Words can often seem inscrutable or confusing but by understanding the different endings of words you can quickly and easily enhance your vocabulary. A “Dictionary of Word-Endings” is an invaluable tool in unlocking the secret meanings of terms used in English.
-able: Adjective forming suffix indicating the ability to do or be something, e.g., drinkable, comfortable.
-age: Word-forming suffix indicating a result of an action, e.g., spillage, passageway.
-al: Word-forming suffix indicating something which relates to or affects a particular thing or activity, e.g., musical, electrical.
-cy: Word-forming suffix indicating something belonging or relating to a certain quality, e.g., lunacy, accuracy.
-er: Word-forming suffix indicating someone or something with the ability to do a particular thing or activity, e.g., hiker, dancer.
-fy: Word-forming suffix indicating to make into or cause to seem something, e.g., gloryfy, terrafy.
-hood: Word-forming suffix indicating kinship, condition, state, or quality, e.g., brotherhood, childhood.
-ion: Word-forming suffix indicating an action or process, e.g., education, reaction.
-ism: Word-forming suffix indicating a belief principle, or doctrine, e.g., communism, patriotism.
-ist: Word-forming suffix indicating someone who adheres to a certain belief, or principle, e.g., violinist, sociologist.
-ity: Word-forming suffix indicating a state, quality, or condition, e.g., generosity, infinity.
-ment: Word-forming suffix indicating an action, process, or state, e.g., movement, agreement.
-ness: Word-forming suffix indicating a condition or quality, e.g., happiness, lassitude.
-or: Word-forming suffix indicating a person who performs a certain activity or profession, e.g., sculptor, doctor.
-ship: Word-forming suffix indicating condition, state, or quality, e.g., friendship, bondage.
-tion: Word-forming suffix indicating an action or process, e.g., information, communication.
-ty: Word-forming suffix indicating a state, quality, or condition, e.g., dignity, security.
-ure: Word-forming suffix indicating a result of an action, e.g., closure, failure. Improve Your Vocabulary With Suffixes
Expanding your vocabulary is an essential part of enhancing your English language skills. One effective approach to achieving this is by learning and understanding suffixes. Suffixes are letter or group of letters added at the end of a word to change its meaning. By becoming familiar with commonly used suffixes, you can unlock an array of opportunities to express yourself more fluently and accurately.
Firstly, let’s explore the benefits of incorporating suffixes into your vocabulary. Learning suffixes allows you to grasp the meaning of unfamiliar words more easily. For example, if you come across the word “happiness,” you might be unfamiliar with its meaning. However, recognizing the suffix “-ness,” which is commonly attached to adjectives to form nouns, you can deduce that “happiness” refers to the state or quality of being happy. By understanding suffixes, you can decode the meaning of words without always having to rely on a dictionary.
Moreover, suffixes enable you to create new words or modify existing ones. This can help you express yourself more precisely. For instance, by adding the suffix “-ish” to the word “child,” you form “childish,” which signifies that someone resembles or behaves like a child. This suffix allows you to convey a specific meaning without needing to use additional words or explanations.
To improve your vocabulary with suffixes, it’s crucial to become acquainted with common suffixes and their meanings. Here are a few essential ones to get you started:
1. “-ful”: This suffix is added to nouns or adjectives to indicate something is full of or characterized by a specific quality. For instance, “grateful” means being full of gratitude, while “colorful” suggests something vibrant or having many colors.
2. “-ment”: This suffix is commonly used to transform verbs into nouns. For example, “enjoyment” is the state of experiencing joy, derived from the verb “enjoy.”
3. “-less”: By adding this suffix to nouns or adjectives, you indicate the absence or lack of something. “Fearless” implies the absence of fear, while “limitless” refers to the absence of limits or boundaries.
4. “-able/-ible”: These suffixes are added to verbs to form adjectives that denote the possibility or capability of something. For instance, “danceable” means capable of being danced to, and “visible” indicates something can be seen.
5. “-tion/-sion”: These suffixes are commonly used to convert verbs into nouns. For example, “communication” is the process of conveying information, derived from the verb “communicate.”
Once you familiarize yourself with these common suffixes, try incorporating them into your everyday conversations and writing. Practice using new words that contain suffixes to reinforce their meanings and application. Additionally, reading extensively will expose you to words with various suffixes, helping you develop a more diverse vocabulary.
In conclusion, by expanding your knowledge of suffixes, you can enhance your vocabulary significantly. Understanding how suffixes modify words allows you to comprehend unfamiliar terms and create new ones with ease. Remember to practice regularly and apply your newly gained knowledge in real-life scenarios. With time and dedication, you will witness substantial growth in your English vocabulary and language proficiency.
Learning about the power of word endings is like unlocking a secret knowledge that will allow you to craft sentences that more powerful and magical than ever before. With a deeper understanding of suffixes under your belt, your vocabulary has already taken a giant leap forward. Now let your creative juices flow and impress the world with your ever-expanding lexicon!