Most English suffixes can tell you the type of word you're dealing with. For
instance, most people know that when a word ends inly they are dealing with an adverb.
Adverbs typically tell you thehow of something.
As an example, let's say that you are a nice singer. To change nice into an adverb
and to sayhow 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 commonEnglish
suffixes are often familiar endings to familiar words. To go to
the main suffix page just click on the previous link.
