Suffixes

A suffix is a group of letters added to the end of a word. It can change the meaning (⟦hope → hopeless⟧) or the word class (the adjective ⟦kind⟧ becomes the noun ⟦kindness⟧ or the adverb ⟦kindly⟧). The word you start with is the root word.

Key facts

  • ⟦-ful⟧ means full of and ⟦-less⟧ means without: ⟦careful⟧, ⟦careless⟧; ⟦helpful⟧, ⟦helpless⟧. Both make adjectives.
  • ⟦-ness⟧ makes nouns from adjectives: ⟦dark → darkness⟧, ⟦kind → kindness⟧.
  • ⟦-ment⟧ and ⟦-tion⟧ make nouns from verbs: ⟦enjoy → enjoyment⟧, ⟦invent → invention⟧.
  • ⟦-ly⟧ makes adverbs from adjectives: ⟦quick → quickly⟧. ⟦-er⟧ can make a person: ⟦teach → teacher⟧.
  • ⟦-ing⟧ and ⟦-ed⟧ change the form of a verb: ⟦jump → jumping⟧, ⟦jump → jumped⟧. ⟦-er⟧ and ⟦-est⟧ compare: ⟦fast → faster → fastest⟧.

Worked examples

Example 1

Add ⟦-less⟧ to ⟦fear⟧. What does the new word mean?

  1. ⟦-less⟧ means without.
  2. ⟦fear + -less = fearless⟧: having no fear.

Answer: ⟦fearless⟧: without fear

Example 2

Choose: ⟦Thank you for your ___ (kind).⟧

  1. After ⟦your⟧ we need a noun.
  2. ⟦-ness⟧ makes a noun: ⟦kindness⟧.
  3. ⟦Thank you for your kindness.⟧

Answer: ⟦kindness⟧

Example 3

What is the root word of ⟦movement⟧?

  1. The suffix is ⟦-ment⟧.
  2. Take it off: ⟦move⟧.

Answer: ⟦move⟧

Example 4

What word class is ⟦slowly⟧?

  1. ⟦slowly⟧ is ⟦slow⟧ + ⟦-ly⟧.
  2. ⟦-ly⟧ makes an adverb: it tells us how.

Answer: an adverb