Objectives

1. You will identify what is meant by the term ‘suffix’.

2. You will identify and demonstrate the function of the most common suffixes.

Most Frequent

SuffixesWord Endings You Can Really Use

Developed byIvan Seneviratne

What are Suffixes?

A suffix is a word part that can be attached to the end of a base word or a root word to form a new word.

They are last syllables like “ed” and “ly” that have their own meaning.

base word + suffix

Example

It was hard to find a hotel vacancy in the crowded city.

The word vacancy is made up of the base word vacant “meaning not occupied”, and the suffix -ancy, meaning “state or quality of”. By combining the meaning of the two, the reader can determine that the meaning for vacancy is “the state of being unoccupied”.

Why do we learn suffixes?

Word endings add meaning to many thousands of words. If you learn a few common suffixes, you open up the meaning of many thousands of words.

The four most frequent suffixes represent 97% of all words with suffixes!

Derivational suffixes

Noun Suffixes

Adjective Suffixes

Verb Suffixes

Adverb Suffixes

Inflectional Suffixes

Change the number

Change verb tense

Change the degree

Kinds of

Suffixes

Inflectional Suffixes

Inflectional suffixes, can be added to…

• nouns to change the number,• verbs to change the tense and • adjectives to change the degree of comparison

Inflectional Suffixes

Derivational suffixes

Derivational suffixes, are added to a root or base word to change the word’s meaning or part of speech.They are divided into four categories:

Noun Suffixes, Adjective Suffixes, Verb Suffixes and Adverb Suffixes.

Noun Suffixes

Adjective Suffixes

Verb Suffixes

Adverb Suffixes

Suffix Spelling Rule 1

If the suffix begins with a consonant the root will need a combining vowel before attaching to the suffix.

Example Word: cardiogram

Breakdown of word: cardi/o/gram

Root = cardi

Combining vowel = o

Suffix = gram

Suffix Spelling Rule 2

If the suffix begins with a vowel the root will attach directly to it.

Example Word: cardialgia

Breakdown of word: cardi/algia

Root = cardi

Suffix = algia

The Common Suffixes

Let’s View the Top Suffixes

-able, ible = can be done : doable

-al, ial = has property of : personal

-ed = past verb : turned

-en = made of : golden

-er = comparative : higher

-er = one who : doer, actor

-est = superlative : best, biggest

Your Turn!!!

1. Your current vocabulary is question__.

2. My car is mine; it is my own__ property.

3. Yesterday Abdul park__ his Honda there.

4. The chairs in those rooms are wood__.

5. Gas costs now are high__ than yesterday.

6. An act__ in the movie Star Wars is Luke.

7. Advanced Writing is the high__ ESL course.

Let’s View the Top Suffixes

–ful = full of : careful, joyful

–ic = having property of : linguistic

–ing = present participle : running

–(t)ion = act, process : action

–(i)ty = state of : infinity, sanity

–(t)ive = adjective : motive, votive

–less = without : fearless, careless

Your Turn!!!

1. Are you care__ when you write papers?

2. ESL is the most fantast__ course of all.

3. Are you learn__ the top 20 suffixes?

4. Where’s he going? What’s his destina__?

5. If we over-learn, do we keep our sani__?

6. What is Chen’s mot__ for taking math?

7. Don’t be too care__ when you write the paragraphs for our course.

Let’s View the Top Suffixes

–ly = having : quickly, quietly

–ment = action, process : enjoyment

–ness = state of : kindness

–ous = having : joyous, religious

–s = more than one : books

–y = having : happy, windy

Your Turn!!!

1. Tina took the car since she want__ it.

2. Now the car is run__ down the road.

3. Tina is in a hurry; she’s driving quick__.

4. Do you think that she has any ticket__?

5. Is learning the most used suffixes do__?

6. Is your own private property person__?

7. Are you smart__ now than last year?

8. Are you the smart__ student in class?

This presentation is developed by Ivan Seneviratne © 2007 purely for personal use.ivanthexplorer@yahoo.co.uk