BGC Senegal1. Learn the most common suffixes to jumpstart your word-building. Familiarize yourself with the most commonly used suffixes including “-ful,” “-able,” “-er,” “-tion,” “-sion,” “-ment,” “-ness,” “-ly,” and “-y.”
2. Get to know suffixes for different parts of speech. Adverbs, adjectives, nouns, and verbs each have their own set of suffixes, so it’s important to be aware of these distinctions.
3. Tackle unfamiliar words with suffix-breaking. If you come across a word you aren’t familiar with, break it down into its individual components. Knowing the suffix can make the meaning of the whole word more clear.
4. Combining multiple suffixes in the same word is not uncommon. Carefully examining the spelling of a word can help you determine the roots of that word.
5. Practice, practice, practice. It’s important to see what the suffix looks like in action. Try to incorporate more words with suffixes into your daily language, and look for these words in articles you read.
6. Develop a system for learning new suffixes. Make flashcards with suffixes and their definitions, and try to use them in your writing and speaking. This will help you commit the new information to memory. Improve Your Vocabulary With Suffixes
Expanding your vocabulary is key to becoming proficient in any language, and in English, one effective way to do so is by learning and understanding suffixes. A suffix is a group of letters attached to the end of a word, which changes its meaning or creates a new word entirely. By familiarizing yourself with common suffixes, you can greatly enhance your communication skills and express yourself more accurately.
Here are some popular suffixes in English and how they can help you improve your vocabulary:
1. ’-er’ and ‘-or’: These suffixes are often added to verbs to form a noun, indicating a person who performs a specific action. For example, ‘teacher’ denotes someone who teaches, ‘doctor’ refers to someone who practices medicine, and ‘singer’ describes someone who sings professionally.
2. ’-able’ and ’-ible’: These suffixes are added to verbs to form an adjective, expressing the possibility or capability of something. For instance, ‘readable’ means capable of being read, ‘visible’ means able to be seen, and ‘flexible’ means adaptable or easily bent.
3. ‘-ment’ and ‘-tion’: These suffixes are used to form nouns, often indicating a state or action. ‘Development’ signifies the process of growing or evolving, ‘explanation’ refers to providing clarification, and ‘government’ denotes the system of ruling a country or state.
4. ‘-ist’ and ‘-ian’: These suffixes are added to nouns to indicate a person’s profession, belief, or country of origin. For example, ‘journalist’ is someone who writes news stories, ‘vegetarian’ is a person who chooses not to eat meat, and ‘Italian’ describes someone from Italy.
5. ‘-less’ and ‘-ful’: These suffixes are added to nouns to create adjectives that express the absence or presence of something. ‘Fearless’ means without fear, ‘colorful’ means full of vibrant colors, and ‘careless’ means lacking attention or concern.
6. ‘-ism’ and ‘-ity’: These suffixes form nouns that represent a quality, state, or condition. ‘Capitalism’ refers to an economic system based on private ownership, ‘creativity’ expresses the state of being imaginative, and ‘sensitivity’ denotes the quality of being responsive to emotions.
Learning these and other common English suffixes will not only help you understand the meaning of new words but also enable you to create your own vocabulary. By recognizing the patterns that exist within suffixes, you can decode unfamiliar words and improve your reading comprehension.
To enhance your understanding further, make a habit of actively seeking out new words with these suffixes in newspapers, books, or online articles. Practice using them in conversation and writing to solidify your knowledge and make them part of your everyday vocabulary.
Remember, developing your vocabulary is an ongoing process. Stay curious, keep learning, and gradually expand your word bank with the help of various suffixes. By doing so, you’ll become a more confident English speaker and writer, effectively expressing your thoughts and ideas.
Having a solid understanding of suffixes can open the door to a larger vocabulary and greater success. You may quickly become that person that’s always thinking a few words ahead; maybe even inspiring yourself in the process. So, start fine-tuning your vocabulary today! Who knows – you may just discover the hidden power of suffixes along the way.