Unlock the power of suffixes and elevate your word knowledge. Dive into the nuances of morphing a root word into something more with a few small additions.
Add the suffix “-able” and instantly create a word to describe something that is able to be done, experienced, or believed: rewritable, appreciable, plausible.
Add the suffix “-ous” and imagine a new version of a quality, state or condition: joyous, marvelous, courageous.
Endow a word with “-ify” and it can become something completely new: beautify, simplify, fortify.
Partake in the adventure of suffixes to expand and enhance your word knowledge and reveal a new world of opportunities in communication. Learning to improve your vocabulary can be a daunting task, but one of the best ways to do it is with suffixes.
Suffixes are sets of letters that come after a word’s root (the main part of the word). By understanding how suffixes work, you can expand your English vocabulary and sound more natural when speaking and writing.
There are many different types of suffixes, but the two most common are:
1. Inflectional suffixes: These are the suffixes you use to create tenses, plurals, possessives, and more. Examples are: -ed (for the past tense), -s (for the plural form) and ‘s (for the possessive).
2. Derivational suffixes: These are the suffixes you use to make new words from existing ones. Examples are: -able (which turns the root word “admit” into “admissible”), -tion (which turns the root word “act” into “action”).
Learning both types of suffixes is important for increasing your English vocabulary. Start with the most commonly used suffixes, and then gradually work your way to less common suffixes. Here are a few examples for each type:
Inflectional suffixes: -ed, -s, -‘s, -ing, -er
Derivational suffixes: -able, -ation, -ment, -ition, -ity
When you study suffixes, try to remember how they work. For example, when a word ends in -at, it usually means that the root word is a verb (e.g. “create” – “creation”).
It can also be helpful to practice using the suffixes in context. Find examples of words with suffixes that you want to learn and use them in sentences. This will help you get comfortable with using them and remember them better.
Overall, learning to use suffixes is a great way to increase your vocabulary and help you sound more natural in English. Have fun with it, and don’t get discouraged if it takes a bit of time to master. You’ll eventually get the hang of it.
Thanks to unlocking suffixes, your word knowledge has the power to take your writing and conversations to the next level. By making sure you can speak of suffixes with authority, you’re sure to make a lasting impression. So, go forth and confidently utilize suffixes in your writing and conversations!