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The suffix -ful has one L
careful, helpful, beautiful.
Grades 2-5
The rule
When full is added to the end of a word as a suffix it drops an l and becomes -ful. It is never spelled -full.
How it works
| care + ful = careful | one l |
| help + ful = helpful | one l |
| beauty + ful = beautiful | y becomes i, one l |
| wonder + ful = wonderful | one l |
| play + ful = playful | one l |
Watch out for
- The word full on its own keeps both l's — it is only the suffix that drops one.
- Fully keeps both l's, because -ly is added to full.