Suffixes

Suffixes are groups of letters added to the end of a root word to change its meaning or function. They can modify the part of speech (such as from a noun to an adjective or a verb to a noun) or alter a word's tense, number, or degree.

Definition of Suffixes (According to Other Sources):

Cambridge Dictionary: A suffix is a letter or group of letters added at the end of a word to make a new word, often to change its grammatical function.

Oxford Learner's Dictionaries: A suffix is a letter or group of letters added at the end of a word to form a new word, usually to indicate a grammatical function such as tense, mood, or number.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary: A suffix is a morpheme that is added at the end of a word to form a new word or to modify its grammatical form.

Examples of Common Suffixes:

• -ful (meaning "full of") - joyful (full of joy)
• -ness (turns adjectives into nouns) - happiness (state of being happy)
• -ing (denotes action or process) - running (the action of run)
• -ly (turns adjectives into adverbs) - quickly (in a quick manner)
• -ed (indicates past tense) - walked (past action)

Suffixes are word endings added to the root or base word to change its meaning or function. There are several types of suffixes, each serving a different grammatical purpose. Here are the main types of suffixes:

1. Noun Suffixes

These suffixes turn words into nouns, often indicating a person, place, thing, or state.

• -er / -or: Indicates a person or thing that performs an action.
  • Ex: teacher, actor
• -ness: Refers to a state or quality.
  • Ex: happiness, darkness
• -ment: Refers to the action or result of something.
  • Ex: development, enjoyment
• -tion / -sion: Indicates the action or process of something.
  • Ex: creation, celebration
• -ity: Refers to a quality or state.
  • Ex: simplicity, reality

2. Adjective Suffixes

These suffixes turn words into adjectives, often indicating quality, condition, or characteristic.

• -ous: Indicates possessing a quality.
  • Ex: dangerous, famous
• -ful: Means full of or characterized by.
  • Ex: joyful, helpful
• -able / -ible: Means capable of being or worthy of.
  • Ex: readable, permissible
• -less: Means without or lacking.
  • Ex: hopeless, careless
• -ic: Pertaining to or characteristic of.
  • Ex: historic, economic
• -al: Related to or characteristic of.
  • Ex: personal, musical

3. Verb Suffixes

These suffixes turn words into verbs, often indicating an action or process.

-ize / -ise: Means to make or become.

• Ex: realize, organize

-ate: Means to cause to become or to act in a certain way.

• Ex: activate, communicate

-en: Indicates to make or become.

• Ex: strengthen, shorten

4. Adverb Suffixes

These suffixes turn adjectives into adverbs, usually indicating manner or degree.

-ly: Indicates the manner in which something is done. Ex: quickly, happily

-ward / -wards: Indicates direction or orientation. Ex: forward, backward

-wise: Indicates manner or direction. Ex: clockwise, otherwise

5. Other Suffixes

These suffixes have various functions in grammar.

-ship: Indicates a state, condition, or skill. Ex: frienduship, leaderuship

-ity: Indicates a state or quality, often used for abstract concepts. Ex: flexibility, activity

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.

Here are some important spelling rules for adding suffixes: 1. **Adding Suffixes to Words Ending in "e"**: - If the word ends in a silent "e," drop the "e" before adding a suffix (except when the suffix begins with an "e"). - Example: - "Make" → "Making" (drop the "e") - "Hope" → "Hopeless" (drop the "e") - But: - "Age" → "Aging" (keep the "e" because the suffix starts with "i") 2. **Doubling the Final Consonant**: - If the word has one syllable, ends with a consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pattern, and the final consonant is not "w," "x," or "y," double the final consonant before adding a suffix. - Example: - "Run" → "Running" - "Hop" → "Hopping" - Do not double the consonant if the final syllable is unstressed. - Example: - "Visit" → "Visiting" (no doubling of "t") 3. **Words Ending in "y"**: - If a word ends in "y" preceded by a consonant, change the "y" to "i" when adding a suffix (except when the suffix starts with an "i"). - Example: - "Happy" → "Happiness" - "Cry" → "Cried" - But: - "Play" → "Playing" (don't change the "y" because the suffix starts with "i") 4. **Words Ending in "ie"**: - If the word ends in "ie," change the "ie" to "y" before adding a suffix. - Example: - "Die" → "Dying" - "Lie" → "Lying" 5. **Adding "ful"**: - When adding the suffix "ful" to words ending in "l," usually just add "ful" without doubling the "l." - Example: - "Hopeful" - "Beautiful" 6. **Words Ending in "e" (with an exception)**: - If a word ends in "e" and the suffix starts with a vowel (like "ing," "ed"), drop the "e." - Example: - "Love" → "Loving" - "Bake" → "Baking" 7. **Adding "ly"**: - When adding "ly" to words ending in "y," the "y" stays the same. - Example: - "Happy" → "Happily" - "Angry" → "Angrily" These rules help maintain consistency in spelling when adding suffixes to base words in English!

