PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES

Mg. Judit Saraí Sarmiento Párraga

Class # 1 Week 1
 Purpose

• To recognize different types of prefixes and suffixes

considering their meanings to improve our vocabulary.
 Warm- up

Let’s play a game

PREFIXES
 What is a prefix?
• Prefixes are letters which we add to the beginning of a word
to make a new word with a different meaning. Prefixes can,
for example, create a new word opposite in meaning to the
word the prefix is attached to. They can also make a word
negative or express relations of time, place or manner. Here
are some examples:
• Roger was unhappy.
• Sally is not a dishonest woman.
• I’m sorry I was unable to attend the meeting.
• Non-payment of fees could result in a student being asked to leave
the course.
• Has anyone ever really met an extraterrestrial being? (meaning a
being from another planet)
• The(da) meat was overcooked and quite(cuait) tasteless
 The most common prefixes

prefix meaning examples

anti-government, anti-racist, anti-
anti- against/opposed to
war
auto- self autobiography, automobile
de-classify, decontaminate,
de- reverse or change
demotivate(dimotivait)
disagree, displeasure,
dis- reverse or remove
disqualify(discualifai)
 prefix Meaning(minin) examples

down-(daun) reduce or lower downgrade, downhearted

extra- beyond extraordinary, extraterrestrial
hyper- extreme hyperactive, hypertension
illegal, imposible(imposibol),
il-, im-, in-, ir- not
insecure, irregular
inter- between interactive, international
mega- very big, important megabyte, mega-deal, megaton
mid- middle midday, midnight, mid-October
 prefix meaning examples

misaligned, mislead(mislid),
mis- incorrectly, badly
misspelt
non- not non-payment, non-smoking
over- too much(tuu mach) overcook, overcharge, overrate
out-(aut) go beyond outdo, out-perform, outrun(autran)
post- after post-election, post-war
pre- before prehistoric, pre-war
 prefix meaning examples

pro- in favour of pro-communist, pro-democracy

re- again reconsider, redo, rewrite
semi- half semicircle, semi-retired
sub- under, below submarine, sub-Saharan
super- above, beyond super-hero, supermodel
tele- at a distance television, telepathic
 prefix meaning examples

trans- across transatlantic, transfer

ultra- extremely ultra-compact, ultrasound
un- remove, reverse, not Undo(ando), unpack, unhappy
under- less than, beneath undercook, underestimate
up-(ap) make or move higher upgrade, uphill

Writing prefixes: hyphens (super-hero or supermodel)

There are no absolute rules for when to use a hyphen or when to write a prefixed word as one whole
word (see the examples in the table). A good learner’s dictionary will tell you how to write a prefixed
word.
SUFFIXES(safixis)
 What is a suffix?
• Like prefixes, there are many suffixes used in the English language to
create a rich vocabulary. These suffixes change the meaning or
grammatical function of a base word or root word. For example, by
adding the suffixes -er and -est to the adjective fond(fand), you create
the comparative fonder and the superlative, fondest(fandest).

• The new word is most often a different word class from the original
word. In the table above, the suffix -ful has changed verbs to
adjectives, -ment, and -ion have changed verbs to nouns. If you see
a word ending in -ment, for example, it is likely to be a noun
(e.g. commitment(comitment), contentment)
• For example:

• Take the suffix -ist, by adding this to a word you have changed the word
to describe a person who performs or practices something. So, art
becomes artist, a person skilled in a particular art.

• Let's look at the verb read. This verb can be turned into a noun by adding
the suffix -er, and so read becomes reader(rider). Likewise, by adding
the suffix -able the verb read now becomes the adjective readable.
• Often, the suffix causes a spelling change to the original word. In the table
above, the -e ending of complicate and create disappears when the
-ion suffix is added. Other examples of spelling changes include:

1.beauty, duty + -ful → beautiful, dutiful (-y changes to i)

