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Vocabulary: using suffixes

The best way to know and use words of vocabulary without learning them, is to form these new words thanks to particles:

if they're placed behind the words, they are SUFFIXES.

THE MAIN SUFFIXES:

1) In order to make a NOUN: the person who does the action= -er/ -ist/ -ster => writer, reader, jumper, nationalist, youngster

-let= diminutive (booklet= a small book)

2) In order to form an ABSTRACT NOUN: Noun or Adjective+ - DOM (kingdom)/- HOOD (childhood) / - TY (poverty)

- SHIP (friendship)/ - ACY (legitimacy)/ - NESS (kindness)/ - MENT (employment)/

- ATION (appropriation)/ - ISM (patriotism)

Children=> childhood A patriot=> patriotism

3) In order to form an ADJECTIVE:

- Noun +-y => adjective: which has a quality: sunny, windy, thirsty.

- Privative suffix : absence of, without= - less ; (careless, jobless)

- = -ful (Be careful! only one L which is doubled in order to make the adverb!); (careful=> carefully.)

- Suffix in -ing= active meaning (present participle ), passive meaning -ed= ( past participle);

- -ish = sort of... (blackish) / characteristic of (childish);

- -able = capable of (drinkable; lovable.)

Poor=> poverty Free=> freedom

4) In order to create a VERB: Adjective + -en = Verb ( short=> shorten/ whiten/ stiffen).

sad=> to sadden White=> to whiten

You may use several consecutive suffixes to form an abstract noun: Job (noun) => jobless (adjective) => joblessness (noun).

There you are! Ready for the test! You'll have to create new words using a "root" word.

This "root word" will be given, and the necessary suffix(es) will have to be added to complete the sentences. Go for it, using your logic and imagination!

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1. After playing with her friends at the square, Lucy was so (rest) that her mother was exhausted by mid-afternoon.

2. Though the topic is very (interest) , I’m afraid the article is badly written and I’m not (interest) in a thorough study of it.

3. I wish you were more (care) when you write your essays. Your spelling can be horrendous at times.

4. I didn’t expect my sinusitis to be so (pain) , but thanks to antibiotics, I have totally recovered.

5. I have a lot of (child) memories of that period and looking at the photo album has just conjured them up again.

6. It was really (heart) of him to be so cruel towards the animals he had to look after.

7. It was so (wind) that I couldn’t keep my hat on my head when I was on the seashore.

8. After the catastrophe, the people of the devastated country were suffering from (poor) and feared an epidemic.

9. Really, his (thought) towards our family was very touching. He made our life easier.

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