Word Formations using Prefixes and Suffixes (Affixes) English Grammar

Word Formations: Formation of new words means modifying the base word, many a time, for a different parts of speech. Many words are there that can be used as different parts of speech without any modification i.e. with the same spelling structure and this is done by conversion of words .

Primary Words

The words that belong to the original stock of words in the language are known as primary words. Primary or base words are not formed with the help of any prefixes or suffixes. They are not derived, developed or compounded from other words, in fact, it is from these words that other words are formed.

For example – eat, sun, night, clock, force, sing

Types of Word formation

There are four main kinds of word formation:

1. Primary Derivatives: (lose-loss, prove-proof, advise-advice)
2. Secondary Derivatives–
   • Prefixes (unable, befriend)
   • Suffixes (Secondary derivatives) – (employer, reasonable)
3. Conversion: (water as verb and water as noun or adjective)
4. compounds: (earmark, backyard)

Primary Derivatives

Primary derivatives are formed by making some change in the primary word. These changes are brought by modifying the internal structure i.e. letters of the word by replacing and also together with adding new letters.

For example,

broad: breadth
break: breach
heal: health
lose: loss

Note: The most important class of words formed by internal change consists of the past tenses of primary verbs. These, however, are not usually classed as derivatives.

See some examples of change in word class:

Secondary Derivatives

Secondary derivatives are words formed by affixation i.e. the addition of a prefix or a suffix to the base word For example,

• tonight (to- + night)
• welcome (wel- + come)
• foolishness (foolish + ness)
• comfortable (comfort + able)

Prefixes

A prefix  is a letter or a group of letters which is placed at the beginning of a word to qualify its meaning and form a new word. They can indicate negation, repetition, a specific time or place, and more.

For example,

Un: undo, unzip, unhappy
Dis: disagree, disable, disappear
In: inflate, indicate, insist
Re: replay, refurbish, rebuild
Pre: preview, prescribe, prevent
Post: postpone, postgraduate, postscript
Bio: biography, biology, biosphere

A prefix  may qualify the meaning of a word in various ways. 

Different Kinds of Prefixes

Negative Prefixes

Prefixes Expressing Size or Degree

Prefixes Showing Position or Location

Prefixes Showing Time & Sequence

Prefixes Showing Numbers and Amount

Some Miscellaneous Prefixes

The Most Common Prefixes

Suffixes

A suffix is a group of letters that are fixed to the end of a root word or a base word. Often, the suffix causes a spelling change to the original word.

Examples:

1. beauty, duty + -ful → beautiful, dutiful (-y changes to i)
2. heavy, ready + -ness → heaviness, readiness (-y changes to i)
3. able, possible + -ity → ability, possibility (-le changes to il)
4. permit, omit+ -ion → permission, omission (-t changes to ss)

A suffix may be used to change the meaning of a word in various ways. It can be used to form—

Functions of Suffix

Change the part of speech of the word

Verb Formation

Verbs can be formed by adding suffixes ‘ize’  and ‘ify’ after nouns and adjectives.

Example:s-

i. Memory + ize = Memorize.  (Here, the new word ‘Memorize’ is  created using the noun ‘Memory’ and suffix  ‘ize’)

ii. Stable + ize = Stabilize.  (Here, the new word ‘Stabilize’ is  created using the adjective ‘Stable’ and suffix  ‘ize’)

iii. Beauty + ify = Beautify. (Here, the new word ‘Beautify’ is  created using the noun ‘Beauty’ and suffix  ‘ify’)

Adverb Formation

Adverbs can be formed by adding ‘ly’ after  the adjectives.

Examples:-

i. Slow + ly = Slowly.

 (Here, the new word ‘Slowly’ is created  using the adjective ‘Slow’and suffix ‘ly’)

ii. Easy + ly = Easily.

 (Here, the new word ‘Easily’ is created  using the adjective ‘Easy’and suffix ‘ly’)

Noun Formation

Nouns can be formed by adding ‘er’, ‘ment’,  ‘and’ ‘ation’ after verbs. And also ‘ity’ / ‘ty’  and ‘ness’ can be added after adjectives to  form nouns.

Example:-

i. Build + er = Builder.

ii. Achieve + ment = Achievement.

iii. Starve + ation = Starvation.

iv. Opportune + ity = Opportunity

Adjective Formation

An adjective can be formed by adding ‘y’,  ‘ic’, ‘ical’, ‘ful’, and ‘less’ after. The ending  ‘able’ can be added after verbs to form  adjectives.

Examples:-

i. Luck + y = Lucky.

ii. Democrat + ic = Democratic.

iii. Irony + ical = Ironical.

iv. Prefer + able = Preferable.

Indicate whether the number is singular or plural

Indicate the tense of the verb

Indicate the gender of a noun

Different Types of Suffixes used to Change Word Classes

Suffixes forming Nouns

Suffixes forming Verbs

Suffixes forming Adjectives

Suffixes forming Adverbs

Conversions

Conversion is a process in word formation where a word changes its syntactic category or part of speech without any changes in its form and  spelling and  without adding any prefixes or suffixes   It is also known as zero-derivation, because the new word is formed without any explicit morphological process. 

