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Suffixes

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42 views23 pages

Suffixes

Uploaded by

Rose Hope
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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ROOTS AND

AFFIXES:
Unlocking Word Meanings
Imagine words as
plants that grow
and develop.
Just like plants, words have roots and
affixes that contribute to their growth
and meaning.
Roots: the Foundation
The root is the main part of
a word that carries its core
meaning.

Did you know that most of our root words in


English came from the Greek and Latin
languages.
For example:
"Bio" (life)
"Tele" (distance)
"Photo" (light)
Affixes
Just like nutrients that help
plants grow, affixes are
added to words to change
meaning.
There are two types of affixes:
prefixes and suffixes!
Prefixes:
Adding Meaning
at the Beginning
This type of affix is added to the start of
a word. Here are some examples.

para– + medic = paramedic

fire– + fighter = firefighter

in– + ferno = inferno


Suffixes:
Adding Meaning
at the End
This type of affix is added at the end of
words, like a finishing touch. Here are
some examples.
help + –ful = helpful

serve + –ice = service

earth + –quake = earthquake


AFFIXES 2 EXAMPLES
Create (verb) – creation (noun) – creative (adjective)
Act (verb) – action (noun) – active (adjective)
Admire (verb) – admiration (noun) – admirable (adjective)
Attract (verb) – attraction (noun) – attractive (adjective)
A 'suffix' is a short syllable added at the end Inspire (verb) – inspiration (noun) – inspiring (adjective)
of a base word. The addition of suffixes Inform (verb) – information (noun) – informative (adjective)
Happy (adjective) – happiness (noun)
usually changes the word class of the Justify (verb) – justification (noun)
specific word. The most common suffixes Brave (adjective) – bravery (noun)
include ‘-ment’, ‘-ness’, ‘-ity’, ‘-ous’, ‘-tion’, ‘- Quick (adjective) – quickly (adverb)

sion’, ‘-al’, ‘-able’, ‘-ible’, ‘-ive’, ‘-ly’, ‘-ate’, ‘-


er’, ‘-or’, etc.
-able means ‘can be’: a washable jacket [one that can be
washed] disposable nappies, predictable
results, avoidable problems, a manageable situation.

-conscious combines with nouns to form compound adjectives


that describe people who consider one aspect of their
lives especially important: health-conscious person, class-
conscious society, safety-conscious company, time-conscious
workforce.

-free combines with nouns describing something


undesirable to form compound adjectives to describe nouns
without that undesirable aspect: stress-free life, tax-free
shop, additive-free food.
Other combinations
-minded combines with adjectives or nouns to
form new compound adjectives describing
people with particular characters, opinions
or attitudes: like-minded friends [with similar
interests] career-minded, young women,
money-minded managers, high-minded [having
high moral standards]

-proof combines with nouns to form compound


adjectives describing things that can resist the
damage or difficulty caused by that noun:
ovenproof dish, waterproof jacket, soundproof
room, idiot-proof Instructions.
Other combinations
-rich combines with nouns (often chemical or
organic substances) to form adjectives to
describe nouns with a lot of that substance: fibre-
rich, diet calcium-rich foods

-led combines with nouns and nationality


adjectives to form adjectives describing things
that are controlled or influenced by the original
noun or nationality: community-led initiative,
studentled protest, worker-led uprising
-worthy combines with nouns to form
adjectives that describe people or things
that merit whatever the original noun

Long Suffixes refers to: newsworthy incident [worth


reporting in the news] praiseworthy
action/pupil [deserving praise]

-related combines with nouns to form adjectives


to describe one thing as connected with
another: stress-related absence from work age-
related illness

-ridden combines with nouns to form adjectives


describing people or things with a lot of that
noun: guilt-ridden person crime-ridden city
bedridden [a person who has to stay in bed
because they are ill]
Word Builder
Challenge
Are you ready?
Pair up with a classmate and test your
knowledge of roots and affixes.
Word Builder
Challenge
What root or suffix will you
add to make a new word?
1. Alex will use a tele________ to observe the
meteor shower.

a. scope c. logy

b. graph. d. lamb
Word Builder
Challenge
What root or suffix will you
add to make a new word?
1. Alex will use a tele________ to observe the
meteor shower.

a. scope c. logy

b. graph. d. lamb
Word Builder
Challenge
What root or suffix will you
add to make a new word?
2. The aqua________ was full of bright fish
and a variety of sea animals.

a. rium c. logy

b. duct d. sophy
Word Builder
Challenge
What root or suffix will you
add to make a new word?
2. The aqua________ was full of bright fish
and a variety of sea animals.

a. rium c. logy

b. duct d. sophy
Word Builder
Challenge
What root or suffix will you
add to make a new word?
3. Her expertise is the study of animals or
zoo________.

a. rium c. logy

b. duct d. sophy
Word Builder
Challenge
What root or suffix will you
add to make a new word?
3. Her expertise is the study of animals or
zoo________.

a. rium c. logy

b. duct d. sophy
Complete the table below with the correct phrases
Match each adjective with
the two nouns it best
collocates with in the box.
Example student-led: rebellion, demonstration.

1 additive-free 6 newsworthy
2 avoidable 7 oil-rich
3 disposable 8 ovenproof
4 guilt-ridden 9 soundproof
5 high-minded 10 stress-related
Which of the suffixes could combine with the words in the box below to make new
words? Note that there is more than one possibility for each word.

CHILD DUST CALORIE WORK


Rewrite the sentences using
the suffix given in brackets

1 The weather can’t be predicted. (-able) The weather is unpredictable.


2 Poisonous mushrooms can be easily identified. (-able)
3 He thinks so much about his career that he has no time for his family. (-minded)
4 The new speed cameras are supposed to be indestructible by vandals. (-proof)
5 During the Civil War, the country was totally overcome by terror. (-ridden)
6 The soil on that farm contains a lot of nutrients. (-rich)
7 The bank decided that he did not have enough income to allow him credit. (-worthy)
-conscious money-conscious employers 3 Suggested answers:

1
-free car-free city centre child-led, child-minded, childproof, child-related
-rich energy-rich drink dust-free, dustproof, dust-related
-led French-led fashion calorie-conscious, calorie-rich, calorie-related
-minded sport(s)-minded friends workable, work-conscious, work-free, work-
-proof bullet-proof car rich, work-led, work-minded, work-related
-related drug(s)-related crime
-ridden poverty-ridden society
-worthy trustworthy person
2 Poisonous mushrooms are easily
Here are the most likely adjective + noun combinations. identifiable.
1 additive-free drinks, foods 3 He is so career-minded that he has

4
2 avoidable mistake, delay, problems no time for his family.
3 disposable knives and forks, income, glove 4 The new speed cameras are
4 guilt-ridden expression, speech, personality supposed to be vandal-proof.
5 high-minded speech, principles 5 During the Civil War, the country
6 newsworthy story, speech, mistake was terror-ridden.

2
7 oil-rich country, economy 6 The soil on that farm is nutrient-
8 ovenproof glove, dish rich.
9 soundproof room, booth 7 The bank decided that he was not
10 stress-related illness, problems creditworthy.

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