Chapter 9 Affixes PDF

AFFIXES Affixes An affix is an element that is added to a root word to change the work that the word does. These elements are known as prefixes and suffixes. Prefixes consist of one or more letters or syllables added to the beginning of the root word, which changes its meaning. Many pref...

AFFIXES Affixes An affix is an element that is added to a root word to change the work that the word does. These elements are known as prefixes and suffixes. Prefixes consist of one or more letters or syllables added to the beginning of the root word, which changes its meaning. Many prefixes come to us from Latin, yet many others have their origin in Greek. There are many different prefixes and most of them are quite easy to add to a root word. Affixes (cont.) A suffix is an element added to the end of a root word and changes the word in some way. It can form a different part of speech, making adjectives from nouns or adverbs from adjectives. In this chapter we will see both prefixes and suffixes. Prefixes Prefixes: one or more letters or syllables added to the root word, which changes its meaning. They are always added to the beginning of the word. Some prefixes come from Latin, others from Greek. There are many different prefixes, and most are quite easy to add to a root word. There may be a few changes that need to be made as they join together with the root. Prefixes (cont.) For example, when adding the prefix anti- to the word acid, the i is dropped, and we have antacid. Another rule: when adding the prefixes mis- and dis- to a root word that begins with an s, that initial s is not dropped. Examples: mis + step = misstep; missense, misshape, etc. – dis + similar = dissimilar, dissever, dissyllable, dissuade, etc. When using the prefix self-, a hyphen is used to join it to the root word. Example: self + control = self- control; self-assurance, self-conscious, self-defense, etc. Prefixes (cont.) When joining a prefix with a root word, the final sound of the prefix and the initial sound of the root may not be easy to pronounce together, so a change may be needed. This will make the new word easier to say. Among the many prefixes, there are seven that change the way they end so that they fit the root word better. We are going to look at each of these prefixes individually, as each one has its own set of changes. Prefix ad- (to, toward) The prefix ad- has eleven possible variations that can be used: – a- before words that begin with the letters sc, sp, st, and gn, (and sometimes before the letter b). – ad + mire = admire, administer; and all others that don’t fall into the following variations. – a + sc = ascend; ascent; ascertain, etc. – a + sp = aspect, aspirate; a + st = astringent; a + gn = agnostic; – a + b = abate Prefix ad- (to, toward) – (cont.) The nine other variations are: ab-, ac-, af-, ag-, al-, an-, ap, ar-, as-, and at-, and they are used before root words that begin with the last consonant of the prefix. ab-: abbreviate; ac-: accelerate, accommodate, accumulate; af-: affix; ag-: aggression; al-: allocate; an-: annihilate; ap-:appear, appease; ar-: arrange; as-: associate; and at-: attend. The prefix ac- is also used with words that begin with the letters k and qu (acquire). Prefix com- (with) com-: used with root words beginning with the letters b, p, and m. – com + b = combat, combine, combust – com + p = compact, companion, compare, compass – com + m = command, commend, commute, commence It changes to co- before the letters h, g, n, and usually before vowels. – co- + h = cohabit, cohesiveness, coheiress, cohost – co- + g = cognate, cogent, cognition – co- + n = contemporary, convene, concave Prefix com- (with) – (cont.) Before the letters l and r, com- becomes col- and cor- respectively. – col-: collect, collaborate, collapse, collateral, colleague – cor-: correct, corrosion, correlation, correspond, corroborate Finally, com- becomes con- before all other consonants. – con-: contain, conceal, conceive, etc. Prefix ex- (out of, without, away from) The prefix ex- changes to ef- or just e- depending on the consonant which follows the prefix. Ef- before words that begin with the letter f and e- before words that begin with the letters n, d, g, j, l, m, n, r, and v. (The word escape is an exception: e + scape = escape.) – ef-: effect, effective, effeminate, effervesce, etc. All others, use ex-. However, if the root begins with an s, the s is dropped before adding ex-. – ex- + sist = exist. Prefix in- (not, into) The prefix in- has four other forms: – It becomes i- or ig- before (g)n Ignoble, ignominy, ignobly – It becomes il- and ir- before the letters l and r respectably. il-: illogical, illuminate, illicit, illegal ir-: irreverence, irrational, irreal, irreconcilable – It becomes im- before word parts that begin with the letters b, m, and p. im- + b: imbecilic, imbecile, imbalance