Suffixes and prefixes

Both suffixes and prefixes are tacked onto words to change their meaning. Classed under the wider umbrella of ‘affixes’, they are both bound morphemes, which means that they can’t be used on their own and must be attached to a root word in order to make sense.

They are used to both simplify communication and for grammar purposes: they have the ability to create new verb tenses, change a word from singular to plural, and much more! In this blog post, we’ll be outlining the main uses and some examples, but be warned, you’ve got to keep your wits about you!

What are suffixes?

A suffix is either a letter or collection of letters which change the meaning of words when added to the end of it. Oftentimes it is a very simple change, such as changing a verb into a noun like ‘climb’ into ‘climber’ – or into the adjective ‘climbable’

There are a few things to keep track of when using suffixes – as unfortunately, it’s not always as easy as slapping on a few extra letters! The root word may need a change of spelling: and not all suffixes can be added on to all roots. Additionally, a suffix can also have more than one meaning, so it’s always best to triple-check.

What are prefixes?

A prefix differs slightly as it is instead added onto the beginning of a root word, but serves the same purpose. For example, the meaning of ‘happy’ changes drastically by adding two letters to make ‘unhappy’ – similarly, you could change the meaning of ‘honest’ into ‘dishonest’.

Usually, they are one or two syllables long, though they can sometimes be as long as three. Prefixes have the same meaning no matter what base they’re affixed to, and there are a common group to be aware of:

• ‘Re-’ means to repeat an action
• ‘Non-’ means not or without
• ‘Co-’ means with or together

Prefix and suffix rules

When using a prefix, you usually don’t need to make any changes to the spelling of the base word, just tack on the prefix and you’re good to go! However, in some cases, you may need to hyphenate the new word, such as ‘non-uniform’.

Suffixes are a lot more difficult, as the spelling of the root word may end up changing depending on which suffix is used. There are plenty of rules, and plenty of exceptions, and you can even add both a suffix and a prefix to the same word, such as ‘unsuccessful’ or ‘unhappily’.

What is a base word?

A base word makes sense on its own, but its meaning can be changed by adding on either a suffix or a prefix. For example, ‘close’ is a base word, but it can be modified by adding either the prefix ‘enclose’ or the suffix ‘closure’.

Fin!

That’s the ins and outs of suffixes and prefixes for you! All in all, there are a lot of rules to be aware of, so it is best to do your homework and triple-check which rules apply in which scenario. But once you get the hang of them, they’ll be useful tools in your arsenal.