Which suffix turns 'magic' into 'magical', indicating 'possessing a quality of'?

• A. ic
• B. ical
• C. ish
• D. ist

Answer: (B)

The idea is how suffixes turn a noun into an adjective that means “having the quality of.” The suffix that does this here is -ical. When you attach -ical to magic, you get magical, which means “having the quality of magic.” This -ical ending is used to form adjectives that describe a characteristic or quality, and you can see it in many words like historical, electrical, or magical.

The other endings don’t fit the same sense. -ish would suggest “somewhat like” (reddish, greenish), not the possession of a quality. -ist points to a person who practices or believes in something. -ic is a common adjective-forming suffix too, but in this particular case the natural, correct form from magic to describe that quality is magical, with the -ical suffix.