English Suffixes
Most English suffixes can tell you the type of word you're dealing with. For instance, most people know that when a word ends in ly they are dealing with an adverb.
Adverbs typically tell you the how of something.
As an example, let's say that you are a nice singer. To change nice into an adverb and to say how you do something we would add one of the English suffixes -- in this case "ly" -- and say not only are you a nice singer, but that you sing (how?) nicely.
Thankfully, there aren't that many suffixes to learn in the English Language, but they are important and certain rules do apply.
Common English suffixes below show you the kind of word formed and the type of suffix they are.
Verb Suffixes
| ize, ise | to make | criticize, hypnotize |
| ate | to make | consecrate, mitigate |
| en | cause to become | strengthen, weaken, lengthen |
| fy | make | simplify, testify, fortify |
| ced, cede | to go, to give in | intercede, recede |
| duc, duct | to lead | induct |
Adverb Suffixes
| ly, (y) | like | neatly, quietly |
English Suffixes - Adjectives
| able, ible | capable of | understandable |
| ac, ic | like, pertaining to | cardiac, metallic |
| acious, icious | full of | delicious, audacious |
| ant, ent | full of | militant, delinqent |
| ary, ery | like, connected with | ordinary, dictionary, bravery |
| escent | becoming, in process | adolescent |
| fic | making, doing | terific, scientific |
| iferous | producing, bearing | vociforous |
| il, ile | pertaining to, capable of | infantile |
| ive | like | imaginative, redemptive |
| less | lacking | timeless |
| oid | resembling, like | negroid, ovoid |
| ful | full of | stressful, resentful |
| ose | full of | verbose, morose |
| ous | full of | spacious |
English Suffixes - Nouns
| ation | that which is | justification |
| cy | state of being | democracy |
| eer, er, or | the person who | mountaineer, teacher |
| graph | to write | phonograph, lithograph |
| ism | doctrine, belief | statism |
| ist | dealer, doer | scientist |
| ity | state of being | calamity |
| ment | act or state of | refinement, confinement |
| ory | having quality of | advisory |
| osis | condition | osmosis |
| ous | full of | generous |
| tude | state of | gratitude |
As seen from the above, many common English suffixes are often familiar endings to familiar words. To go to the main suffix page just click on the previous link.
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