In this lesson, we will explore suffixes, which are essential components of the English language. Understanding suffixes will help you expand your vocabulary and improve your comprehension of written and spoken English.
What Are Suffixes?
Suffixes are groups of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning or grammatical function. They can modify nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, creating new words or altering existing ones.
For example:
- Teach (verb) + -er = Teacher (noun)
- Happy (adjective) + -ness = Happiness (noun)
Common Types of Suffixes
Suffixes can be categorized based on their purpose. Below is a table summarizing the most common types of suffixes:
| Type | Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Noun Suffixes | Create nouns | –
-er (teacher) – -ness (happiness) – -tion (education) |
| Adjective Suffixes | Form adjectives | –
-ful (hopeful) – -less (hopeless) – -able (comfortable) |
| Verb Suffixes | Create verbs | –
-en (strengthen) – -ify (simplify) – -ize (organize) |
| Adverb Suffixes | Form adverbs | –
-ly (quickly) – -ward (backward) – -wise (clockwise) |
Adjective Suffixes
- -ful: Indicates full of something.
- Hope → Hopeful
- Joy → Joyful
- -less: Indicates without something.
- Hope → Hopeless
- Care → Careless
Verb Suffixes
- -en: Makes a verb from an adjective or noun.
- Strength → Strengthen
- Wide → Widen
- -ify: Means “to make.”
- Simple → Simplify
- Pure → Purify
Adverb Suffixes
- -ly: Turns an adjective into an adverb.
- Quick → Quickly
- Happy → Happily
Key Takeaways
- Suffixes are added to the end of words to change their meaning or grammatical function.
- Common suffixes include -er, -ness, -ful, -ly, -en, and -ify.
- Understanding suffixes helps you expand your vocabulary and comprehend English more effectively.
Lesson Practice
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