Suffixes are added to the end of a word to change its meaning or its part of speech. The addition of a suffix can alter a word’s tense, number, or meaning entirely. Here’s a breakdown of common suffixes and how they affect word meanings:

### 1. **-ed** (past tense) Indicates the past tense of verbs.

- **Example**:

• - **Talk** → **Talked** (past tense)
• - **Play** → **Played** (past tense)

### 2. **-ing** (present participle/gerund) Indicates an ongoing action or a noun form.

- **Example**:

• - **Talk** → **Talking** (present participle)
• - **Play** → **Playing** (gerund)

### 3. **-s / -es** (plural or third-person singular) Indicates plural form for nouns or third-person singular form for verbs.

- **Example**:

• - **Cat** → **Cats** (plural noun)
• - **Walk** → **Walks** (third-person singular verb)

### 4. **-ly** (adverb) Turns adjectives into adverbs.

- **Example**:

• - **Quick** → **Quickly** (adverb)
• - **Happy** → **Happily** (adverb)

### 5. **-ness** (noun) Turns adjectives into nouns, usually indicating a state or quality.

- **Example**:

• - **Happy** → **Happiness** (noun)
• - **Dark** → **Darkness** (noun)

### 6. **-ful** (adjective) Indicates "full of" or "having the qualities of."

- **Example**:

• - **Beauty** → **Beautiful** (adjective)
• - **Joy** → **Joyful** (adjective)

### 7. **-less** (adjective) Indicates "without."

- **Example**:

• - **Hope** → **Hopeless** (adjective)
• - **Care** → **Careless** (adjective)

### 8. **-able / -ible** (adjective) Indicates capability or suitability.

- **Example**:

• - **Read** → **Readable** (able to be read)
• - **Access** → **Accessible** (able to be accessed)

### 9. **-er / -or** (noun) Indicates a person or thing that performs an action.

- **Example**:

• - **Teach** → **Teacher** (person who teaches)
• - **Act** → **Actor** (person who acts)

### 10. **-ic / -ical** (adjective) Indicates relating to or characterized by.

- **Example**:

• - **Physics** → **Physical** (relating to physics)
• - **History** → **Historical** (relating to history)

### 11. **-ize / -ise** (verb) Turns adjectives or nouns into verbs, indicating the process of making or becoming.

- **Example**:

• - **Modern** → **Modernize** (to make modern)
• - **Real** → **Realize** (to make real)

### 12. **-tion / -sion** (noun) Turns verbs into nouns, indicating the action or result of the verb.

- **Example**:

• - **Create** → **Creation** (the result of creating)
• - **Decide** → **Decision** (the result of deciding)

The pronunciation of suffixes can change depending on the word it is attached to. Here's a guide to help with the pronunciation of common suffixes:

### 1. **-ed (past tense)**

- **Pronounced as /ɪd/**: When the root word ends in a "t" or "d" sound. - Example: **wanted** (/ˈwɒntɪd/), **needed** (/ˈniːdɪd/) - **Pronounced as /d/**: When the root word ends in a voiced consonant (other than "d"). - Example: **played** (/pleɪd/), **loved** (/lʌvd/) - **Pronounced as /t/**: When the root word ends in an unvoiced consonant (other than "t"). - Example: **walked** (/wɔːkt/), **kissed** (/kɪst/)

### 2. **-s / -es (plural and possessive)**

- **Pronounced as /ɪz/**: When the word ends in "s", "x", "z", "sh", or "ch". - Example: **boxes** (/ˈbɒksɪz/), **dresses** (/ˈdrɛsɪz/) - **Pronounced as /s/**: When the word ends in a voiceless sound (except for the ones listed above). - Example: **cats** (/kæts/), **books** (/bʊks/) - **Pronounced as /z/**: When the word ends in a voiced sound (except for the ones listed above). - Example: **dogs** (/dɒɡz/), **cars** (/kɑːrz/)

### 3. **-ing (present participle / gerund)**

- Typically, the pronunciation is /ɪŋ/ for most words. - Example: **running** (/ˈrʌnɪŋ/), **going** (/ɡəʊɪŋ/) - In some words, the "g" sound can be soft or silent in certain dialects, but generally /ɪŋ/ is used.

