BGC SenegalDo you ever feel like you’re struggling to express yourself in English? Harnessing the power of suffixes can give your English vocabulary a major upgrade while making complex communication easier.
Suffixes are powerful because they modify the meaning of words. For instance, adding the suffix -ize to a word changes its meaning from a noun to a verb. For example, “modernize” is created from the noun “modern”. Adding the suffix -ness to the word “happy” changes it into an adjective, “happiness.”
Suffixes can also let you Fine-tune the meaning of your words, allowing you to express yourself precisely. For instance, adding the suffix -ity to an adjective might change it into a noun. This is the case when you add the suffix -ity to “simpl” to form the noun “simplicity.”
Suffixes can also allow you to amplify the intensiveness of words. That’s why adding the suffix -ly to an adjective often changes it into an adverb. For example, “slow” can be turned into “slowly” this way.
Finally, suffixes can also add emphasis to statements; for example, adding the suffix -er to a verb can make it more extreme, as in “cry” becoming “crier.”
By recognizing and leveraging the power of suffixes, you can give your English vocabulary an upgrade and express yourself more precisely and effectively. Many people have difficulty with learning English due to its unpredictability and vast lexicon. It is no wonder that improving vocabulary can be an intimidating task. One effective, yet often overlooked, way to improve your English vocabulary is to learn about and use English suffixes.
Suffixes are word endings that can be added to the end of root or base words in order to alter their meaning. There are dozens of different suffixes in the English language, including -ity, -ment, -ness, -less, -ful, -ly, and -al. By mastering how to use each of them, you can drastically increase your language proficiency and impress native English speakers.
Let’s look at some examples of how suffixes can be used to change a root word:
-ity: This suffix is often added to generate abstract nouns that denote a quality. For example, adding -ity to the word “imagine” produces “imagination” (a capacity for imaginative thoughts). Adding -ity to “real” produces “reality” (the state of being real).
-ment: This suffix is often used to produce nouns that denote taking action and/or a resultant state. For example, adding -ment to “admire” creates “admiration” (the act of admiring someone). Adding -ment to “agree” produces “agreement” (a state of agreeing).
-ness: This suffix is often used to derive nouns that refer to a quality. For example, adding -ness to “happy” creates “happiness” (the quality of being happy). Adding -ness to “quiet” creates “quietness” (the quality of being quiet).
-less: This suffix is often used to make adjectives that are the opposite of the original word. For example, adding -less to “care” creates “careless” (without care). Adding -less to “speech” produces “speechless” (not able to speak).
-ful: This suffix is often used to create adjectives that denote fullness. For example, adding -ful to “hope” produces “hopeful” (full of hope). Adding -ful to “look” creates “lovely” (full of love).
-ly: This suffix is often used to generate adverbs. For example, adding -ly to “quick” produces “quickly” (in a fast manner). Adding -ly to “sad” creates “sadly” (in a sorrowful manner).
-al: This suffix is often used to form adjectives that describe a particular quality or likeness. For example, adding -al to “herb” produces “herbal” (made of herbs). Adding -al to “season” creates “seasonal” (related to the seasons).
Learning and using suffixes is an invaluable skill for improving your English vocabulary. By mastering the number of suffixes and how each one changes the meaning of a word, you can easily increase your word bank and impress native English speakers. Good luck!
By learning the power of suffixes, you will be amazed at how quickly you can upgrade your English vocabulary and become an all-star communicator. With your new skills, you will be able to express yourself more effectively than ever before! So, don’t waste another minute – go forth and harness the power of suffixes!