Words ending in the 'shun' sound

In a nutshell

Words which end with the sound 'shun' are usually nouns, or names for people, places and things. These words sound similar but they can be spelt in a number of different ways. How you spell the 'shun' sound depends on the ending of the root word. In this summary, you'll learn how to spell words ending with the 'shun' sound.

The suffix '-tion'

The suffix '-tion' is the most common spelling of the 'shun' sound. It's often used to turn verbs into nouns when the root word ends in 't' or 'te'. These words usually have a softer 'shun' sound.

Examples

Verb	Invent	Act	Delete
noun	Invention	Action	Deletion

The suffix '-sion'

The suffix '-sion' is used if the root words ends in 'd' or 'se'. These words also have a harsher 'zhun' sound than words ending in '-tion'.

Examples

verb	Tense	Expand	Suspend
noun	Tension	Expansion	Suspension

The suffix '-cian'

The suffix '-cian' is used if the root word ends with 'c' or 'cs'. Nouns ending in '-cian' are usually jobs or professions.

Examples

'Magic' becomes 'magician'.

'Music' becomes 'musician'.

'Optic' becomes 'optician'.

The suffix '-ssion'

The '-ssion' suffix is used if the root word ends in 'mit' or 'ss'.

Examples

'Admit' becomes 'admission'.

'Obsess' becomes 'obsession'.

'Confess' becomes 'confession'.