Suffix and Prefix

Suffix and prefix

Lesson1:  Suffix spelling rules:

1. When a word ends with a consonant and the suffix begins with a consonant, just  add  the suffix with no spelling  changes.
Examples:

Entertainment(entertain + ment)

Advertisement(advertise + ment)

Regretful (regret + ful)

2. For more words ending  in  a single  consonant  we need to double  the  last letter when  we add suffixes. This is especially true for one  syllable word. Examples:

run + ing = running

fun+ y = funny

 3. When the one syllable word  ends  with more  than  one consonant, the  last letter is not  doubled. Examples:

start + ing = starting

ring + ing = ringing

 4. For words with more than one syllable and end with letter “L”  we   must double the “L” when  adding suffixes. Examples:

expel + ed = expelled

cancel + ed = cancelled

 5. Words that are stressed on the last syllable and end with a single consonant, we need to double the last letter. Examples:

refer + ing = referring

begin + er =beginner

 6. Words that are not stressed on the last syllable , we do not need  to double  the last  letter. Examples:

benefit + ed = benefited

offer + ing = offering

7.  The words ending with a consonant with “Y” should turn  to “I” when adding  the suffix “ness” . When adding the suffix “ing” to a word ending with “Y” = we keep the “Y” unchanged. Examples:

lonely + ness = loneliness

happy + ness = happiness

copy + ing = copying

* If the suffix start with consonant  and  the Words ends with  silent “E”, we only drop the  silent “E”.

simple + y = simply

double +y = doubly

  

Formation of Nouns

Common Nouns

Derivatives		Suffixes
Liar(মিথ্যাবাদী)		-ar
Examiner (পরীক্ষক)	Singer(গায়ক)	-er
Fighter (যোদ্ধা)	Reader (পাঠক)
Killer (হত্যাকারী)	Speaker (বক্তা)
Lawyer (উকিল), Convener (আহবায়ক)	Teacher (শিক্ষক)
Ruler (শাসক)	Writer (লেখক)
Auctioneer (নিলামদার)	Pamphleteer (পুস্তিকা লেখক)	- eer
Mountaineer (পর্বতারোহী)	Sonneteer (সনেট রচয়িতা )
Actor(অভিনেতা)	Sailor (নাবিক)	-or
Operator  (চালক)	Supervisor (তত্ত্বাবধায়ক)
Absentee (অনুপস্থিত)	Traitor (বিশ্বাসঘাতক)
Addressee (চিঠির প্রাপক)	Nominee (মনোনীত ব্যাক্তি)	- ee
Employee (নিযুক্ত ব্যাক্তি)	Payee (যাকে প্রদান করা হয়)
Actress (অভিনেত্রী)	Trainee (শিক্ষার্থী)
Hostess (গৃহকর্ত্রী)	Governess (গৃহ শিক্ষিকা)	- ess
Lioness (সিংহী )	Poetess (মহিলা কবি)
	Tigress (বাঘিনী)
Electrician (ইলেক্ট্রিক মিস্ত্রি)	Musician (সংগীতজ্ঞ)	- ian
Historian (ঐতিহাসিক)	Comedian (কৌতুকাভিনেতা)
Artist (চিত্রকর)	Optimist (আশাবাদী)	- ist
Dramatist (নাট্যকার)	Pessimist নৈরাশ্যবাদী)
Novelist (উপন্যাসিক)	Theist (ঈশ্বরবিশ্বাসী)

 

Words like: beggar, hawker, editor, donator, are not formed by suffixing. They existed  in English .  Words like : beg, hawk, edit,  donate  are formed  by subtracting:  -ar, -er,  -or. This process is called Back- formation. Some  other words of this kind  are:  burglar, sidling, darkling, greedy, gloomy, puppy, petty etc.

