." Third, because the word "philosophy" was used generically in reference to a field of study or academic discipline, its capitalization was inappropriate.      Are you perplexed by some aspect of grammar or word usage? Don't be shy! Ask the "grammar coach" at EditPros and we'll try to help—at no charge, just for the sport of it. FINDER'S FEE: Recommend a friend—and earn a finder's fee of up to $500      Do you know of a friend or colleague whose office can benefit from EditPros' services? If you do, EditPros may reward you with a "finder's fee" of up to $500.      EditPros LLC, established in 1993, performs writing, editing, proofreading and publication management services for newsletters, brochures, Web sites, annual reports, research studies, business proposals, and other informational and marketing materials. Our office is in Davis, Calif., between Sacramento and San Francisco; however, our clients include educational institutions, private corporations, health-care organizations, trade associations, scientific research institutions, Web site developers and government agencies from throughout the United States. We have worked with some of them for more than 10 years.      If you recommend our services to a friend or business colleague, and that introduction leads to an assignment for EditPros, we will award you a "finder's fee" equaling 10 percent of the amount we earn on the first assignment for the new client, up to a maximum finder's fee of $500. Naturally, the finder's fee is applicable only to client organizations for which we have not worked previously.      This offer will remain in effect until further notice. YOUR TURN: Ask the "grammar coach" or subscribe      We invite you to submit your questions to the "grammar coach," and we welcome you to subscribe to this monthly newsletter—which we'll send to your e-mail address at no charge. We respond to all "grammar coach" questions personally, but delays may occur because we must place top priority on assignments from our clients. We appreciate your patience and your interest.      You also can change your e-mail subscription address. For an address change, please indicate your existing AND your new e-mail address. Thank you. OUR PRIVACY POLICY for e-mail newsletter subscribers:      We do not use any commercial e-mail lists or automated mass-mailing programs, and we do not allow access to the list by anyone else for any reason. 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