Suffixes can be confusing. Luckily, our LA office recently shared some AP Stylebook tips on how how to bring your prose to a close. 

• General rules
  • If a word combination is not listed in Webster’s New World College Dictionary, use two words for the verb form; hyphenate any noun or adjective forms.
• -ward, wards
  • Virtually none of the words ending with this suffix end with an s: backward, forward, toward, downward, upward, onward, outward, inward, southward, skyward, Earthward, heavenward, homeward.
• -less
  • No hyphen before this suffix: tailless, weightless, waterless. 
• -wise
  • No hyphen when it means in the direction of or with regard to. Some examples: clockwise, otherwise, lengthwise, slantwise. 
  • Avoid contrived combinations such as moneywise, religionwise.
  • The word penny-wise is spelled with a hyphen because it is a compound adjective in which wise means smart, not an application of the suffix -wise. The same for street-wise in the street-wise youth (an exception to Webster’s New World College Dictionary).
• -over
  • Some frequently used words (all are nouns, some also are used as adjectives): carry-over, stopover, holdover, walkover, takeover.
  • Use two words when any of these occurs as a verb.
• -up 
  • Follow Webster’s New World College Dictionary guidance. Hyphenate if not listed there.
  • Some frequently used words (all are nouns, some also are used as adjectives): breakup, makeup, call-up, mix-up, change-up, mock-up, checkup, pushup, roundup, cover-up, follow-up, holdup, lineup.
  • Use two words when any of these occurs as a verb.