 Abstract Nouns

Suffixes	Words
-al	Arrival, approval, denial, refusal, removal, renewal.
-age	Bondage, marriage, drainage, orphanage, package, stoppage
-ance	Attendance, endurance, abundance, hindrance,  disturbance, utterance.
-ence	Difference, presence, innocence, reference, patience, remiscence
-dom	Freedom, martyrdom, kingdom, wisdom.
-hood	Boyhood, brotherhood, childhood,  manhood,  falsehood,  motherhood.
-ment	Argument, development, arrangement, judgment, amazement, punishment, employment, treatment.
-ism	Barbarism, Bhuddhism, criticism, Hinduism, magnetism, patriotism, modernism, parallelism
--ness	Boldness, kindness, happiness, sharpness,  hardness, goodness, softness, sweetness
-ship	Captainship, kingship, friendship, lordship, hardship, scholarship, membership, township.
-tion	Acquisition, production, action, selection, addition, tradition.
-ation	Agitation, motivation, examination, reformation, information, separation, conformation, stagnation.
-sion	Admission, illusion, collision, inclusion, confession, exclusion, excursion, provision.
-cy	Accuracy, normalcy, decency, tendency, emergency, urgency.
-logy	Analogy, oceanology, biology, psychology, ecology, zoology.
-ery	Bakery, jewellery, cookery, nursery, fishery, slavery, .
-red	Hatred, kindred.
-ion	Opinion, union,
-ry	Ancestry, gentry, cavalry, peasantry, gallantry, rivalry.
-ty	Certainty, safety, cruelty, surety.
-ter	Laughter, slaughter.
-t	Height, sight, plight
-th	Breadth, depth, growth, length, health, strength.
-ity	Ability, necessity, activity, divinity, unity, vivacity.
-tude	Aptitude, altitude, fortitude, latitude, attitude, longitude
-ture	Candidature, texture, creature, debenture, departure, literature.

Formation of Diminutives

-kin	Lambkin, napkin
-en	Chicken, kitten,
-let	Islet, rivulet, booklet, leaflet, hamlet, cloudlet
-et	Coronet, lancet,
-ette	Cigarette, statuette,
-ling	sapling, duckling,
--y	Baby, kitty,
ock	Hillock, paddock

Formation of Adjectives

Suffixes	Words
-al	additional, devotional, beneficial, educational, ceremonial, eternal, coastal, legal, cultural, mental, memorial, official, moral, historical, national, horizontal, natural, vertical, nominal, provisional.
Suffixes	Words
-able	Admirable, desirable, believable, drinkable, comfortable, inseparable, comparable, preferable, considerable, punishable, honorable, reliable, marriageable, reasonable, measurable, suitable, memorable, unable, preventable, valuable.
-ible	Accessible, legible, admissible, permissible, edible, responsible, incorrigible, sensible, intelligible, visible.
-an	Indian, Italian, Belgian, Olympian, human, Victorian.
-ar	Circular, popular, familiar, regular.
-ate	Considerate, moderate, fortunate, temperate.
-en	Earthen, silken, golden, wooden.
-ed	Agitated, excited, boiled, hunted, cultured, interested, disappeared, pleased, delighted, surprised.
-ic	Artistic, domestic, electronic, patriotic, economic, tragic, historic, public.
-id	Fluid, rapid, lucid, vivid.
-ile	Erectile, servile, juvenile, textile.
-cal	Aeronautical, medical, botanical, fiscal, classical, political, critical, practical, mechanical, tropical.
-ish	Bookish, hellish, boyish, reddish, childish, selfish, feverish, Turkish, foolish, yellowish.
-ful	Awful, forgetful, beautiful, thoughtful, faithful, tasteful, grateful, thankful. Hopeful,  useful.
-fold	Manifold, threefold.
-ive	Active, destructive, attentive, effective, attractive, expensive, creative, inclusive, collective, negative, preventive, productive.
-less	Aimless, faithless, baseless, fearless, careless, helpless, colourless, homeless, endless, hopeless, meaningless, thankless, pitiless, tireless, restless, tasteless, senseless, thoughtless, sleepless, useless.
-like	Childlike, humanlike.
-ly	Beastly, lonely, costly, lovely, daily, monthly,  earthly, nightly, friendly, weekly,.
-some	Burdensome, gladsome, quarrelsome, loathsome, tiresome, wearisome, troublesome, wholesome.
-esque	Burlesque, picturesque, grotesque, picaresque.
-y	Advisory, heavy, airy, healthy, angry, needy, bloody, noisy, cloudy, thirsty.

