How to Use "Correspondence" and "Correspondents" Correctly

Don't let your teacher tell you that adding endings such as "-ance," "-ence," "-ant" and "-ent" don't follow any real rules--they do. The secret is knowing where the root word came from, and this can be found out by consulting a dictionary. In the meantime, here's how to tell the difference between correspondence and correspondents.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Identify the verb. Words that end in "-ent" or "-ence" start out as a verb (except for those that just happen to be spelled this way, like dent or fence) and have a suffix attached. In this case, the verb is correspond, which means, in this case, to exchange messages.
2. Change the verb into a noun by adding the suffix "-ence." Therefore, correspondence means the messages that are exchanged when your correspond with someone.
3. Make the verb an adjective by adding the suffix "-ent." Therefore, correspondent describes someone or someone that corresponds as opposed to something or someone that doesn't. For example, a news reporter that doesn't work out of the office of his employer but sends in his or her news reports from far away is called a correspondent reporter.
4. Understand that when news reporters are simply called correspondents (a noun), this is because of a shortcut in language. Think of them as correspondent reporters and you'll always know whether you want to write correspondence or correspondents.

Tips & Warnings

• How do you know whether to add "-ence" and "-ent" instead of "-ance" and "-ant"? Check the root of the word. If the root is Latin and ends in "-ere," the suffixes are going to start with "e." If the root ends in "-are," the suffixes start with "a." (The Latin root for correspondence and correspondents is respondere.)