Lesson Two: -cial & -tial

Words taught: 33

Do we use -cial as in social or -tial as in substantial, and why?

 

Rule:

Use -cial after a vowel, like after the vowel o in social

Use -tial after an n, like after the n in substantial.

Notes:  Vowels are: a, e, i, o, u.     The endings -cial and -tial have the same sound. (33 words)

 

1) The ending -cial, as in social is in these 12 words:
Because the o is a vowel in social, we use -cial after the o, not -tial:

so+cial = social  
                     
ra+cial = racial

fa+cial = facial        
                
spe+cial = special

spe+cially = specially              

espe+cial = especial

offi+cial = official                   

artifi+cial = artificial

superfi+cial = superficial        

benifi+cial = beneficial

sacrifi +cial = sacrificial         

cru+cial = crucial

2) The -tial after an n, as in substantial and in these 15 words:
Because there is an n in essential, we use -tial after an n, not -cial.

substan+tial = substantial                    

essen+tial = essential 

residen+tial = residential                     

creden+tial = credential

confiden+tial = confidential                

pruden+tial = prudential

poten+tial = potential                          

influen+tial = influential

sequen+tial = sequential                      

referen+tial = referential         

exponen+tial = exponential                

consequen+tial = consequential

circumstan+tial = circumstantial

existen+tial = existential, existentialist  

Memorize these two exceptions: financial & initial

Memorize these four words with an r:
partial, martial, commercial, controversial

 

Practice
Fill in the blanks using the endings -cial or -tial:

so_ _ _ _, essen_ _ _ _, spe_ _ _ _,

substan_ _ _ _, creden_ _ _ _, fa_ _ _ _,

residen_ _ _ _, offi_ _ _ _, artifi_ _ _ _,

confiden_ _ _ _, poten_ _ _ _, ra_ _ _ _,

consequen_ _ _ _, cru_ _ _ _, pruden_ _ _ _,

circumstan_ _ _ _, referen_ _ _ _,

benefi_ _ _ _, influen_ _ _ _,

*finan_ _ _ _, *ini_ _ _ _,

par_ _ _ _, mar_ _ _ _, commer_ _ _ _,

controversy > controver_ _ _ _

 

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