Year 6 English: The ending -tious after a root word ending in -tion
Part of the Year 6 English spelling -cious, -tious, -cial and -tial chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
The ending -tious after a root word ending in -tion
Many adjectives end in -tious. The sound at the end of these words is spelt -tious when the root word ends in -tion. Drop the -ion from the root word, then add -ious.
For example, ambition ends in -tion. Drop -ion, and add -ious: ambitious.
Root words ending in -tion
| Noun (root word) | Drop -ion and add -ious | Adjective |
|---|---|---|
| ambition | ambitious | ambitious |
| caution | cautious | cautious |
| nutrition | nutritious | nutritious |
| infection | infectious | infectious |
| superstition | superstitious | superstitious |
| repetition | repetitious | repetitious |
Key ideas
- A root word that ends in -tion takes the ending -tious.
- Drop -ion from the root word, then add -ious.
- The t in -tious comes from the t in -tion, so keep the t when you write the adjective.
Method. The root word ends in -tion, so the ending is -tious.
- Find the root word. Nutrition ends in -tion.nutrition
- Drop -ion and add -ious. Drop -ion, leaving nutrit, then add ious.nutrit + ious
- Check the word. Nutritious describes food that is good for your health.nutritious
- Write the answer. nutritious
Check. nutrition - ion + ious = nutritious. ✓
Method. Caution ends in -tion, so the adjective ends in -tious.
- Find the root word. Caution ends in -tion.caution
- Drop -ion and add -ious. Drop -ion, leaving caut, then add ious.caut + ious
- Check the word. Cautious describes someone who is careful to avoid danger.cautious
- Write the answer. cautious
Check. caution - ion + ious = cautious. ✓
Method. Check the root word, and drop -ion before adding -ious.
- Find the root word. Superstition ends in -tion.superstition
- Drop -ion and add -ious. Drop -ion, leaving superstit, then add ious.superstit + ious
- Compare the spellings. Superstitious keeps the t and the i before -ous; superstitous leaves out the i.superstitious
- Write the answer. superstitious
Check. The correct spelling is superstitious. ✓
Watch out. Many people leave out the i. Look at the root word, then write the -ious ending in full.
Watch out
Watch out: the word cautious has a -tious ending, but cautions is a noun or a verb. Do not use the adjective spelling when you need the noun.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Write the root word and the adjective side by side on paper. Cover the adjective, and see if your child can write it from the root word by dropping -ion and adding -ious.
Exercise 1B Practice: -tious after a root word ending in -tion
Method. Look at the end of the root word, then choose the ending.
- Find the root word. ambition is the noun. The adjective will end differently.ambition
- Look at the last letters. A root word ending in -tion takes the ending -tious.ambition ends in -tion: drop -ion (ambit), then add -ious: ambitious
- Write the answer. ambitious
Check. ambition becomes ambitious. ✓
Watch out. Use -cious after -ce and -tious after -tion. Do not write -cous or -shus.
Method. Look at the end of the root word, then choose the ending.
- Find the root word. caution is the noun. The adjective will end differently.caution
- Look at the last letters. A root word ending in -tion takes the ending -tious.caution ends in -tion: drop -ion (caut), then add -ious: cautious
- Write the answer. cautious
Check. caution becomes cautious. ✓
Watch out. Use -cious after -ce and -tious after -tion. Do not write -cous or -shus.
Method. Look at the end of the root word, then choose the ending.
- Find the root word. nutrition is the noun. The adjective will end differently.nutrition
- Look at the last letters. A root word ending in -tion takes the ending -tious.nutrition ends in -tion: drop -ion (nutrit), then add -ious: nutritious
- Write the answer. nutritious
Check. nutrition becomes nutritious. ✓
Watch out. Use -cious after -ce and -tious after -tion. Do not write -cous or -shus.
Method. Look at the end of the root word, then choose the ending.
- Find the root word. infection is the noun. The adjective will end differently.infection
- Look at the last letters. A root word ending in -tion takes the ending -tious.infection ends in -tion: drop -ion (infect), then add -ious: infectious
- Write the answer. infectious
Check. infection becomes infectious. ✓
Watch out. Use -cious after -ce and -tious after -tion. Do not write -cous or -shus.
Method. Look at the end of the root word, then choose the ending.
