Are you looking to expand your language repertoire and impress those around you? Boost your vocabulary with suffixes and be the master of many languages! A suffix is a word part that is added to the end of a word to change the word’s meaning. Examples of suffixes include -ness, -ly, and -tion. By adding one of these suffixes to a word, you can change the meaning of the word and talk with nuance. In this way, you can quickly add many new words to your vocabulary repertoire, and spice up everyday conversations! Whether you’re trying to learn a new language, studying for a test, or just want to impress your friends, boosting your vocabulary with suffixes is the way to go! Improve Your Vocabulary With Suffixes
Do you want to enhance your English vocabulary? Understanding how to use suffixes can provide a powerful boost to any speaker’s English capabilities. A suffix is an addition to the end of a word; therefore, it’s not a stand-alone word. Learning how to recognize and utilize suffixes can greatly expand the number of words you can use and understand in English.
So what exactly are suffixes? A suffix is an affix, which is a morpheme that’s added to the end of a word. Typically, a suffix changes the meaning or part of speech of a word. For example, adding the suffix -ity to revolution changes it from an action to a quality: revolution > revolutionarity.
Why are suffixes important to learn? As vocabulary is an essential part of learning English, recognizing and understanding suffixes can help you remember how to spell and use new words more accurately. With knowledge of suffixes, you also have a better understanding of the meanings of words, and you can often apply the same suffixes to other words—making them easier to remember.
There are numerous suffixes available, but here are some common ones that you may find helpful.
-tion/ -sion
This suffix is usually added to nouns to create a verb with the meaning “to make or cause.” Examples:
Nation > nationalize (to make or cause something to become national)
Encourage > Encouragement (the action of making or causing somebody to feel more hopeful and confident)
-ful
This suffix is usually added to adjectives to make them into nouns meaning “a quantity or amount.” Examples:
Pain > Painful (a quantity or amount of pain)
Care > Careful (a quantity or amount of care)
-ible / -able
This suffix is often added to verbs to create adjectives meaning “able to be done or capable of being done.” Examples:
Flex > Flexible (able to be flexed easily)
Resist > Resistable (capable of being resisted)
-ment
This suffix is added to verbs to create nouns with the meaning “the result of.” Examples:
Resolve > Resolvement (the result of resolving a problem)
Improve > Improvement (the result of improving something)
With these simple tips, you can greatly improve your English vocabulary by applying the correct suffixes. You can even make up new words by applying various suffixes to root words, and you can improve your spelling and understanding of English words. So start exercising your suffixes today!
Now that you’ve learned the power of suffixes, you’re ready to expand your language repertoire. Your newfound knowledge of suffixes is sure to take you far as you build an even better and more expansive vocabulary. They might seem small, but their impact is far-reaching and mighty.