-cious -tious

To help learn the spelling of words ending in either –cious or –tious:

• If the root word ends in ce e.g. space, remove the e and replace with ious.

E.g. space – spacious; malice – malicious

• If the root word ends in tion e.g. nutrition, remove the n and replace with us.

• E.g. nutrition – nutritious; caution – cautious

• There are some exceptions to the above rules e.g. delicious, fictitious, anxious.

These exceptions just need to be learnt.

 

 

BBC revision guide:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zp7dk7h