Here are some examples of conversion of words in word formation:

1. Email: The word “email” originally started as a noun, but it was later converted into a verb, as in “I will email you.”
2. Skate: The word “skate” can be used as a noun (“I bought new skates”) or as a verb (“I like to skate on the lake”).
3. Text: The word “text” began as a noun, but it was later converted into a verb, as in “I will text you.”
4. Google: The word “Google” was originally the name of a search engine, but it has since been converted into a verb, as in “I will Google that later.”
5. Bottle: The word “bottle” can function as both a noun, as in “I bought a bottle of water,” and a verb, as in “I will bottle this sauce for later use.”
6. Smoke: The word “smoke” can function as both a noun, as in “The smoke was thick,” and a verb, as in “I will smoke this fish to preserve it.”
7. Friend: The word “friend” can function as both a noun, as in “He is my friend,” and a verb, as in “I will friend you on Facebook.”
8. Skim: The word “skim” can function as both a verb, as in “I will skim the book for information,” and a noun, as in “The skim on the top of the milk.”
9. Chair: The word “chair” can function as both a noun, as in “I sat in the chair,” and a verb, as in “I will chair the meeting.”

Conversion is a common process in English, and it is often used to create new words that are more efficient or effective in communicating a particular idea or concept. However, it can also be confusing, especially for non-native speakers, because the same word can function as different parts of speech in different contexts.

Compound Words

What are Compound Words?

Compound words are words that are created by combining two or more words to create a new word that has a different meaning. The new word may be a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb.

There are three types of compound words:

• Closed or solid compound words: These are compound words that are written as a single word, such as “toothbrush” or “sunflower.”
• Hyphenated compound words: These are compound words that are written with a hyphen, such as “mother-in-law” or “self-esteem.”
• Open or spaced compound words: These are compound words that are written as separate words, such as “swimming pool” or “ice cream.”

Some examples of Compound Nouns

• Moonlight
• Toothpaste
• Raincoat
• Football
• Sunflower
• Headphones
• Newspaper
• Butterfly
• Cupcake
• Pancake
• Snowflake
• Waterfall
• Fisherman
• Bookshelf
• Firefighter
• Backpack
• Toothbrush
• Strawberry
• Doorbell
• Railroad

Compound words can be formed by combining words with similar or different meanings. For example, “blackboard” combines the colors “black” and “board,” while “firefighter” combines “fire” and “fighter.” Compound words are a common feature of many languages and can be found in both everyday conversation and in formal writing.

Compound verbs

Compound verbs can be formed in a number of ways.

Study these examples.

1. noun + verb: backbite, brainwash, browbeat, earmark, henpeck, typewrite, waylay
2. adjective + verb: dry-clean, safeguard, whitewash
3. adverb + adjective: foretell, ill-use, overhear, overthrow, outdo, undertake, upset

Compound verbs can be used either transitively or intransitively.

For example,

• intransitive: ice-skate, play-act
• transitive: blow-dry, cross-examine, tape-record, baby-sit

Some compound verbs can be used transitively as well as intransitively. For example,
• ad-lib • criss-cross • mass-produce
• bottle-feed • deep-fry • spring-clean
• bulk-buy • double-check • stir-fry
• chain-smoke • double-park • tie-dye

Examples of Compound Verbs

• Break up
• Come across
• Cut down
• Get over
• Give up
• Go back
• Look forward
• Make up
• Pick up
• Put off
• Run away
• Set up
• Take over
• Turn down
• Wake up

These compound verbs can be phrasal verbs, which means they are formed by combining a verb with a particle or preposition. For example, “look forward” is a phrasal verb, formed by combining the verb “look” with the preposition “forward” to create the compound verb “look forward,” which means to anticipate or be excited about something in the future.

Compound Adjectives

Compound adjectives are formed by combining two or more words to create a single adjective that describes a noun. Here are three common ways to form compound adjectives:

1. Noun + Noun: This involves combining two nouns to create a compound adjective. For example, “coffee mug” becomes “coffee-flavored” when used as an adjective, as in “I prefer coffee-flavored ice cream.”
2. Adjective + Noun: This involves combining an adjective and a noun to create a compound adjective. For example, “fast car” becomes “fast-moving” when used as an adjective, as in “The fast-moving car caught my attention.”
3. Adverb + Adjective: This involves combining an adverb and an adjective to create a compound adjective. For example, “hard work” becomes “hardworking” when used as an adjective, as in “She is a hardworking student.”

Examples of Compound Adjectives

• Bright-eyed
• Blue-green
• Cold-blooded
• Deep-seated
• Four-legged
• Good-natured
• Hard-working
• High-pitched
• Long-term
• Open-minded
• Quick-witted
• Short-sighted
• Soft-spoken
• Straightforward
• Thin-skinned
• Two-faced
• Well-behaved
• Well-known
• Wide-eyed
• Yellow-bellied

Compound Adverbs

Compound adverbs are formed by combining two or more words to create an adverb that modifies the verb in a sentence. Here are three common ways to form compound adverbs:

1. Adverb + Adverb: This involves combining two adverbs to create a compound adverb. For example, “well” and “together” become “well-together” to form the compound adverb “well-together” meaning in harmony or cooperation.
2. Adjective + Adverb: This involves combining an adjective and an adverb to create a compound adverb. For example, “fast” and “forward” become “fast-forward” to form the compound adverb “fast-forward,” which means moving quickly and efficiently.
3. Preposition + Adverb: This involves combining a preposition and an adverb to create a compound adverb. For example, “up” and “ahead” become “up ahead” to form the compound adverb “up ahead,” which means further along or in the distance.

Some examples of Compound Adverbs:

• Afterward
• Ahead of time
• All together
• Anywhere
• Anyway
• Backward
• By chance
• Downstairs
• Everyday
• Forever
• Hereafter
• Inwardly
• Likewise
• Meanwhile
• Nonetheless
• Onward
• Overhead
• Sideways
• Somewhat
• Upstairs

Click here for on English Grammar