English Vocabulary

Words ending in y

When we add a suffix to a word that ends in –y, we usually change the
–y to –i.

hurry – hurried
fury – furious
merry – merrily, merriment
marry – marriage
easy – easily, easier
busy – business
happy – happily, happiness

Generally nouns that end in –y have plural forms in –ies.

story – stories
spy - spies

Verbs that end in –y usually have third person singular forms in –ies.

worry – worries
hurry – hurries
try – tries

When we add a suffix beginning with –i to a word ending in –y, we do not change the –y to –i.

try - trying
baby – babyish

The final –y is not changed to –i after a vowel letter.

buy – buying
play – playing, played
enjoy – enjoyment

Exceptions

say – said
pay – paid
lay – laid

We change –ie to –y before –ing.

die – dying
lie – lying

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