Suffixes
Grammar > Words, sentences and clauses > Word formation > Suffixes
из English Grammar Today
A suffix is a letter or group of letters added at the end of a word which makes a new word.
words
suffix
new words
forget, use
-ful
forgetful, useful
state, govern
-ment
statement, government
complicate, create
-ion
complication, creation
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, contentment).
Suffixes: spelling
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:
beauty, duty + -ful → beautiful, dutiful (-y changes to i)
heavy, ready + -ness → heaviness, readiness (-y changes to i)
able, possible + -ity → ability, possibility (-le changes to il)
permit, omit + -ion → permission, omission (-t changes to ss)
A good learner’s dictionary will give you information on the correct spelling of words with suffixes.
See also:
Spelling
Common suffixes and examples
Noun suffixes
suffix
examples of nouns
-age
baggage, village, postage
-al
arrival, burial, deferral
-ance/-ence
reliance, defence, insistence
-dom
boredom, freedom, kingdom
-ee
employee, payee, trainee
-er/-or
driver, writer, director
-hood
brotherhood, childhood, neighbourhood
-ism
capitalism, Marxism, socialism (philosophies)
-ist
capitalist, Marxist, socialist (followers of philosophies)
-ity/-ty
brutality, equality, cruelty
-ment
amazement, disappointment, parliament
-ness
happiness, kindness, usefulness
-ry
entry, ministry, robbery
-ship
friendship, membership, workmanship
-sion/-tion/-xion
expression, population, complexion
Adjective suffixes
suffix
examples of adjectives
-able/-ible
drinkable, portable, flexible
-al
brutal, formal, postal
-en
broken, golden, wooden
-ese
Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese
-ful
forgetful, helpful, useful
-i
Iraqi, Pakistani, Yemeni
-ic
classic, Islamic, poetic
-ish
British, childish, Spanish
-ive
active, passive, productive
-ian
Canadian, Malaysian, Peruvian
-less
homeless, hopeless, useless
-ly
daily, monthly, yearly
-ous
cautious, famous, nervous
-y
cloudy, rainy, windy
Verb suffixes
suffix
examples of verbs
-ate
complicate, dominate, irritate
-en
harden, soften, shorten
-ify
beautify, clarify, identify
-ise/-ize
economise, realise, industrialize (-ise is most common in British English; -ize is most common in American English)
Adverb suffixes
suffix
examples of adverbs
-ly
calmly, easily, quickly
-ward(s)
downwards, homeward(s), upwards
-wise
anti-clockwise, clockwise, edgewise
Объяснение: это правила
What was the Confucius' Chinese name?
Whose Chinese name was Kung-Fu-tse?
Was Confucius' Chinese name Kung-Fu-tse or Jack?
Confucius' Chinese name was Kung-Fu-tse, wasn't it?