WORD FORMATIONS
SOME MEANINGS OF AFFIXES
Adding syllables beore or after a word (affixes) changes or adds meaning to a word. Affixes
before a word called prefixes: after a word, they are called suffixes.
VERB
a) dis-/mis-/re-/over-/under-/out- + V ---> V
dis- give a word a negative meaning :
disobey (sb/sth): do not follow a command, to refuse to obey
How dare u disobey me!
dislike: do not like something/sb
He dislike her staying away from home.
re- means ‘doing the thing again’:
reconsider: consider again
Recent information may persuade the board to reconsider.
rewrite: write again
The film underwent many drafts and rewrites.
mis- means ‘wrong’ or ‘false’
mistake: do something wrong
You must try to learn from your mistake.
misread: read something wrongly
You must have misread the address.
over- means too much
overheat: too much heat
Be careful not to overheat at the beach!
overload: put too great a load on something
He’s overloaded with responsibilities.
under- means less, lower, not enough, beneath, or below
underestimate: think or guess that the amount, cost or size of something is smaller than it really is
We underestimated the time it would take to get there.
undercook: not cook something for long enough, with the result that it is not ready to eat
out- means: greater, better, or more than something else
outrun: run faster or further than somebody/something
He couldn’t outrun his persures.
outgrow: grow too big to be able to wear or fit into something
She’s already outgrown her school uniform
b) adj/N + -ize/-en/-ate/-fy ---> V
-ise,-ate,-ify and –en mean ‘to make or do something’:
realise: be/become aware
I didn’t realise that you were unhappy.
soften: make sth softer
Fry the onions until they soften.
identify: recognize somebody/something and be able to say who or what they are
She was able to identify her attacker.
dominate: control or have a lot of influence over
As a child he was dominated by his father.
ADJECTIVE
a) un-/in-/im-/ir-/il-/dis- + Adj ---> Adj
un-,in-,im-,dis-,ir-,il- give a word a negative meaning:
unhappy: not happy; sad
They were unhappy with thei accomodation.
insecure: not confident about yourself or your relationships with other people
She felt nervous and insecure.
immature: behaving in a way that is not sensible and is typical of people who are much younger
Immature behaviour
disabled: having a condition that makes it difficult for you to do some things that most other people
can do
He was born disabled.
irresponsible: not thinking enough about the effects of what they do; not showing a feeling of
responsibility
It would be irresponsible to ignore the situation.
illegal: not allowed by the law
It’s illegal to drive through a red light.
b) N + -ly/-like/-less/-ish/-y/-ful/-al/-ic/ ---> Adj
monthly: happening once a month or every month
Summers are hot, with monthly above 22
childlike: having the qualities that children usually have, especially innocence
Childlike enthusiasm/simplicity/delight
meaningless: without any purpose or reason and therefore not worth doing or having
We fill up our live with meaningless tasks.
reddish: fairly red in colour
dusty: full of dust; covered with dust
a dusty road
sorrowful: very sad
her sorrowful eyes
magical: containing magic; used in magic
Her words had a magical effect on us.
We spent a magical week in Paris.
economic: connected with the trade, industry and development of wealth of a country, an area or a
society
The current economic climate.
c) V/N + -ive/-able/-ible ---> Adj
explosive: easily able or likely to explode
Hydrogen is highly explosive.
descriptive: saying what somebody/something is like; describing something
The discriptive passages in the novel.
fashionable: following a style that is popular at a particular time
Fashionable clothes/furniture/ideas
changeable: likely to change; often changing
The weather is very changable at this time of year.
edible: fit or suitable to be eaten; not poisonous
The vegetables were old but still looked edible.
reversible: can be turned inside out and worn or used with either side showing
a reversible jacket