Building Your Word Bank: Embellish Your Vocabulary with Suffixes
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you plan to impress someone with your expansive vocabulary and then realize that your vocabulary bank is running dry? With suffixes, you can unlock a world of words that will certainly enhance your word selection! Here is a guide to help you build up your word bank by adding suffixes:
-ize/ise:
This suffix is most commonly used for turning nouns into verbs (e.g. legalize, symbolize).
-ary:
The second most common -ary suffix serves as an adjective (e.g. necessary, obligatory).
-ment:
This suffix mainly serves as a noun denoting an action (e.g. appointment, agreement).
-tion/sion:
This suffix is generally used to form nouns out of verbs (e.g. narration, recession).
-ance/ence:
This suffix is popularly used to form nouns out of adjectives (e.g. relevance, obedience).
-al:
This suffix is typically used to form adjectives and nouns out of other nouns (e.g. natural, seasonal).
-ism:
This suffix is commonly employed to denote beliefs and is mostly used to turn nouns into abstract nouns (e.g. tourism, racism).
-ty:
The -ty suffix is employed to form abstract nouns from other words (e.g. irony, majority).
Once you become familiar with the various suffixes, it’s a simple process of trial and error, so get creative and start creating! Improve Your Vocabulary With Suffixes
As an English learner, expanding your vocabulary is crucial in order to effectively communicate and comprehend the language. One effective way to enhance your word power is through the use of suffixes. Suffixes are word parts that are added to the end of a base word, altering its meaning or function. By incorporating suffixes into your studies, you can unlock a whole new world of words and express yourself more precisely.
One common suffix that you may come across is “-ful”. This suffix is used to indicate fullness, abundance, or possessiveness. For example, adding “-ful” to the word “joy” creates the word ”joyful,” meaning full of joy. Similarly, attaching “-ful” to the word “help” results in “helpful,” conveying the idea of being beneficial or providing assistance. By grasping the concept of “-ful,” you can easily form new adjectives to describe different qualities or characteristics.
Another useful suffix is “-less.” When added to a base word, “-less” denotes the absence or lack of something. For instance, by adding “-less” to the word “hope,” we derive “hopeless,” meaning without hope or feeling despair. Likewise, by attaching “-less” to the word “endless,” we create “endless,” signifying without an end or limitless. Understanding how to use “-less” can allow you to express negation or absence in an efficient way.
One more common suffix to familiarize yourself with is “-able.” This suffix is used to form adjectives meaning “capable of” or “having the ability to.” By adding “-able” to a word, you create a new word that suggests possibility or capacity. For example, adding “-able” to the verb “read” results in “readable,” conveying the idea that something is easy or enjoyable to read. Similarly, attaching “-able” to “understand” creates the word “understandable,” meaning something is easy to grasp or comprehend. By mastering the use of ”-able,” you can form adjectives to describe different abilities or potentials.
It is important to note that not all words can have suffixes added to them, as some words do not follow specific patterns. However, by learning and practicing with common suffixes, you will become more confident in recognizing and using these word parts effectively.
To further enhance your vocabulary skills, try practicing suffixes by reading extensively, noting down unfamiliar words with suffixes, and looking up their meanings. You can also create flashcards to reinforce your understanding of suffixes and their respective meanings. Additionally, incorporating these new words in your conversations, writings, and daily activities will solidify your grasp on their usage.
Expanding your vocabulary through the use of suffixes will not only improve your overall language skills but also enhance your ability to express yourself more precisely. So, take the initiative, dive into the world of suffixes, and watch how your word power grows!
Now that you know the power of adding suffixes to your word bank, you can unleash the creative forces within you to paint vivid word pictures and put across your message in an eloquent and authoritative way. So, get out there, sign up for a suffix class, and start the journey of discovering how changing the ends of words can open whole new avenues of comprehension and communication.