MTEL Communication Literacy Skills : Reading Practice Test

Which suffix would you use to indicate a quality of a state or condition?

1. -ment

2. -ness

3. -tude

4. -th

The correct answer is: -tude

The suffix that indicates a quality of a state or condition is "-ness." This suffix is commonly used in English to form nouns that express a quality or state derived from adjectives. For example, the adjective "happy" can be transformed into the noun "happiness," indicating the state or condition of being happy. Using "-ness" allows for a clear expression of qualitative attributes, which aligns perfectly with the question regarding the quality of a state or condition. Other suffixes, like "-ment," typically indicate the action or result of a verb, while "-tude" tends to be associated with states or conditions but is less frequently used. The suffix "-th" can suggest a state or condition as well but is more limited in application. Thus, "-ness" is the most appropriate choice for expressing the quality of a state or condition in a broad range of contexts.