Word Formation
Root/stem Affixes
Prefix Suffix
Unfriendly
Prefix root suffix
Prefix: a letter or a group of letters added to the beginning of a root to change its
meaning.
Happy unhappy
Suffix: a letter or a group of letters added at the end of a root to change its
meaning.
Dirt dirty
Prefixes
The Negative Meaning Prefixes
(un-) unkind unpredictable unabridged
(dis-) dishonest disconnected
(mis-) misunderstand misbehavior
(in-) incorrect insecure
(im-) impossible immobilize
(ir-) irregular irascible irrational
(il-) illiterate illegal
(non-) nonstop non-breakable non-British
(de- ) destabilize debone demotivate
Verb Making Prefixes
(En-) encourage enlarge
(em-) empower embitter
Much Use Prefixes
Prefix meaning example
Fore before forehead forename
Mal bad mal-digestion malformed
Mid middle midnight midmorning
Mini small minibus
Multi several multivitamin multicolored
Poly several polytechnic polysyllabic poly clinic
Over too much overeat overweight
Pan all Pan-American unity
Pre before prewar prewrite / preview
Post after post war post meridiem
Post in front of / in favor of pro American countries
Semi half semi final
Sub under sub office sub title
Uni one uniform unilateral
Bi double/two bilateral
Tri three trilateral
Co together co education
Anti against antivirus anti-government anti-freezer
Ex former ex-president ex-wife
Prefix meaning example
Re again rewrite reread
Per one per-person
Vice assistant vice president
Prime big prime minister
Noun + ly = adjective friend + ly = friendly
Adjective + ly = adverb. Quick + ly =quickly
He is friendly.
adjective
He speaks friendly.
adjective
He speaks in a friendly way.
Adverb
Which ones are right?
Delruba is beautiful. ( )
Delruba is beautifully. ( )
Delruba speaks beautiful. ( )
Delruba speaks beautifully. ( )
Suffixes
The noun making suffixes
Changing verb to noun
suffix Verb Noun
-ment State Statement
-ation Inform Information
-tion invent Invention
-ence Differ, Exist Difference, Existence
-ancy Expect Expectancy
-al Propose, arrive Proposal, arrival
-ing Build Building
-y Unite Unity
-ee Escape, employ Escapee, employee
Changing Noun to adjective
suffix Noun Adjective
-less Hope, home Hopeless, homeless
-some Trouble troublesome
-ish Child childish
-ible Sense Sensible
-like God, angel, man Godlike, angel like,
manlike
-ory Congratulation Congratulatory
-ful Care Careful
-able Answer, read Answerable, readable
-ous fame Famous
-ic history Historic
-ive act Active
The noun making suffixes
Changing noun to another noun
Suffix noun Noun
-hood Child Childhood
-ship Member Membership
-dom King Kingdom
-ist Geology Geologist
-ess Actor, god, Actress, goddess, doctress
-ism Islam Islamism
Changing Adjective to verb
Suffix Adjective Verb
-ize Real realize
-en Short, fat Shorten, fasten
-ate Active, motive Activate, motivate
Changing verb to subject noun
Suffix verb Subject Noun
-er Play, teach Player, teacher
-or Act, visit Actor, visitor
Adverb Making Affixes
Affix word Adverb
-ly Slow slowly
-ward North northward
a- Side, long Aside, along
The noun making suffixes
Changing adjective to noun
suffix Adjective Noun
-ness Weak Weakness
-ship Hard Hardship
-hood False, young Falsehood, young hood
-cy Accurate Accuracy
-ity Timid Timidity
-dom Free Freedom