Formations of Verbs

Suffixes	Verbs
-ate	Activate, isolate, captivate, translate, formulate, violate.
-en	Awaken, lengthen, darken, quicken, enlighten, strengthen, enliven, soften, frighten, widen.
-er	Batter, flutter, chatter, glitter.
-fy	Beautify, intensify, clarify, exemplify, classify, justify, identify, magnify, edify, purify, rectify, glorify, satisfy, simplify, terrify, vivify.
-ise/ize	Apologize, magnetize, centralize, nationalize, civilize, naturalize, criticize, organize, familiarize, popularize, dramatize, scrutinize, legalize, symbolize, mechanize, sympathise, memories, universalize, realize, vitalize.
-ish	Abolish, flourish, banish, nourish, finish, publish,
-se	cleanse, rinse.
-sce	Evanesce, reminisce,

 Formation of Adverbs

Suffixes	Adverbs
-ly	Abruptly, boldly, absolutely, broadly, accurately, certainly, actively, clearly, attentively, collectively, confidently, directly, courageously, eagerly, correctly, earnestly, dangerously, easily, deeply, entirely, exactly, freshly, fairly, gladly, firstly, happily, formerly, hardly,  freely, innocently, jointly, neatly, lastly, nicely, largely, partly, madly, popularly, mostly, pleasantly, possibly, sadly, presently, sharply, quickly, shortly, rapidly, sincerely, recently, wisely, additionally, centrally, actually, dramatically, beautifully, fearfully, boastfully, hopefully, carefully, partially, pitifully, usefully, successfully,  wholly, wonderfully, annually.
-ward(s)	Afterwards, forwards, backwards, homewards, downwards, upwards.
-wise	Clockwise, likewise, crosswise, otherwise, lengthwise, sidewise.

 

 Prefix:

Def: ‘Pre’ means before and ‘fixe’ means to add. So Prefixes are letter or letters added at the start or beginning of a word.

