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Common English Suffixes Explained

The document explains suffixes, which are morphemes added to the end of words to create new meanings. It lists common English suffixes along with their meanings and examples, such as '-able' for capable, '-ful' for quantity, and '-less' for lacking. Understanding suffixes can help in deciphering unfamiliar words by breaking them down into their root and suffix components.

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11 views1 page

Common English Suffixes Explained

The document explains suffixes, which are morphemes added to the end of words to create new meanings. It lists common English suffixes along with their meanings and examples, such as '-able' for capable, '-ful' for quantity, and '-less' for lacking. Understanding suffixes can help in deciphering unfamiliar words by breaking them down into their root and suffix components.

Uploaded by

asusedilsonms
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

SUFFIXES

CREATING NEW WORDS / UNDERSTANDING NEW WORDS

A suffix is a morpheme (a letter or group of letters) added at the end of a word to make a new
word. When you face a new word and you notice it is formed with a familiar word and a certain
end, which is a suffix, you can understand what it means by looking the two parts separately. The
root is the unalterable part of the word to which all suffixes are added.

Let´s see down below some of the most common suffixes in English.

SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLES


It conveys the idea of something being capable drinkable, washable,
-able of, suitable for, or inclined to do something. It's eatable, playable
commonly used with verbs to create adjectives
-ful To form nouns that refer to the quantity of a painful, beautiful
substance that something contains useful, careful
-hood A stage of life, condition, quality, or a group of childhood, motherhood
people with a particular attribute or character neighborhood, manhood
-ish Having the characteristics of something or being babyish, childish
similar to a certain extent girlish, blueish
-ist Someone who practices or is concerned with dentist, capitalist
something, or holds certain principles psychologist, artist
-less Not having the noun placed before the suffix painless, sugarless
useless, careless
-er Usually used in the end of verbs to create a noun, teacher, painter
do describe the person who does the action writer, player
-ness The state, quality or measure of an adjective sickness, goodness
kindness, sadness
-ship The state or condition of being something or Friendship, relationship
having the status of something Membership, leadership
-en Can be added to nouns to form adjectives or to wooden, golden
adjectives to create verbs darken, weaken

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