Which suffix indicates the quality or state of?

• A. ation
• B. ity
• C. ical
• D. en

Answer: (B)

Suffixes that denote a quality or state typically end in -ity, turning adjectives into abstract nouns that name a condition or characteristic. The form -ity directly expresses the idea of the state of being X, as in clarity (the state of being clear), density (the state of being dense), or unity (the state of being one). In the options given, -ity is the one that most clearly signals that sense of a quality or state rather than indicating action, relation, or a verb-like meaning. Other suffixes perform different roles: -ation usually marks action or process (formation, operation), -ical creates adjectives meaning “pertaining to” (historical, musical), and -en often forms verbs meaning “to cause to be” or to become (harden, brighten). So -ity best conveys the idea of a quality or state.