2.heavy, ready + -ness → heaviness, readiness (-y changes to i)
3.able, possible + -ity → ability, possibility (-le changes to il)
4.permit, omit + -ion → permission, omission (-t changes to ss)
 Noun Suffixes
Suffix Meaning Examples
engaged in something, associated auctioneer, volunteer, engineer,
-eer
with something profiteer
-er someone who performs an action helper, teacher, preacher, dancer
celebration, opinion, decision,
-ion the action or process of
revision

probability, equality, abnormality,

-ity the state or condition of
civility
movement, retirement,
-ment the action or result of
abandonment, establishment
 Suffix Meaning Examples
fondness, awareness, kindness,
-ness a state or quality
darkness
distributor, investigator, translator,
-or a person who is something
conductor
depression, confusion, tension,
-sion state or being
compulsion

worship, ownership, courtship,

-ship position held
internship
-th state or quality strength, labyrinth, depth, warmth
 Adjective Suffixes
Suffix Meaning Examples
preventable, adaptable,
-able, -ible capable of being
predictable, credible
theatrical, natural, criminal,
-al pertaining to
seasonal
-ant inclined to or tending to vigilant, defiant, brilliant, reliant

budgetary, planetary, military,

-ary of or relating to
honorary
grateful, beautiful, wonderful,
-ful full of or notable of
fanciful
 Suffix Meaning Examples
-ic relating to iconic, organic, heroic, poetic
gracious, cautious, humorous,
-ious, -ous having qualities of
fabulous
creative, expensive, expressive,
-ive quality or nature of
pensive

hopeless, faultless, fearless,

-less without something
restless
-y made up of or characterized by brainy, fruity, tasty, grouchy
 Verb Suffixes
Suffix Meaning Examples
-ed past-tense version of a verb laughed, climbed, called, missed
soften, fasten, lengthen,
-en become
strengthen
action or process, making an
-er faster, bigger, fuller, longer
adjective comparative

verb form/present participle of an laughing, swimming, driving,

-ing
action writing
memorialize, authorize,
-ize, -ise to cause or to become
commercialize, advertise
 Verb Suffixes
Suffix Meaning Examples
-ic relating to iconic, organic, heroic, poetic
gracious, cautious, humorous,
-ious, -ous having qualities of
fabulous
creative, expensive, expressive,
-ive quality or nature of
pensive

hopeless, faultless, fearless,

-less without something
restless
-y made up of or characterized by brainy, fruity, tasty, grouchy
 Adverb Suffixes
Suffix Meaning Examples
in what manner something is
-ly bravely, simply, honestly, gladly
being done
backward, wayward, awkward,
-ward in a certain direction
afterward
clockwise, edgewise, lengthwise,
-wise in relation to
otherwisepensive
Exercises
1. Grouping Prefixes
start rational use

cycle dependent responsible

regular

Im Un In Dis Ir Re

patient happy formal honest

possible able agree
comfortable
mature
convenient obedient
2. Grouping Prefixes
mature Polite logical expensive legal friendly

necessary quialified comfortable capable regular honest

literate patient visible satisfied responsible rational

Un Im In Dis Ir il
3. Suffixes
• Look at the suffix and decide what type of word it is.
1. Creation
a. Verb
b. Noun
c. Adjective

2. Create
a. Verb
b. Noun
c. Adjective
3. Suffixes
• Look at the suffix and decide what type of word it is.
3. Creative
a. Verb
b. Noun
c. Adjective

4. Supervise
a. Verb
b. Noun
c. Adjective
3. Suffixes
• Look at the suffix and decide what type of word it is.
5. Jealous
a. Verb
b. Noun
c. Adjective

6. Agreement
7. Verb
a. Noun
b. Adjective
3. Suffixes
• Look at the suffix and decide what type of word it is.
7. Advise
a. Noun(advice)
b. Verb
c. Adjective

8. Classify
a. Verb
b. Noun
c. Adjective
4. Suffixes
Add a suffix and change these words to nouns.

1. friend __ 1. arrange ___

2. enjoy ___ 2. appoint ___
3. inform ___
4. direct ___
5. member ___
6. forgetful ___
4. Suffixes
Add a suffix and change these words to nouns.

1. friend ___
ly 1. arrange ___
2. enjoy ___ 2. appoint ___
able
3. inform ___
al ation
4. direct ___
5. member ion or
ly ___

6. forgetful ___
ship
ly
ment

ment
 ¿ What did we learn in this lesson?

 Prefixes are letters which we add at the

beginning of a word to make a new word with
a different meaning.
 Sufixes are letters which we add