Prefixes and Suffixes

Prefixes are word parts you add to the beginning of a word to change its meaning; suffixes are word parts you add to the end of a word to change its meaning. Because many useful words are created by adding prefixes and suffixes to root words, you can save a lot of time wondering “Did I spell this sucker correctly?” by knowing how to add prefixes and suffixes. Let's take a look at the guidelines.


Attaching Prefixes:

The rule here is simple: Don't add or omit a letter when you attach a prefix. Keep all the letters—every one of them. Here are some examples.



Prefix + Word = New Word

dis + satisfied = dissatisfied
mis + spell = misspell
un + acceptable = unacceptable
re + election = reelection
inter + related = interrelated



Attaching Suffixes

Keep all the letters when you add a suffix … unless the word ends in a y or a silent e. We'll talk about them later. The following chart and guidelines show you how to master the suffix situation.


Word + Suffix = New Word

accidental + ly = accidentally
drunken + ness = drunkenness
ski + ing = skiing
foresee + able = foreseeable



1. If the letter before the final y is a consonant, change the y to i and add the suffix. Study these examples.

Word + Suffix = New Word

hurry + ed = hurried
greedy + ly = greedily

Hurry doesn't follow the rule: hurry + ing = hurrying. Here are some other exceptions: dryly, dryness, shyly, shyness, babyish, ladylike.


2. If the letter before the final y is a vowel, do not change the y before attaching a suffix.

Word + Suffix = New Word

play + ing = playing
destroy + ed = destroyed

Here are some exceptions: laid, paid, said, mislaid, underpaid, unsaid.



3. If the suffix begins with a vowel, drop the silent e. Here are some examples.

Word + Suffix = New Word

write + ing = writing
love + able = lovable
use + age = usage

When the word ends in ce or ge, keep the e if the suffix begins with a or o: noticeable, manageable, advantageous. Here are some common exceptions: acreage, mileage, singeing, canoeing, hoeing.



4. If the suffix begins with a consonant, keep the silent e. Here are some examples.

Word + Suffix = New Word

excite + ment = excitement
care + ful = careful
fierce + ly = fiercely

Of course there are some exceptions: argument, duly, truly, wholly, and ninth.


5. If the word ends in ie, drop the e and change the i to y. Check out these examples.

Word + Suffix = New Word

lie + ing = lying
die + ing = dying
tie + ing = tying


6. Add ly to change an adjective to an adverb. Here are some examples.

Word + Suffix = New Word

brave + ly = bravely
calm + ly = calmly

If the adjective ends in ic, add al before ly.

Word + Al + Suffix = New Word

drastic + al + ly = drastically
scientific + al + ly = scientifically

If the adjective ends in ble, change ble to bly.

Word = New Word

able ably
noble nobly



6. In a one-syllable word, double the final consonant before a suffix beginning with a vowel.

Word + Suffix = New Word

plan + er = planner
big + est = biggest

Don't double the final consonant if it comes after two vowels or another consonant. For example: failed, stooped, warmer, lasting.



7. In a word of two or more syllables, double the final consonant only if it is in an accented syllable before a suffix beginning with a vowel. Here are some examples:

Word + Suffix = New Word

defer + ed = deferred
resubmit + ing = resubmitting

Don't double the final consonant if it comes after two vowels or another consonant. For example: obtained, concealed, abducting, commendable.


If a words ends in ic, insert a k after the c.

Word + Suffix = New Word

mimic + ing = mimicking
traffic + ing = trafficking


8. There's only one hint for adding able or ible: an adjective usually ends in -able if you can trace it back to a noun ending in -ation. Sensible is the exception.

Noun ---- Adjective

adaptation ---- adaptable
commendation --- commendable

But there are many words that don't fit this rule, so this isn't the rule to have tattooed on your palm.





Thank you very much