What to use? -able or -ible?

Comparison between "-able" and "-ible"

What are "-able" and "-ible" ? 

-able vs -ible

Both are called "suffixes". Suffixes are a letter or group of letters added to the ending of words to change their meaning or function. These useful, shapeshifting tools can be as small as -s, and -ed, or can be larger additions such as -ation, and -ious.

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Rule of thumb

- If you remove -able from a word, you are left with a complete word (renewable, renew).

- If you remove -ible from a word, you are not left with a complete word (sensible, sens). But note that accessible, contemptible, digestible, flexible and suggestible are among the exceptions to this rule.

The most common -ible endings

	Adjectives ending in (-able)	Adjectives ending in (-ible)
Examples	Navigable, affordable	Comprehensible, permissible
When to use	companion word ends in -ation: abomination -> abominable irritation -> irritable	When companion word ends in -ion comprehension -> comprehensible digestion -> digestible
	after hard c and hard g  practicable, amicable (c sounds like k) navigable (hard g)	after soft c and soft g forcible (c sounds like s) legible (g sounds like j)
	If the base word (the main word without -able) can be a complete part on itself (even when e is dropped, or a consonant doubled when adding -able bear - bearable read - readable accept – acceptable advise – advisable inflate – inflatable forget – forgettable regret – regrettable	If the base word (the main word without -ible) can’t make a meaning on its own. Audible – aud Permissible – permiss Illegible – illeg Incredible – incred Exceptions of the rule: accessible, collapsible, contemptible, digestible, flexible, suggestible, illegible

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