### 4. **-ly (adverb forming)**

- Pronounced as /li/ in most cases. - Example: **quickly** (/ˈkwɪkli/), **happily** (/ˈhæpɪli/)

### 5. **-ful (full of)**

- Pronounced as /fʊl/ or /fl/ depending on the word. - Example: **beautiful** (/ˈbjuːtɪfʊl/), **careful** (/ˈkeəfʊl/)

### 6. **-ous (full of)**

- Pronounced as /əs/ or /ʌs/, depending on the word. - Example: **famous** (/ˈfeɪməs/), **dangerous** (/ˈdeɪndʒərəs/)

### 7. **-ness (state or quality)**

- Pronounced as /nəs/. - Example: **happiness** (/ˈhæpɪnəs/), **darkness** (/ˈdɑːknəs/)

### 8. **-er / -or (person who does something)**

- Pronounced as /ər/ or /ɔːr/, depending on the word. - Example: **teacher** (/ˈtiːtʃər/), **actor** (/ˈæktɔːr/)

### 9. **-ment (state or result of)**

- Pronounced as /mənt/. - Example: **enjoyment** (/ɪnˈdʒɔɪmənt/), **government** (/ˈɡʌvənmənt/)

### 10. **-ive (having the nature of)**

- Pronounced as /ɪv/. - Example: **active** (/ˈæktɪv/), **creative** (/kriˈeɪtɪv/)

Here are some practice activities to help you understand and use suffixes:

### **1. Fill in the blanks with the correct suffix:**

• 1. She is a very **(care)** person. (adjective)
• 2. I have to **(manage)** my time better. (verb)
• 3. The **(beauty)** of the landscape was breathtaking. (noun)
• 4. He answered the questions **(correct)**. (adverb)
• 5. I don't think we should be **(formal)** in this situation. (adjective)

### **2. Identify the suffix in each word:**

• 1. Happiness
• 2. Teacher
• 3. Slowly
• 4. Hopeful
• 5. Disagreement

### **3. Add the appropriate suffix to form a new word:**

• 1. **(hope)** → ________
• 2. **(care)** → ________
• 3. **(music)** → ________
• 4. **(beauty)** → ________
• 5. **(create)** → ________

### **4. Match the suffixes with their correct meanings:**

• - **-able / -ible**
• - **-ly**
• - **-ful**
• - **-ment**
• - **-ness**

**Meanings:**

• a. Indicates a characteristic (e.g., beautiful → beauty)
• b. Makes a word into an adjective meaning "able to be" (e.g., readable)
• c. Forms a noun indicating an action or process (e.g., payment)
• d. Indicates the state or quality of something (e.g., kindness)
• e. Forms an adverb (e.g., slowly)

When using suffixes, it's easy to make mistakes, especially because some suffixes have multiple meanings or uses. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

1. Incorrect Use of Suffixes for Plural Forms: Adding an unnecessary suffix.

• ✘ She has two childs.
• ✓ She has two children.

Explanation: "Child" becomes "children" in the plural form, not "childs."

2. Confusing -able and -ible: Using the wrong suffix for adjectives.

• ✘ This book is readible.
• ✓ This book is readable.

Explanation: Use "-able" for adjectives derived from verbs (e.g., "readable," "manageable"). "-ible" is often used when the base word is derived from Latin (e.g., "incredible").

3. Wrong Use of -ed and -ing Forms: Confusing past participles with present participles.

• ✘ I’m so boring of this movie.
• ✓ I’m so bored of this movie.

Explanation: "Bored" describes the feeling (past participle), while "boring" describes the action or object that causes the feeling.

4. Misusing -ly Adverbs: Using an adjective instead of an adverb.

• ✘ She sings beautiful.
• ✓ She sings beautifully.

Explanation: When modifying a verb, you need an adverb, not an adjective. "Beautiful" is an adjective, and "beautifully" is the adverb.

5. Adding -s to Uncountable Nouns: Adding -s to uncountable nouns.

• ✘ She gave me some informations.
• ✓ She gave me some information.

Explanation: "Information" is an uncountable noun and does not take a plural form.

6. Double Suffix Errors: Adding multiple suffixes that don’t work together.

• ✘ He is a highly skillful person.
• ✓ He is a highly skilled person.

Explanation: "Skillful" is already an adjective, and adding "-ed" to "skill" (skilled) is a more common and correct form.

7. Misapplying the -ful Suffix: Incorrectly using the -ful suffix.

• ✘ He is a hopefull person.
• ✓ He is a hopeful person.

Explanation: "Hopeful" is the correct adjective form of "hope," not "hopefull."

8. Confusing -ize and -ise: Using the wrong spelling based on regional preferences.

• ✓ I will finalize the project tomorrow.

Both "finalize" and "finalise" are correct, depending on whether you're using American English (finalize) or British English (finalise). However, consistency is important—stick to one style.