BGC Senegal

If you want to up your word power, one of the best ways to begin is by mastering suffixes. Suffixes are key features of the English language that enable us to immediately comprehend the meaning of a word. By understanding and mastering suffixes, you can vastly expand your English vocabulary–it’s an essential skill for any language learner.

The suffix changes the meaning of a word by adding a layer of context. Without the suffix, the word can often remain incomplete or vague. For example, the word ‘creation’ would be untranslatable without the suffix ‘-tion’.

Suffixes come in all shapes and sizes. Out of the five major categories–Noun, Verb, Adjective, Adverb and Prefix–suffixes are often attached to verbs. For example, the word build can become ‘builder’ with the suffix ‘-er.’ ‘Laugh’ becomes ‘laughter’ with the suffix ‘-er.’ Most English suffixes are either -er, -or, -al, -ed, -ing, -able and -ible.

In order to master English suffixes, it’s essential to practice. Start off by studying example words and analyzing them. Make sure to pay attention to the context and the type of suffix that’s being used. After some practice, you can become creative and make up your own words. Give yourself time and commit to the study.

With dedication and persistence, mastering suffixes can eventually become second nature. Once you understand the power of suffixes, you can drastically expand your vocabulary and increase your word power. If you want to become a better English speaker, expanding your vocabulary is essential. Adding to your vocabulary doesn’t have to be hard work- with a little knowledge about suffixes, you can more easily improve your understanding of new words.

Suffixes are morphemes added to the ends of words to change their meaning. They work by appending a root word, usually by adding a vowel sound. For example, the addition of -ness to a word like ‘happy’ changes it to ‘happiness’, giving it an entirely new meaning.

It’s useful to become familiar with a few of the most commonly used suffixes in the English language. Suffixes like -er, -ment, -ise, and -ous are common and can help you to recognise and create words quickly.

For example, if you come across the word ‘improve’, you can easily create the word ‘improvement’ by adding the suffix -ment to the end of the root word. Knowing and understanding suffixes will also help you to decode unfamiliar words.

To help you get started, here are some of the most common suffixes in the English language:

-er (example: cleaner)
-ment (example: improvement)
-ise (example: clarify)
-ous (example: notorious)
-less (example: helpless)
-ful (example: beautiful)
-able (example: collectible)

By learning the most common suffixes, you’ll be able to quickly recognise and build new words. This will help you to improve your vocabulary and better communicate in English. With a bit of practice, you’ll have an arsenal of root words and suffixes at your fingertips!

As you learn the suffixes that give our language so much versatility, you will have the confidence to nail vocabulary tests and become a master of words. Start exploring and you might find yourself transforming into a spelling savant and vocabulary virtuoso in no time!