One l, always
help → helpfulThe suffix is never spelled -full.
hope → hopeful; thank → thankfulHomeSpelling guides-ful or full?
THE SPELLING NOTEBOOK · 03
-ful or full?
Count the l’s.
The suffix means “full of”, but it is spelled with just one l.
Try a little practice ↓THE RULES, ONE AT A TIME
Look at the word.
Then add the ending.
Consonant + y → i
beauty → beautifulA y after a consonant changes to i before -ful.
pity → pitiful; mercy → mercifulAmounts
hand → handful-ful can also mean “the amount that fills”.
mouth → mouthful; spoon → spoonfulAdding -ly
careful → carefully-ful + -ly gives two l’s, because you add the whole suffix.
hopeful → hopefully; peaceful → peacefullyExceptions to remember
full (the word) keeps two l’s, as do words built from it: fullness, fully. Plurals of amounts usually add s at the end: spoonfuls, handfuls. Roots that end in ll drop one l in British English: skill → skilful, will → wilful (American English: skillful, willful).
A LITTLE PRACTICE GOES A LONG WAY
Which spelling is right?
Use the rules above, then check your answers.
Teacher answer key
- help + ful → helpful
- beauty + ful → beautiful
- careful + ly → carefully
- The bucket is full of water.
- hand + ful → handful
- thank + ful → thankful
A note for the grown-ups.
Rules summarised from the Department for Education’s English spelling appendix. Examples and practice are original site copy, checked against the ENABLE2K word list. Spelling rules have exceptions; check unfamiliar words in a dictionary.