Today we’ll be talking about the suffixes –ANCE and –ENCE, which are used to create nouns from adjectives.
We use the suffix –ANCE to create nouns from adjectives ending in –ANT:
distant → distance
We were watching distant stars.
Some of them are at a distance of millions of light years.
relevant → relevance
This remark was very relevant.
But the other remarks lacked relevance.
significant → significance
This was a significant event.
We didn’t fully understand its significance back then.
important → importance
The meeting turned out pretty important.
I wouldn’t like to exaggerate its importance, though.
We use the suffix –ENCE to create nouns from adjectives ending in –ENT:
silent → silence
The students were silent during the exam.
Suddenly someone interrupted the silence.
absent → absence
They were absent from school.
Nobody noticed their absence.
dependent → dependence
Its price is dependent on multiple factors.
This dependence is hard to estimate.
evident → evidence
His guilt was evident.
We don’t need any more evidence against him.