- Find the root word. superstition is the noun. The adjective will end differently.superstition
- Look at the last letters. A root word ending in -tion takes the ending -tious.superstition ends in -tion: drop -ion (superstit), then add -ious: superstitious
- Write the answer. superstitious
Check. superstition becomes superstitious. ✓
Watch out. Use -cious after -ce and -tious after -tion. Do not write -cous or -shus.
Method. Look at the end of the root word, then choose the ending.
- Find the root word. repetition is the noun. The adjective will end differently.repetition
- Look at the last letters. A root word ending in -tion takes the ending -tious.repetition ends in -tion: drop -ion (repetit), then add -ious: repetitious
- Write the answer. repetitious
Check. repetition becomes repetitious. ✓
Watch out. Use -cious after -ce and -tious after -tion. Do not write -cous or -shus.
Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.
- Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
- Test the choice. Nutrition ends in -tion, so drop -ion and add -ious: nutritious.nutritious fits
- Reject the other choices. nutricious has the wrong ending for this word.nutricious do not fit
- Write the answer. nutritious
Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓
Watch out. Look at the root word, or at the letter before the ending.
Method. Use the meaning to find the adjective, then check the root word.
- Use the meaning. The meaning is able to spread from one person to another.able to spread
- Check the root word. Infection ends in -tion, so the adjective is infectious.infect + ious
- Write the answer. infectious
Check. infectious comes from infection. ✓
Method. Find the word that is spelt wrongly, and write its root word to help.
- Find the word that is wrong. Superstitous is missing the i before -ous.superstitous
- Use the root word. Superstition ends in -tion, so the adjective is superstitious.superstition
- Write the answer. He was superstitious about the number on the bus.
Check. superstitious keeps the t and the i. ✓
Method. Remove the -ious ending, and put back the -ion.
- Remove the ending. Repetitious ends in -ious, so the root word ends in -tion.repetit-
- Put back -ion. The root word is the noun that means the act of repeating.repetition
- Write the answer. repetition
Check. repetitious comes from repetition. ✓
Method. Find the root word and its ending.
- Find the root word. Ambition is the noun, and it ends in -tion.ambition
- Apply the rule. A root word ending in -tion takes -tious, so the adjective is ambitious.ambitious
- Write the answer. Ambition ends in -tion, and a root word that ends in -tion takes -tious, so the adjective is ambitious.
Check. ambition - ion + ious = ambitious. ✓
Method. Drop -ion, then add -ious.
- Find the root word. Superstition ends in -tion.superstition
- Drop -ion and add -ious. Drop -ion, then add ious.superstit + ious
- Write the answer. superstitious
Check. superstition - ion + ious = superstitious. ✓
Method. Use the adjective to describe food.
- Choose a subject. The snack is the subject of the sentence.The fruit and nuts
- Add the adjective. Nutritious describes the snack.a nutritious snack
- Write the answer. The fruit and nuts were a nutritious snack for the walk.
Check. The sentence uses nutritious with the right spelling. ✓
Method. Find the noun that the adjective comes from.
- Find the adjective. Cautious is the adjective.cautious
- Find its root word. Caution is the noun, and drop -ion and add -ious gives cautious.caution
- Write the answer. caution
Check. caution - ion + ious = cautious. ✓
Method. Drop -ion, then add -ious.
- Find the root word. Ambition ends in -tion.ambition
- Drop -ion and add -ious. Drop -ion, then add ious.ambit + ious
- Write the answer. ambitious
Check. ambition - ion + ious = ambitious. ✓
Method. Use the root word to check the spelling.
- Find the root word. Nutrition ends in -tion.nutrition
- Apply the rule. Drop -ion and add -ious: nutritious.nutrit + ious
- Write the answer. Look at the root word nutrition, drop -ion and add -ious, giving nutritious.
Check. The poster needs nutritious, with an i before the -ous. ✓
Method. Use the adjective to describe a person.
- Choose a person. A striker is a person in a team.The striker
- Add the adjective. Ambitious describes the striker, who wants to achieve a lot.The ambitious striker practised
- Write the answer. The ambitious striker practised every morning.
Check. The sentence uses ambitious correctly. ✓
Method. Look at the root word and the adjective, and compare them.
- Compare the words. Caution and cautious both start with caut.caut
- Say what changes. Only the ending changes, from -ion to -ious.-ion to -ious
- Write the answer. Cautious keeps the root word caut, and only the ending changes from -ion to -ious
Check. The root keeps its letters, and the ending changes. ✓