Transcript Suffixes

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
Suffixes
Word Endings You Can Really Use
Developed by
Ivan 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!
Kinds
of
Suffixes
Inflectional
Suffixes
Derivational
suffixes
Change the number
Noun Suffixes
Change verb tense
Adjective Suffixes
Change the degree
Verb Suffixes
Adverb Suffixes
Inflectional Suffixes
Inflectional suffixes, can be added to…
•
•
•
nouns to change the number,
verbs to change the tense and
adjectives to change the
comparison
degree
of
Inflectional Suffixes
Suffix
Use
-s,
-es
-ed,
-ing
to change the number of a
noun
-er,
-est
to change the degree of
comparison in modifiers
to change verb tense
Examples
shovels
matches,
insinuated,
insinuating
colder,
coldest
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
Suffix
Use
-arian
one who
-ation
action or process
-ancy
state or quality of
Examples
librarian,
humanitarian
narration,
infiltration
vagrancy,
vacancy
Adjective Suffixes
Suffix
Use
-ose
full of
-ant
inclined to
-esque
relating to
Examples
morose,
bellicose
vigilant,
radiant, defiant
statuesque,
picturesque
Verb Suffixes
Suffix
Use
-age
action or process
-en
make
-ish
action or process
Examples
ravage,
damage,
pillage
harden,
lengthen,
weaken
flourish,
nourish
Adverb Suffixes
Suffix
Use
Examples
-ly
to what extent
extensively,
thoroughly
-ways
in a given way
crossways
-wise
showing how
clockwise,
lengthwise
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
Which four endings are the most used?
-ed
-er
-er/or
-ing
-tion
-ment
-ly
-ful
-s
past verb
comparative,
one who
present participle
having
action, process
having
full of
plural
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.
[email protected]