Discover 100 Common Suffix Words with Examples and Worksheets

What are Suffix Words?

Suffix Words are letters or a group of letters, like -er, -ing, or -ly, which we add at the end of a base word to modify its meaning or change its grammatical function. In addition to this, adding a suffix to a word can also create a new word. For example, if we add -er to the word teach, it creates “teacher”, which is used for someone who teaches.

Did you know that understanding different suffix words in English can help you figure out the meaning of new words, how to change a word's part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, adverb), and even improve your language proficiency? Let us take a look at some suffix definitions before we talk about their types.

Definition of a Suffix

The Cambridge Dictionary defines Suffix Words as “A suffix is a letter or group of letters added at the end of a word which makes a new word.” Whereas Merriam-Webster describes it as “An affix occurring at the end of a word, base, or phrase.”

Also Read: Degree of Comparison

Types of Suffixes

Suffix words are generally divided into two main types. This is mainly based on whether they are modifying the base word’s grammatical function or its meaning. These two types are inflectional suffixes and derivational suffixes.

Derivational Suffixes

These types of suffixes change the meaning of the base word or its part of speech and are used to create a new word. In addition to this, these suffix words in English also change a word from a noun to a verb, an adjective to an adverb, etc.

For Example:

• "-ness" (noun): Kind (adjective) becomes kindness (noun)
• "-ly" (adverb): Slow (adjective) becomes slowly (adverb)
• "-ment" (noun): Develop (verb) becomes development (noun)
• "-er" (noun): Paint (verb) becomes painter (noun)
• "-able" (adjective): Read (verb) becomes readable (adjective)

Inflectional Suffixes

We use inflectional Suffixes to alter or change the grammatical form of a word and to show features like tense, number, or case. However, do keep in mind that, unlike derivational suffixes, they do not change the core meaning of a word.

For Example:

• “-s" (plural): "Dog" becomes "dogs"
• "-'s" (possessive): "Sarah" becomes "Sarah's"
• "-ing" (continuous aspect): "Cook" becomes "cooking"
• "-ed" (past tense): "Laugh" becomes "laughed"

Also Read: Vowel Words

When to Use a Suffix

Now that we have talked about what are suffixes, their definition, and their types. Let us take a look at when we can use these suffix words in English effectively:

1. Verb Conjugation: The suffixes are mainly used when we conjugate regular verbs. For example, we add -s, or -es to a verb to show if the base verb is singular, in the third person, and is in the present tense.
2. To Create Plural Nouns: We can also use suffixes to create plural nouns by adding –s. However, you just have to keep in mind the irregular plural nouns which have unique spellings.
3. To Show Possession: You can add suffixes like –‘s to show possession. For example, Tina’s parents.
4. Comparatives and Superlatives: To compare two things, we use Suffix Words like –er (stronger). Similarly, to show a high degree of something, we use suffixes like –est (strongest).
5. When Changing Word Types: Lastly, suffixes are also used to show parts of speech and change the type of the base word. For example, adding –ness, or –en to “quick” (adjective) to make “quickness” and “quicken.”

List of Category-Wise Suffix Words

Below is a list of 100 suffix words which we have categorised based on the 10 most commonly used suffixes in English. This suffix words list can help you understand new words and improve your language proficiency:

1. -Sion Suffix Words

We use the suffix –sion to form nouns from verbs and use them to show action, state, or process.

2. -tion Suffix Words

We use -tion suffix words to show action, state, or result, and they are generally used to transform verbs into nouns.

3. -ness Suffix Words

The suffix –ness is used to transform an adjective into noun and describe a condition, state, or quality.

4. -less Suffix Words

We add the suffix –less to a noun or verb to form adjectives and show the lack or absence of something.

5. -ful Suffix Words

The suffix -ful is added at the end of a word to show either abundance and the presence of the quality of the root word.

6. -ly Suffix Words

The suffix –ly turns an adjective into an adverb to show how an action is performed.

7. -er suffix words

The suffix word –er is used in several ways, but is primarily used to for someone who does something. However, depending on the context, -er can have more than one meaning.

8. -al Suffix Words

The suffix word -al is used to show a connection or relationship to the original noun in a sentence.

9. -ist Suffix Words

-ist is used to create nouns and usually indicates a person who practices, specializes in, or is associated with a particular field, belief, or activity.

Suffix Words Worksheet with Answers

Above are 100 suffix words based on the 10 most commonly used suffixes in the English language. Now, let’s test your knowledge with a few suffix exercises.

Part 1: Fill in the blanks with a word formed by adding a suffix (-ful, -ly, -er, -al, -ist)

1. She gave me a _________ answer that helped solve the problem.
2. The _________ works in a hospital and helps patients.
3. He runs very _________ and often wins races.
4. That was a _________ mistake, but you learned from it.
5. The city centre is a _________ place for tourists.
6. The _________ showed us how to paint the fence.
7. I was _________ surprised by the unexpected gift.
8. A(n) _________ studies plants and animals in nature.
9. Please be _________ during the movie so others can enjoy it.
10. The storm was very _________ and knocked down trees.

Answer key:

1. careful
2. happily
3. painter
4. national
5. artist
6. runner
7. softly
8. hopeful
9. powerful
10. quietly

Part 2: Choose the correct suffix form to complete the sentence

1. She is a great (teach/teacher) who helps her students learn.
2. They arrived (quick/quickly) to the meeting on time.
3. The (art/artist) displayed her paintings at the gallery.
4. The dog barked (loud/loudly) at the stranger.
5. It was a (hope/hopeful) day for everyone at the competition.

Answer key:

1. teacher
2. quickly
3. artist
4. loudly
5. hopeful

Conclusion

In conclusion, suffixes might look like small additions to words but they play a big role in how we understand, spell, and use English correctly. By learning common suffix words with the help of our blog above, you can easily expand your vocabulary, avoid grammar mistakes, and build better sentence structure. And if you need any help with prefix and suffix words, you can connect with our experts at Gradding, who will help you to take your English to the next level!

FAQs

What are Suffix Words in English?

In English, suffix words are letters or a group of letters that we add at the end of a word to modify its meaning or create a new word. For example, adding “-ing” to the garden becomes gardening. Additionally, suffixes also help in changing the grammatical function of the word and its part of speech.

What are 10 Examples of Suffixes?

The ten common examples of suffixes are -ing, -ed, -ly, -ful, -less, -able, -ness, -ment, -er, and –est. Which when added to a word, changes the function of the base word or modifies it.

What are 20 Suffix Examples?

The 20 suffix examples are –able, -al, -en, -er, -est, -ful, -ish, -ion, -ism, -ist, -ity, -ive, -less, -ly, -ment, -ness, -or, -ship, -th, and –y.

How do You Know If a Word is a Suffix?

To know if a word is a suffix or not, you can look for word parts which are attached at the end of a base word and that cannot stand alone. Additionally, you can also look for letters which are modifying the meaning or grammatical role of words. Above are 100 suffix words based on the 10 most commonly used suffixes in the English language. Now, let’s test your knowledge with a few suffix exercises.