Prefixes	Words
-a (in, on, up, from, without)	abed, ashore, abet, asleep, amuse, atheist, anew, arise, afloat, alight, apathy, away.
-ab (bad, off away from	abuse,  abnormal.
-al (all)	almighty, almost, altogether.
-ante (before, beside)	Antecedent, antedate, antechamber, anterior , antemeridiem
-anti (against)	antiaircraft, antibody, antichrist, anticlockwise, anticlimax, antibiotic, antisocial, antidote, anticipate, antiseptic.
-arch (chief)	archbishop, archfiend, archenemy, archvillain.
-auto (self)	autobiography, automatic, autocracy, automobile, autograph, autonomy.
-be (by)	Before, belittle, befriend, beside, befool, befit.
-bi (two, twice)	bicycle, bicentenary, bifocal, bilingual, bilateral, bisect, biweekly, biennial.
-by (near via post)	By-election, by-gone, by-law, by-pass, by-name, by-product.
-co (with)	Coincide, co-education, co-curricular, co-exist, co-equal, co-operate.
-counter (against)	Counter-attack, counter-part, counter-change, counter-sign, counter-claim, counter-check, counter-foil, counter-vail.
-de (reversal)	Decamp, decode, defame, demerit, deforestation, dehydration, deform, degrade, dethrone.
-dis (not)	Disadvantage, disaffirm, disagree, disallow, disappear, discourage, disappoint, disarm, disconnect, discover, dislike, discredit.
-em (to put into)	Embody, empower.
-en (to put/make into)	Enable, enact, encage, en-cash, enchant, enforce, engrave, enhance, enjoy,  enlarge, encircle, enclose, encounter, encourage, endanger, enlighten, enlist, enrich, ensure, entitle.
-ex (former)	exanimate, exchange, exclude, exhale, ex-military, ex-gratia, ex-officio, ex-parte, ex-student, extract.
-extra (beyond)	Extra-curricular, extraordinary, extravagant, extra-special.
-fore (before)	Forearm, forecast, foretell, forefather, forefront, foresee.
Prefixes	Words
-il (not, without)	Illegal, illegible, illegitimate, illicit, illiterate, illogical.
-im (not)	Immaterial, immature, immemorial, immodest, immoral, impatient, impeach, impend, imperfect, import, immoral, immovable, impart, impartial, impassion, imperial, imperishable, impersonal, impiety, impossible.
-in (not)	inability, inactive, inadequate, inadmissible, inanimate, inconvenience,  incorrect, incredible, indefinite, indiscipline, inseparable, independent, indifference, inedible, inefficient, inexpensive, inapplicable, inattentive, inaudible, inborn, incomplete, indirect, infinite, ingratitude, inhuman, injustice, insignificant, insincere, insufficient, invalid, invisible.
-inter (between, amongst)	interact, interchange, intercom, interlink, intermediate, international, interschool, intersect, interview, interweave.
-ir (not)	Irrational, irregular, irrelevant, irreplaceable, irresistible, irrespective, irresponsible, irresponsive, irreversible, irrevocable.
-mal (bad)	Mal-adjustment, mal-distribution, malnutrition, malpractice.
-mis (bad, wrong)	Misadventure, misbehave, mis-belief, misconception, misconduct, mischief, mishap, misinterpret, misjudge, misleading, miscount, misfortune, misfire, misgiving, misguide, mismanage, misplace, misprint, misunderstand, misuse.
-mono (single)	Monochromatic, monoglot, monologue, monosyllable.
-multi (many, much)	Multi-colored, multimillionaire, multinational, multistoried.
-non (not)	Non-collegiate, non-cooperate, non-delivery, non-existence, non-entity, non-issue, non-sense, non-resident, non-stop, non-violence.
-out (away, better)	Outbreak, outdo, outgrow, outhouse, outlaw, outlay, outlet, outlet.
-over (upper, excessive)	Overactive, overburden, overcast, overconfidence, overdose, overhead, overlap, overnight.
-pan (all)	Pan-American, pan-Islam, pantheism, panoptic.
-post (after)	Postdated, postgraduate, postmeridian, postmortem, post-lunch, and postwar.
-pre (before)	Prearrange, precursor, predetermine, preface, prefix, prehistoric, premature, preposition, pretest, prewar.
-re (again)	Reaction, rebirth, rebuild, recover, recount, re-count, refill, reinforce, rejoice, renew, reopen, reappear, rearrange, recast, reconsider, re-examine, re-cover, re-organize, reprint, replay, republic, rewrite.
-semi (half)	Semi-axis, semi-circle, semi-colon, semi-final, semi-official, semi-vowel.
-sub (under, below)	Subclass, sub-clause, subcommittee, subconscious, subcontinent, substandard, subdivision, subeditor, subhuman, sub-inspector, sub-marine, subway.
-super (above)	Superficial, superfine, superman, supermarket, supernatural, supersonic, superstructure, supervise.
-trans (across, beyond)	Transaction, transatlantic, transfigure, transform, transliterate, transparent, transplant, transport.
-tele (distant)	Telecast, telegraph, telemeter, telephone, telescope, television.
-ultra ( extreme)	Ultraism, ultrasonic, ultramodern, ultraviolet.
-un (not)	Unable, unacceptable, unaccompanied, unaccomplished, unaccustomed, unaware, unbeaten,   uncanny, unceremonious, uncertain,  uncomfortable,  uncommon, unconscious, uncultured, undecided, uneducated, unemployed, unending, unequal, unerring, unfed, unfiltered, unfit, unfold, unfortunate, unhurt, unhygienic, uninteresting, uninterrupted, unless, unnoticed, unofficial, unorganized, unpaid, unparalleled,  unprivileged, unprofessional, unreal, unreasonable, unrest, unaffected, unanimous, unapproved, unasked, unavoidable, unchanged, unchaste, unchecked, uncivil, unclaimed, undisturbed, undivided, undoubted, undue, uneasy, uneven, unexpected, unfair, unfaithful, unfamiliar, unfriendly, ungrateful, unhappy, unhealthy, unholy, unlike,  unlimited, unmixed, unnatural, unnecessary, unplanned, unpleasant, unpolished, unprecedented, unprepared, unsafe, unsocial, untimely, unwilling, unwise.
-vice (in place of)	Vice-admiral, vice-chairman, voice-chancellor, vice -principal.

                                                Exercise: 
Complete the text adding suffixes, prefixes or, the both with root words given in the parenthesis.

Mr. Habib was driving, to his office in the morning.  He had started late as usual. His car stopped at a traffic signal. As the lights became green, the car in the front was not moving. The driver got down from the car and was asking for (a) ------- (assist) ----. Mr. Habib became so (b) ------- (anger) -----. He had become very (c) ---- (popular) ------- in the office for being late every day. He was (d) --- (certain) ---- going to be late again. He could the face of his boss in his (e) --- (imagine) -----. An important (f) ------- (agree) ----would be signed in his office and he had to reach a bit early. He would (g) ---probable) ----- lose his job for that irresponsible act. His boss won’t be (h) --- (different) ----- to his irresponsible acts any more. Mr.  Habib got nervous thinking of  his  fate. So many people have become (i) ---- (employee) --- in last few weeks! His hands were trembling as he started driving fast. But he should think about his safety and drive more (j) --- care) ------.

 

      Md. Moheb Ullah

                                         English Teacher
                                                      M.A. (English), M.Ed. Thesis DU)
                                      Dhanmondi Govt. Boys' High School, Dhaka 1207