Suffixes

 

 

Suffix - a word part added to the end of a word. Suffixes change the meaning or part of speech of a word. 

 

1.  -ic means associated with 

Example - athletic (associated with exercise/sports)

 

2.  -ism means act or process

Example - heroism 

 

3.  -ive means doing something 

Example - exclusive 

 

Notes:  When you add -ic or -ive to a word that ends in e, drop the e. For example, defense changes to defensive. 

 

4.  -able means can be done (breakable, likable, noticeable)

5.  -ible means can be done (collapsible, reversible) 

 

Notes:  The suffix -able changes a verb into an adjective. For example, laugh can be changed to laughable. 

 

When a word includes the suffix -able or -ible, there are no sound cues to show you which way to spell the suffix. Adding -able or -ible to a base word may require a spelling change. For example, the word force drops its e and uses the suffix -ible to form forcible

 

Suffixes -ize, -ance, -ence, -ist

The word summary means "a brief statement that includes only main ideas or events." If you know what summary means, you can figure out that summarize means "to give a brief statement including only main ideas or events." 

 

anthology to anthologize

rely to reliance

science to scientist 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-ous means "full of" or "having"

-ous suffix can also appear as -eous and -ious

The word dangerous means "full of danger". 

Example words are famous, courteous, envious, and poisonous