BGC SenegalAdd a little something extra to your vocabulary and supercharge your lexicon with suffixes! From “ed” to “ous,” from “able” to “cian,” you can use suffixes to turn ordinary words into extraordinary expressions. “Inspire” can become “inspired,” “justice” can be “justicious,” and “piano” can become “pianistic.” Unlock the potential of words with playful, powerful and plentiful suffixes! Improve Your Vocabulary With Suffixes
As non-native English speakers, expanding our vocabulary is a continuous journey that enhances our language skills and boosts our confidence in communicating effectively. One way to achieve this is by learning and understanding the power of suffixes. A suffix is a cluster of letters added to the end of a word to modify its meaning or create a new word altogether. By mastering suffixes, we can expand our vocabulary extensively and express ourselves with precision.
Here are some common suffixes that can help you improve your vocabulary:
1. -er/-or: This suffix is used to indicate a person or thing that performs a specific action or holds a particular job. For example, adding ”-er” to the word “teach” gives us “teacher,” while “-or” creates the word “actor.” By familiarizing yourself with this suffix, you can easily understand the roles and professions of individuals in various fields.
2. -able/-ible: By adding either “-able” or “-ible” to a verb, you can create an adjective that expresses the possibility or capability of an action. For instance, incorporating “-able” in the word “understand” results in “understandable,” while “-ible” gives us ”credible.” Understanding this suffix can help you describe things more precisely and convey your intentions clearly.
3. -ness: This suffix is used to convert adjectives into nouns, indicating a state or condition. By adding “-ness” to the adjective “kind,” we obtain the noun “kindness.” Similarly, attaching it to ”dark” creates the word “darkness.” With this suffix, you can express emotions and qualities with greater depth and nuance.
4. -less: The suffix “-less” is utilized to negate the meaning of a word or describe the absence of a particular quality. For example, adding “-less” to “hope” gives us “hopeless,” indicating a lack of hope. By comprehending this suffix, you can express negative emotions and ideas effectively.
5. -ful: By attaching “-ful” to a noun, you can create an adjective that expresses an abundance or possessing a characteristic to a great extent. For instance, incorporating this suffix in the word “joy” results in “joyful,” while adding it to “help” gives us “helpful.” Knowing and utilizing this suffix allows you to portray positivity and appreciation in your conversations.
6. -ize/-ise: This suffix is used to transform a noun or adjective into a verb, indicating the act of making or becoming something. For instance, adding “-ize” to “real” produces “realize,” while using “-ise” with “modern” gives us “modernize.” Mastering this suffix enables you to enrich your expression by converting words into corresponding actions.
By learning and understanding these common suffixes, you can significantly expand your vocabulary and improve your command of the English language. Practice incorporating them into your daily conversations, writing, and reading. Reading extensively will expose you to a variety of words with different suffixes, allowing you to grasp their nuances more effectively.
Remember, building a strong vocabulary takes time and consistent practice. Be patient with yourself, celebrate each milestone, and keep exploring new words. The more you engage with suffixes and their meanings, the more confident and articulate you will become in expressing yourself in English. So, embark on this exciting journey of vocabulary enhancement and experience the wonders it brings to your language skills.
By learning and understanding simple suffixes, you have taken the first step in making your lexicon supercharged. Not only will you benefit in conversations, but you can also use this know-how in your studies and understand words better. From professional meetings to casual banter, your newfound knowledge of suffix usage will take you to a brand-new level – one with more zing and more savvy. Don’t let your vocabulary limit you – with suffixes, you’ll be ready and raring to go!