Suffixes are an important part of English vocabulary and grammar. They are word endings that can change the meaning, function, or part of speech of a word. Learning suffixes will help you expand your vocabulary, understand word formation, and improve your reading and writing skills.
In this article, we will explore what suffixes are, the different types of suffixes, and how they are used in words, along with examples and a quiz to test your understanding.
What is a Suffix?
A suffix is a group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning or grammatical function.
Example:
- Happy → Happiness (Changes from an adjective to a noun)
- Teach → Teacher (Changes from a verb to a noun)
- Care → Careful (Changes from a noun to an adjective)
Suffixes help form new words and are essential for understanding word families and word structure in English.
Types of Suffixes in English
There are two main types of suffixes:
- Derivational Suffixes – Change the meaning or part of speech of a word.
- Inflectional Suffixes – Change the grammatical form of a word (tense, number, or comparison).
1. Derivational Suffixes (Change Word Meaning)
These suffixes create new words and can change a word from one part of speech to another.
Suffixes That Form Nouns
| Suffix | Example Words |
|---|---|
| -er | Teacher, Farmer, Runner |
| -or | Actor, Instructor, Editor |
| -ist | Scientist, Artist, Pianist |
| -ian | Musician, Politician, Historian |
| -tion / -sion | Education, Discussion, Decision |
| -ment | Improvement, Development, Enjoyment |
| -ness | Kindness, Happiness, Darkness |
| -ity | Ability, Creativity, Sensitivity |
Suffixes That Form Adjectives
| Suffix | Example Words |
|---|---|
| -ful | Beautiful, Wonderful, Careful |
| -less | Hopeless, Useless, Careless |
| -ous | Dangerous, Curious, Famous |
| -al | Natural, Personal, Global |
| -ive | Active, Creative, Sensitive |
| -ic | Artistic, Scientific, Historic |
Suffixes That Form Verbs
| Suffix | Example Words |
|---|---|
| -ize / -ise | Realize, Organize, Advertise |
| -ify | Clarify, Identify, Simplify |
| -en | Strengthen, Deepen, Darken |
Suffixes That Form Adverbs
| Suffix | Example Words |
|---|---|
| -ly | Quickly, Slowly, Carefully |
| -ward | Forward, Backward, Upward |
2. Inflectional Suffixes (Change Word Form)
Inflectional suffixes do not change the word’s meaning but modify its tense, number, or comparison.
| Suffix | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -s / -es | Plural | Cats, Boxes, Houses |
| -ed | Past tense | Walked, Played, Watched |
| -ing | Present participle | Running, Sleeping, Writing |
| -er | Comparative | Bigger, Faster, Stronger |
| -est | Superlative | Tallest, Smartest, Happiest |
| -’s | Possessive | John’s book, The cat’s toy |
Quiz: Suffixes in English Grammar
1. Which suffix turns a verb into a noun?
a) -ful
b) -ment
c) -ly
2. Which of these is a correct adjective with a suffix?
a) Beautyful
b) Beautiful
c) Beautyness
3. Which suffix is used to form adverbs?
a) -ly
b) -ment
c) -ness
4. Which suffix is used for comparative adjectives?
a) -er
b) -est
c) -ing
5. What is the correct past tense form of “talk”?
a) Talkes
b) Talked
c) Talking
6. Which suffix can change a noun into an adjective?
a) -ous
b) -ing
c) -sion
7. Which of the following is an inflectional suffix?
a) -ness
b) -ed
c) -ment
8. Which word is correct with a suffix?
a) Happyness
b) Happiness
c) Happinness
9. Which suffix forms a profession-related noun?
a) -ist
b) -ly
c) -er
10. Which sentence uses a word with a suffix correctly?
a) She is a careful driver.
b) She is a carefulness driver.
c) She is a carefull driver.
Quiz Answers
1) -ment
2) Beautiful
3) -ly
4) -er
5) Talked
6) -ous
7) -ed
8) Happiness
9) -ist
10) She is a careful driver.
