SUFFIXES
Introduction: Suffixes are syllables added to the ends of words to change their functions. For example,
add the suffix –ful to wonder (a noun); the new word is the adjective, wonderful. Other examples:
angel (noun) + ic
friend (noun) + ship
sterile (adjective) + ize
soft (adjective) + ly
becomes
becomes
becomes
becomes
angelic (adjective)
friendship (noun)
sterilize (verb)
softly (adverb)
Exercise A: Four Adjective Suffixes
Directions: Study the four suffixes and the examples below. Change each word in column A to an adjective by adding a suffix
and write the new word in column B. You may have to change, drop, or add letters before adding the suffix to some words.
Suffix
-ful
-less
-able
-ese
From
Old English
Old English
Latin
Latin
Example
wonderful, merciful
hopeless, senseless
readable, capable
Japanese, Siamese
A
1. Portugal
B
Portuguese
A
11. child
2. misery
miserable
12. Burma
3. awe
13. consider
4. move
14. count
5. China
15. Congo
6. remark
16. master
7. Canton
17. speech
8. service
18. wish
9. penny
19. end
10. grate
20. bounty
ANSWERS:
3. awful
4. moveable
5. Chinese
6. remarkable
7. Cantonese
8. serviceable
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
penniless
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
grateful
childless
Burmese
considerable
countless
1
Congolese
masterful
speechless
wishful
endless
bountiful
B
Exercise B: Four Adjective Suffixes
Directions: Same as Exercise A
Suffix
-ian
-ic
-ive
-ous
A
1. create
From
Latin
Greek
Latin
Latin
Example
Christian, Jeffersonian
angelic, volcanic
corrective, active
riotous, poisonous
B
A
11. fame
2. communist
12. graph
3. religion
13. reptile
4. impress
14. defect
5. Freud
15. Brazil
6. construct
16. atom
7. hero
17. industry
8. mass
18. moment
9. Canada
19. enthusiast
10. Italy
20. disaster
ANSWER:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
creative
communistic
religious
impressive
Freudian
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
constructive
heroic
massive
Canadian
Italian
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
famous
graphic
reptilian
defective
Brazilian
B
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
atomic
industrial
momentous
enthusiastic
disastrous
Exercise C: Four Noun Suffixes
Directions: The four suffixes below when added to words form nouns. Carefully study the suffixes and the examples. Change
each word in column A to a noun by adding a suffix and write the new word in column B. You may have to change, drop, or add
letters in some cases.
Suffix
-er
-hood
-ness
-ship
From
Old English
Old English
Old English
Old English
Examples
maker, hunter
manhood, likelihood
greatness, happiness
friendship, workmanship
2
A
1. brother
B
A
B
11. trumpet
2. boy
12. woman
3. swim
13. member
4. together
14. conscious
5. sick
15. neighbor
6. farm
16. empty
7. write
17. false
8. do
18. happy
9. partner
19. sportsman
10. court
20. companion
ANSWERS:
1. brotherhood
2. boyhood
3. swimmer
4. together
5. sickness
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
farmer
writer
doer
partnership
courtship
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
trumpeter
womanhood
membership
consciousness
neighborhood
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
emptiness
falsehood
happiness
sportsmanship
companionship
Exercise D: Four Noun Suffixes
Directions: Same as exercise C
Suffix
-ess
-ee
-ism
-ive
A
1. narrate
From
Greek
French
Greek
Latin
Examples
lioness, patroness
employee, payee
socialism, colloquialism
detective, captive
B
A
11. duchy
2. emperor
12. material
3. explode
13. legate
4. critic
14. direct
5. train
15. bail
6. govern
16. vandal
7. object
17. feudal
8. prince
18. baron
9. refuge
19. devote
10. patriot
20. commune
3
B
ANSWERS:
1. narrative
2. empress
3. explosive
4. criticism
5. trainee
6. governess
7. objective
8. princess
9. refugee
10. patriotism
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
duchess
materialism
legatee
directive
bail
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
vandalism
feudalism
baroness
devotee
communist
Exercise E: Four Noun Suffixes
Directions: Same as Exercise C
Suffix
-ist
-ment
-ry
-tion
A
1. evaporate
From
Greek
Latin
Latin
Latin
Examples
pianist, humorist
refreshment, establishment
dentistry, forestry
creation, transition
B
A
11. embarrass
2. act
12. jewel
3. philanthropy
13. relate
4. audit
14. govern
5. chemist
15. art
6. column
16. rival
7. enjoy
17. tour
8. mimic
18. minister
9. persecute
19. apart
10. solo
20. measure
ANSWER:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
evaporation
action
philanthropist
audition
chemistry
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
columnist
enjoyment
mimicry
persecution
soloist
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
4
embarrassment
jewelry
relation
government
artist
B
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
rivalry
tourist
ministry
apartment
measurement
Exercise F: Four Suffixes
Directions: Of these last four suffixes, two form verbs, one forms adverbs, and one forms nouns. Study the examples carefully.
Add a suffix to the words in column A and write your new word in column B. You may have to change, drop, or add letters in
some cases.
Suffixes
-en
-ize
-ly
-ity
A
1. certain
Parts of Speech
verb
verb
adverb
noun
From
Old English
Greek
Old English
Latin
B
A
11. versatile
2. theory
12. bad
3. careless
13. senile
4. idol
14. major
5. fright
15. weak
6. minor
16. sudden
7. complex
17. strength
8. late
18. critic
9. sympathy
19. tight
10. less
ANSWERS:
1. certainly
2. theorize
3. carelessly
4. idolize
5. frighten
Example
darken, lighten
sterilize, satirize
softly, kindly
civility, acidity
B
20. harmony
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
minority
complexity
lately
sympathize
lessen
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Revised: Spring 2002
Student Learning Assistance Center (SLAC)
Texas State University–San Marcos
5
versatility
badly
senility
majority
weaken
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
suddenly
strengthen
criticize
tightly
harmonize