A suffix is a letter or a group of letters added at the end of a word to change its meaning or function. Suffixes can alter the word’s part of speech, tense, number, or other grammatical aspects. For example, adding "-ing" to "run" creates "running," or adding "-ly" to "quick" forms "quickly."
Rules for Using Suffixes:
1. Adding Directly: - Most suffixes can be added to the root word without any changes. Example: *teach → teacher*.
2. Dropping the Final 'E': - If a root word ends in e, drop the e when adding a suffix that begins with a vowel. Example: *hope → hoping*. - If the suffix begins with a consonant, retain the e. Example: hope → hopeful.
3. Doubling the Final Consonant: - For one-syllable words with a single vowel followed by a consonant, double the final consonant before adding a vowel suffix. Example: run → running.
4. Changing 'Y' to 'I': - If the root word ends in y preceded by a consonant, change the y to i before adding a suffix (except for -ing). Example: happy → happiness but apply → applying.
5. No Change for Words Ending in a Vowel: - If the word ends in a vowel, usually no changes are needed. Example: enjoy → enjoyment.
| Suffix | Meaning | Example Word | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| -able | Capable of | Readable | Can be read. |
| -ible | Capable of | Visible | Can be seen. |
| -al | Pertaining to | Personal | Related to a person. |
| -ance | State or quality | Performance | The act of performing. |
| -ence | State or quality | Existence | The state of existing. |
| -ant | Performing an action | Assistant | A person who assists. |
| -ent | Performing an action | Student | A person who studies. |
| -ary | Pertaining to | Dictionary | A resource for words. |
| -ate | To make or do | Activate | To make active. |
| -dom | State or condition | Freedom | The state of being free. |
| -eer | Engaged in something | Engineer | A person who designs and builds. |
| -ence | Quality or condition | Patience | The quality of being patient. |
| -er | A person who does something | Runner | A person who runs. |
| -est | Superlative degree | Biggest | The most big. |
| -ful | Full of | Careful | Full of care. |
| -ic | Pertaining to | Historic | Related to history. |
| -ical | Pertaining to | Critical | Related to criticism. |
| -ify | To make | Simplify | To make simple. |
| -ing | Action or process | Cooking | The act of preparing food. |
| -ion | Action or condition | Decision | The act of deciding. |
| -ism | Doctrine or belief | Realism | A belief in reality. |
| -ist | Person who practices | Artist | A person who creates art. |
| -ity | State or quality | Flexibility | The state of being flexible. |
| -ive | Having a tendency | Creative | Having the tendency to create. |
| -ize | To make or become | Organize | To arrange or structure. |
| -less | Without | Careless | Without care. |
| -ly | In a certain way (adverb) | Quickly | In a quick manner. |
| -ment | Action or process | Agreement | The act of agreeing. |
| -ness | State or quality | Kindness | The quality of being kind. |
| -or | A person who does something | Instructor | A person who instructs. |
| -ous | Full of | Courageous | Full of courage. |
| -ship | State or condition | Leadership | The state of leading. |
| -some | Characterized by | Awesome | Characterized by awe. |
| -th | State or condition | Strength | The state of being strong. |
| -ward | In the direction of | Forward | Toward the front. |
| -wise | In relation to | Clockwise | In the direction of a clock. |
| -y | Characterized by | Sunny | Full of sunshine. |
| -age | Action or result | Breakage | The result of breaking. |
| -ary | Connected with | Library | A place for books. |
| -cycle | Circle or recurring event | Bicycle | A two-wheeled vehicle. |
| -cracy | Rule or government | Democracy | Government by the people. |
| -graph | Written or drawn | Autograph | A person's signature. |
| -logy | Study of | Biology | The study of life. |
| -meter | Measuring instrument | Thermometer | Measures temperature. |
| -phobia | Fear of | Claustrophobia | Fear of confined spaces. |
| -scope | Instrument for viewing | Telescope | Instrument for viewing distant objects. |
| -ward | Direction | Backward | Toward the back. |
| -man | Related to a person | Fireman | A person who fights fires. |
| -ette | Small version of something | Cigarette | A small cigar. |
| -ian | Belonging to or relating to | Musician | A person skilled in music. |
Noun Suffixes: -er/-or: Indicates a person who performs an action. - Ex. drive → driver, act → actor. -ness: Denotes a state, quality, or condition. - Ex. kind → kindness. -tion/-sion: Forms abstract nouns. - Ex. educate → education, decide → decision.
Adjective Suffixes: -ful: Means "full of." - Ex. hope → hopeful. -less: Means "without." - Ex. home → homeless. -able/-ible: Means "capable of." - Ex. rely → reliable, access → accessible.
Verb Suffixes: -ize: To make or become. - Ex. modern → modernize. -en: To make something have a quality. - Ex. strength → strengthen.
Adverb Suffixes: -ly: Turns adjectives into adverbs. - Ex. quick → quickly.
Practice Tips: - Pay attention to spelling rules when adding suffixes. - Learn how suffixes change word classes and practice forming sentences. - Familiarize yourself with common suffixes to expand your vocabulary.