MTEL Communication Literacy Skills : Reading Practice Test

Which of the following suffixes would you find related to describing a particular quality?

1. -ness

2. -tion

3. -tude

4. -ity

The correct answer is: -tude

The suffix that best describes a particular quality is typically associated with the idea of a state or condition that is inherent to the root word. The suffix -ness is one such example, as it denotes a quality or state. For instance, when added to the adjective "happy" (happiness), it transforms it into a noun that encapsulates the quality of being happy. The suffix -tion often indicates a process or act, as seen in words like "creation" or "operation," but it doesn't emphasize the quality itself. Similarly, -tude, as in "attitude" or "magnitude," conveys a sense of state but isn’t as universally connected to quality as -ness. Likewise, -ity often signifies the state or condition pertaining to a quality, as in "ability" or "purity." Therefore, while -tude is related to state, it is not as directly connected to quality as -ness or -ity. Given this context, the correct suffix for describing a particular quality from the choices would actually be -ness or -ity, as both directly convey the essence of a specific quality.