SUFFIXES

Introduction: Suffixes are syllables added to the ends of words to change their functions. For example,
add the suffix ful to wonder (a noun); the new word is the adjective, wonderful. Other examples:
angel (noun) + ic
friend (noun) + ship
sterile (adjective) + ize
soft (adjective) + ly

becomes
becomes
becomes
becomes

angelic (adjective)
friendship (noun)
sterilize (verb)
softly (adverb)

Exercise A: Four Adjective Suffixes

Directions: Study the four suffixes and the examples below. Change each word in column A to an adjective by adding a suffix
and write the new word in column B. You may have to change, drop, or add letters before adding the suffix to some words.
Suffix
-ful
-less
-able
-ese

From
Old English
Old English
Latin
Latin

Example
wonderful, merciful
hopeless, senseless
readable, capable
Japanese, Siamese

A
1. Portugal

B
Portuguese

A
. child

2. misery

miserable

. Burma

3. awe

13. consider

4. move

14. count

5. China

15. Congo

6. remark

16. master

7. Canton

17. speech

8. service

18. wish

9. penny

19. end

10. grate

20. bounty

Exercise B: Four Adjective Suffixes

Directions: Same as Exercise A
Suffix
-ian
-ic
-ive
-ous

A
1. create

From
Latin
Greek
Latin
Latin

A
11. fame

2. communist

12. graph

3. religion

13. reptile

4. impress

14. defect

5. Freud

15. Brazil

6. construct

16. atom

7. hero

17. industry

8. mass

18. moment

9. Canada

19. enthusiast

Example
Christian, Jeffersonian
angelic, volcanic
corrective, active
riotous, poisonous

10. Italy

20. disaster

Exercise C: Four Noun Suffixes

Directions: The four suffixes below when added to words form nouns. Carefully study the suffixes and the examples. Change
each word in column A to a noun by adding a suffix and write the new word in column B. You may have to change, drop, or
add letters in some cases.
Suffix
-er
-hood
-ness
-ship

From
Old English
Old English
Old English
Old English

A
1. brother

Examples
maker, hunter
manhood, likelihood
greatness, happiness
friendship, workmanship

11. trumpet

2. boy

12. woman

3. swim

13. member

4. together

14. conscious

5. sick

15. neighbor

6. farm

16. empty

7. write

17. false

8. do

18. happy

9. partner

19. sportsman

10. court

20. companion

Exercise D: Four Noun Suffixes

Directions: Same as exercise C
Suffix
-ess
-ee
-ism
-ive

A
1. narrate

From
Greek
French
Greek
Latin

Examples
lioness, patroness
employee, payee
socialism, colloquialism
detective, captive

A
11. duchy

2. emperor

12. material

3. explode

13. legate

4. critic

14. direct

5. train

15. bail

6. govern

16. vandal

7. object

17. feudal

8. prince

18. baron

9. refuge

19. devote

10. patriot

20. commune

Exercise E: Four Noun Suffixes

Directions: Same as Exercise C
Suffix
-ist
-ment
-ry
-tion

From
Greek
Latin
Latin
Latin

A
1. evaporate

Examples
pianist, humorist
refreshment, establishment
dentistry, forestry
creation, transition

A
11. embarrass

2. act

12. jewel

3. philanthropy

13. relate

4. audit

14. govern

5. chemist

15. art

6. column

16. rival

7. enjoy

17. tour

8. mimic

18. minister

9. persecute

19. apart

10. solo

20. measure

Exercise F: Four Suffixes

Directions: Of these last four suffixes, two form verbs, one forms adverbs, and one forms nouns. Study the examples
carefully. Add a suffix to the words in column A and write your new word in column B. You may have to change, drop, or add
letters in some cases.
Suffixes
-en
-ize
-ly
-ity

A
1. certain

Parts of Speech
verb
verb
adverb
noun

A
11. versatile

2. theory

12. bad

3. careless

13. senile

4. idol

14. major

5. fright

15. weak

6. minor

16. sudden

7. complex

17. strength

8. late

18. critic

9. sympathy

19. tight

10. less

20. harmony

From
Old English
Greek
Old English
Latin

Example
darken, lighten
sterilize, satirize
softly, kindly
civility, acidity

KEY TO CORRECTION
EXERCISE A.
ANSWERS:
3. awful
4. moveable
5. Chinese
6. remarkable
7. Cantonese
8. serviceable

9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.

penniless

grateful
childless
Burmese
considerable
countless

15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

Congolese
masterful
speechless
wishful
endless
bountiful

EXERCISE B.
ANSWERS:
1. creative
2. communistic
3. religious
4. impressive
5. Freudian

6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

constructive
heroic
massive
Canadian
Italian

11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

famous
graphic
reptilian
defective
Brazilian

16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

atomic
industrial
momentous
enthusiastic
disastrous

6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

farmer
writer
doer
partnership
courtship

11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

trumpeter
womanhood
membership
consciousness
neighborhood

16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

emptiness
falsehood
happiness
sportsmanship
companionship

EXERCISE C.
ANSWERS:
1. brotherhood
2. boyhood
3. swimmer
4. together
5. sickness
EXERCISE D.
ANSWERS:
1. narrative
2. empress
3. explosive
4. criticism
5. trainee

6. governess
7. objective
8. princess
9. refugee
10. patriotism

11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

duchess
materialism
legatee
directive
bail

16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

vandalism
feudalism
baroness
devotee
communist

6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

embarrassment
jewelry
relation
government
artist

16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

rivalry
tourist
ministry
apartment
measurement

EXERCISE E.
ANSWERS:
1. evaporation
2. action
3. philanthropist
4. audition
5. chemistry

columnist
enjoyment
mimicry
persecution
soloist

EXERCISE F.
ANSWERS:
1. certainly
2. theorize
3. carelessly
4. idolize
5. frighten

6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

minority
complexity
lately
sympathize
lessen

11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

versatility
badly
senility
majority
weaken

16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

suddenly
strengthen
criticize
tightly
harmonize