The English language contains an enormous and ever-growing number of words. Enhancing your vocabulary by learning new words can seem overwhelming, but if you know the common prefixes and suffixes of English, you will understand many more words.
Mastering common prefixes and suffixes is like learning a code. Once you crack the code, you can not only spell words more correctly but also recognize and perhaps even define unfamiliar words.
A prefix is a word part added to the beginning of a word to create a new meaning. Study the common prefixes in the following table.
Tip: The main rule to remember when adding a prefix to a word is not to add letters or leave out any letters.
Common Prefixes
Prefix
Meaning
Example
dis
not, opposite of
dis + satisfied = dissatisfied
mis
wrongly
mis + spell = misspell
un
not
un + acceptable = unacceptable
re
again
re + election = reelection
inter
between
inter + related = interrelated
pre
before
pre + pay = prepay
non
not
non + sense = nonsense
super
above
super + script = superscript
sub
under
sub + merge = submerge
anti
against, opposing
anti + bacterial = antibacterial
Exercise
Identify the five words with prefixes in the following paragraph, and write their meanings on a separate sheet of paper. Once complete, please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
At first, I thought one of my fuzzy, orange socks disappeared in the dryer, but I could not find it in there. Because it was my favorite pair, nothing was going to prevent me from finding that sock. I looked all around my bedroom, under the bed, on top of the bed, and in my closet, but I still could not find it. I did not know that I would discover the answer just as I gave up my search. As I sat down on the couch in the family room, my Dad was reclining on his chair. I laughed when I saw that one of his feet was orange and the other blue! I forgot that he was colour-blind. Next time he does laundry I will have to supervise him while he folds the socks so that he does not accidentally take one of mine!
When the suffix begins with a vowel, drop the silent e in the root word.
Examples:
care + ing = caring
use + able = usable
Exceptions to Rule 2
When the word ends in ce or ge, keep the silent e if the suffix begins with a or o.
Examples:
replace + able = replaceable
courage + ous = courageous
Rule 3: Suffix Begins with a Consonant
When the suffix begins with a consonant, keep the silent e in the original word.
Examples:
care + ful = careful
care + less = careless
Exceptions to Rule 3
Examples:
true + ly = truly
argue + ment = argument
Rule 4: Word Ends in a Consonant + y
When the word ends in a consonant plus y, change the y to i before any suffix not beginning with i.
Examples:
sunny + er = sunnier
hurry + ing = hurrying
Rule 5: Suffix Begins with a Vowel
When the suffix begins with a vowel, double the final consonant only if (1) the word has only one syllable or is accented on the last syllable and (2) the word ends in a single vowel followed by a single consonant.
Examples:
tan + ing = tanning (one syllable word)
regret + ing = regretting (The accent is on the last syllable; the word ends in a single vowel followed by a single consonant.)
cancel + ed = canceled (The accent is not on the last syllable.)
prefer + ed = preferred
Exercise
On your own sheet of paper, write correctly the forms of the words with their suffixes.
refer + ed
refer + ence
mope + ing
approve + al
green + ness
benefit + ed
resubmit + ing
use + age
greedy + ly
excite + ment
Exercise: Writing Application
Write a paragraph describing one of your life goals. Include five words with prefixes and five words with suffixes. Exchange papers with a classmate and circle the prefixes and suffixes in your classmate’s paper. Correct each prefix or suffix that is spelled incorrectly.
Text Attributions
This chapter was adapted from “Prefixes and Suffixes” in English for Business Success by a publisher who has requested that they and the original author not receive attribution is under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Allison Kilgannon.
suffix is where a word parted in the back of a word to give a specific meaning for a word. For example, Freedom. Similarly For Possible, Prefix - Impossible , Suffix - Possibility.
Key Takeaways. A prefix is a word part added to the beginning of a word that changes the word's meaning. A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word that changes the word's meaning.
Prefix: Prefixes are added to the beginning of an existing word in order to create a new word with a different meaning. Suffix: Suffixes are added to the end of an existing word in order to create a new word with a different meaning. Root word: A root word is a basic word with no prefix or suffix added to it.
The most common prefixes used to form new verbs in academic English are: re-, dis-, over-, un-, mis-, out-. The most common suffixes are: -ise, -en, -ate, -(i)fy. By far the most common affix in academic English is -ise.
A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word (for example, -ful). If you add the suffix -ful to the base word, help, the word is helpful. A prefix is a word part added to the beginning of a word or base word (for example, un-). If the prefix un- is added to helpful, the word is unhelpful.
The prefix in the word 'unhappy' is 'un-. ' The prefix 'un-' means 'not,' so the word 'unhappy' means 'not happy. ' Other words that contain the prefix 'un-' include: unsatisfied, unreal, unmoved and unhealthy.
The largest prefixes zetta (10007), and yotta (10008) and, similarly, the descending prefixes zepto (1000−7) and yocto (1000−8) are derived from Latin "septem" (7) and " octo" (8) plus the initial letters "z" and "y". The initial letters "z" and "y" appear in the largest SI prefixes.
Introduction: My name is Van Hayes, I am a thankful, friendly, smiling, calm, powerful, fine, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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