Using word parts (suffixes) and word association (synonym and antonym)

countable noun

A suffix 

            a suffix is a letter or group of letters, for example '-ly' or '-ness,' which is added to the end of a word in order to form a different word, often of a different word class. For example, the suffix '-ly' is added to 'quick' to form 'quickly.' Compare affix and , prefix. Suffixes are added to the end of root or base words. When you add a suffix to a base word, you change the word’s meaning.

Some common suffixes and their the meanings: Able-can be done                    est-most                                               er-more ful-full of                                less-without                                         er-one who

                                   

            A suffix is a letter or a group of letters attached to the end of a word to form a new word or to change the grammatical function (or part of speech) of the original word. For example, the verb read is made into the noun reader by adding the suffix -er. Similarly, read is made into the adjective readable by adding the suffix -able.

Understanding the meanings of the common suffixes can help you figure out the meanings of new words you encounter.

But as you work on building your vocabulary, you should keep a few points in mind:

•  In some cases, the spelling of a root or base word changes when a suffix is added. For example, in words ending in y preceded by a consonant (such as the noun beauty and the adjective ugly), the y may change to an i when a suffix is added (as in the adjective beautiful and the noun ugliness). Also, in words ending in silent -e (such as use and adore), the final -e may be dropped before a suffix that begins with a vowel (as in usable and adorable). As with all spelling rules, there are exceptions of course. 
•  Not all suffixes can be added to all roots. For example, the adjective beautiful is formed by adding the suffix -ful to the noun beauty, and the noun ugliness is formed by adding the suffix -ness  to the adjective ugly. But you won't find *ugliful in your dictionary—or in standard English. (Throughout this website, an asterisk in front of a construction shows that it's considered nonstandardor ungrammatical.) 

•  A suffix may have more than one meaning. With adjectives and adverbs, for instance, the -er suffix usually conveys the comparative meaning of "more" (as in the adjectives kinder and longer). But in some cases the -er ending can also refer to someone who performs a particular action (such as a dancer or builder) or to someone who lives in a particular

Don't be put off by these variations, qualifications, and exceptions. Just think of these common suffixes as clues to the meanings of words. As in a detective story, sometimes the clues are clear and fairly obvious. Other times they can be puzzling or misleading. In any case, keep in mind that the meanings of words are best determined by studying the contexts in which they are used as well as the parts of the words themselves. 

The table below defines and illustrates 26 common suffixes.place (such as a New Yorker or a Dubliner).

COMMON SUFFIXES IN ENGLISH
 

Noun Suffixes
Suffix	Meaning	Example
-acy	state or quality	privacy, fallacy, delicacy
-al	act or process of	refusal, recital, rebuttal
-ance, -ence	state or quality of	maintenance, eminence, assurance
-dom	place or state of being	freedom, kingdom, boredom
-er, -or	one who	trainer, protector, narrator
-ism	doctrine, belief	communism, narcissism, scepticism
-ist	one who	chemist, narcissist, plagiarist
-ity, -ty	quality of	inactivity, veracity, parity, serenity
-ment	condition of	argument, endorsement, punishment
-ness	state of being	heaviness, sadness, rudeness, testiness
-ship	position held	fellowship, ownership, kinship, internship
-sion, -tion	state of being	concession, transition, abbreviation
Verb Suffixes
-ate	Become	regulate, eradicate, enunciate, repudiate
-en	Become	enlighten, awaken, strengthen
-ify, -fy	make or become	terrify, satisfy, rectify, exemplify
-ize, -ise*	Become	civilize, humanize, socialize, valorize
Adjective Suffixes
-able, -ible	capable of being	edible, presentable, abominable, credible
-al	pertaining to	regional, grammatical, emotional, coastal
-esque	reminiscent of	picturesque, statuesque, burlesque
-ful	notable for	fanciful, resentful, woeful, doubtful
-ic, -ical	pertaining to	musical, mythic, domestic, chiastic
-ious, -ous	characterized by	nutritious, portentous, studious
-ish	having the quality of	fiendish, childish, snobbish
-ive	having the nature of	creative, punitive, divisive, decisive
-less	Without	endless, ageless, lawless, effortless
-y	characterized by	sleazy, hasty, greasy, nerdy, smelly

"Many verbs that end in -ize can also end in -ise (such as finalize/ finalise or realize/ realise); both endings are acceptable, although -ise is more common in British English."

Exercise 1

Directions: Draw a box around the suffix in each problem. Underline the root or base word in each problem. Examples: Smallest

1.      Joyful                                                                         (10)

2.       Youngest                                                                    (10)

3.      Worthless                                                                    (10)

4.      Careful                                                                        (10)

5.      slower                                                                          (10)

6.      loudest                                                                         (10)

7.      careless                                                                        (10)

8.      Readable                                                                       (10)

9.      Fearless                                                                         (10)

10.  doable                                                                            (10)

Prefixes

            Prefixes are added to the beginning of root or base words. When you add a prefix to a base word. You change the word’s meaning.

Some common prefixes and their meanings: re-again, back                                                    dis- not                                                                Pre- before un-not, opposite                                              mis-wrong                                          under-below

 

Antonym and Synonym

            Antonym are words that have opposite meanings. Synonym are words that have the same or a similar meaning.

Examples of Antonym

            An antonym is the opposite of another word. Antonym can be used  to help show contrast between two things or give  clues to exactly what is meant. Below are some examples of antonyms:

·         Achieve – Fall                                    

·         Idle – Active

·         Afraid-Confident

·         Arrogant – Humble

·         Crazy – sane

Examples of synonym

Synonym can provide you with variety in speech or writing. There are endless examples of synonyms, making it easy for you to avoid overusing the same word and sounding repetitive. Some examples of synonyms include the following:

·         Amazing, astounding, surprising, stunning

·         Benefit, profit, revenue, yield

·         Cunning, keen, sharp, slick

·         Hungry, ravenous, empty

·         look, glance, see, gaze, stare

·         old, elderly, aged, senior