BGC Senegal

Vocab-Yousay: Unpacking Suffixes for Better Word Choice

Make vocabulary come alive by unpacking suffixes!

Add the right suffix to give your words a new twist. Dictionaries can help you with the definitions but there’s nothing like creative exploration. Allow yourself to play with suffixes and discover new and interesting words.

-ize turns verbs into an action. If you’d like to describe something you did, try using -ized: energize, customize, and specialize.

-fy does the same trick as -ize but for adjectives: beautify, clarify, and simplify.

-tion turns verbs into a process or action. Need to explain a concept? Use -tion: action, reaction, creation.

-ment turns verbs into a state or condition: agreement, enlightenment, containment.

The -ly suffix helps create adverbs so you can say how something is happening: quickly, happily, or miraculously.

And don’t forget the -ing suffix for verbs: starting, fishing, or painting.

So remember, the right suffix can completely change the meaning of a word! So, dust off those dictionaries, and explore the power of suffixes! Welcome to your lesson on improving your vocabulary with suffixes! It’s an important part of being able to communicate with others—knowing how to use language to express yourself clearly and accurately. Understanding suffixes and being able to use them in your speaking and writing can help you better express your thoughts and ideas.

Suffixes are often used to change the meaning of a word or to give information about when a word is used. Let’s look at some examples of suffixes and how they can help you.

The suffix “-ful” is often used to describe something that has a lot of a certain feature. For example, the word “colorful” means having a lot of colors and the word “grateful” describes someone who is very thankful. The suffix “-less” is the opposite, it’s used to describe something that doesn’t have a certain feature. For example, the word “careless” means not giving care and the word“hopeless” describes something without hope.

The suffix “-er” is often used to describe something that does something. For example, the word “teacher” means someone who teaches and the word “skater” is someone who skates. The suffix “-ist” is similar, it’s used to describe someone who studies or believes in something. For example, the word “psychologist” means someone who studies psychology and the word “vegetarian” is someone who doesn’t eat meat.

The suffix “-ment” usually describes an act that is being done in the present. For example, the word “enjoyment” is the act of enjoying something right now and the word “experiment” is an act of trying something. The suffix “-ion” usually describes a process. For example, the word “evaporation” is the process of something changing from a liquid to a gas and the word “preparation” is the act of getting ready for something.

Finally, the suffix “-able” usually describes something that can be done. For example, the word “enjoyable” means something can be enjoyed and the word “affordable” means something can be afforded.

Learning to use suffixes can help you express yourself more clearly and add more depth to your vocabulary. Try to incorporate some of these suffixes into your own day-to-day conversations and see how it helps you better communicate your thoughts and ideas.

By unpacking suffixes and improving your vocab-Yousay, you can find the words that best communicate your thoughts and feelings. And with a carefully chosen lexicon of words, you can always find the perfect way to express yourself.