MTEL Communication Literacy Skills : Reading Practice Test

The answer identifies root words that end with -y as the exception to the rule regarding how suffixes can alter the spelling of root words. When adding a suffix to a root word ending in -y, it is common for the -y to change to -i, especially if the suffix begins with a vowel. For example, in the word "happy," adding the suffix -ness changes it to "hapiness."

This rule is significant because it highlights a specific behavior in English spelling patterns dictated by the letters at the end of the root word. The other choices do not consistently follow this specific spelling change. Words that end in -e typically retain the -e when adding certain suffixes. Short words can vary widely in their suffix applications and don't adhere to a specific rule involving spelling alteration. Compound words are combinations of two or more complete words and behave independently concerning suffixes, not adhering to a singular spelling rule like root words ending in -y.