im- + m: immanent, immortal, immoral, immaculate, immaterial im- + p: import, impair, impale, impanel – The prefix in- is used before all other letters. Inability, intuition, inaction, incapable, incognito Prefix ob- (against, toward) There are three variations regularly used: oc-, of-, and op-. They are used before word parts that begin with the letters c, f, and p respectively. (The exception is the word omit, which is formed from the prefix o- + mit). – oc-: occur, occiput, occasion – of-: offer, offeror – op-: opportune, oppose, oppress, oppugn ob- is used before all other letters – Obdurate, obey, obfuscate, obituary Prefix sub- (under, beneath) There are seven variations to the prefix sub-. Six of them are suc-, suf-, sug-, sum-, sup-, and sur-. They come before word parts that begin with c, f, g, m, p, and r respectively. – suc- + c: succeed, succedent, succinct, succumb – suf- + f: suffer, suffice, suffix, suffocate – sug- + g: suggest, suggestible, suggestion – sum- + m: summon, summonsed – sup- + p: suppress, support, supply, supplant – sur- + r: surrogate, surreptitious, surrender Prefix sub- (under, beneath) – cont. Another form, sus-, is used before word parts that begin with the letters c, p, and t. – sus- + c: susceptible, susceptive, susceptivity – sus- + p: suspend, suspect, suspicion – sus- + t: sustain, sustenance, sustentative The regular prefix sub- is used at all other times. – Subacute, subabdominal, subcommittee Prefix syn- (together, with) There are only three alternate spellings, and they are: syl- before the letter l, sym- before the letters b, m, and p. – syl- + l: syllogism, syllable, syllepsis – sym- + b: symbol, symbology, symbolize – sym- + m: symmetry, symmetrize – sym- + p: sympathy, sympathetic sy- is used before the letters s and z. – sy- + s: system, systemize – sy- + z: syzygy, syzygial Prefixes When looking for prefixes in the dictionary, they will be listed as they are in this lesson, along with the abbreviation pref. This indicates that the entry is a prefix. Remember, when in doubt, look it up in the dictionary. Suffixes A suffix is an element that is added to the end of a root word that changes the word in some way. It can form a different part of speech, making adjectives form nouns or adverbs from adjectives. Suffixes such as –ed and –ing are added to verbs to show that the tense of the verb has changed. -s and –es are added to nouns to form plurals or to the basic form of the verb to form the third person singular of the simple present tense. Some suffixes such as –ly are used to form adverbs, and some such as –ous to form adjectives. FINAL -S / -ES: USE AND SPELLING Verb Noun Rule Most verbs/nouns sings For most For most breaks verbs/nouns, simply verbs/nouns, simply add a final s to the add a final s to the word. word. Verbs / nouns that washes brushes Add -es to verbs / end in -sh, -ch, -s, watches churches nouns that en in - -z, -x kisses classes sh, -ch, -s, -z, -x buzzes buzzes fixes boxes Verbs / Nouns plays toys If the verb/noun ending in V + y. buys guys ends in V + y: just add s. Verbs / Nouns study – studies city – cities If the verb/noun ending in C + y. cry – cries enemy – enemies ends in C + y: change the y to i, then add es. FINAL -S / -ES: USE AND SPELLING (CONT.) If a verb ends in a vowel letter, we simply add an –s. – Dye ➔ dyes ; singe ➔ singes ; canoe ➔ canoes, etc. Some exceptions are: Be and Have ➔ they are irregular verbs, and the 3rd person singular for these will be: is and has, respectively. To go and to do also have an irregular form: goes and does (add -es instead of -s). SPELLING OF -ING AND -ED FORMS Verbs that end in a vowel + consonant + silent “e”: -ing -ed drop the “e” and add -ing: just add “d”: hope – hopinghope – hoped injure – injuring injure – injured Exception: If a verb ends in “ee” (double “e”): for the -ing, the final “e” is not dropped; for the -ed, just add “d”: -ing -ed free – freeing freed -ing -ed stop – stopping stopped beg – begging begged Exceptions: If the word ends in w, x examples: snow – snowing snowed fix – fixing fixed SPELLING OF -ING AND -ED FORMS (CONT.) 1 syllable word; ends in 1 V + 1 C = double the last consonant and add: -ing -ed stop – stopping stopped beg – begging begged Exceptions: If the word ends in w, x, just add -ing or –ed. Examples: snow – snowing snowed fix – fixing fixed SPELLING OF -ING AND -ED FORMS (CONT.) 1 syllable word; end in 2 V + 1 C (or 1 V + 2 C) = just add: -ing -ed rain – raining rain – rained harm – harmingharm – harmed start – starting start – started 2 syllable words; the stress lies on the first syllable: -ing -ed listen – listening listen – listened open – opening open – opened SPELLING OF -ING AND -ED FORMS (CONT.) 2 syllable words; the stress lies on the second syllable, and the syllable ends in 1 V and 1 C: double the last consonant and add: -ing -ed prefer – preferring prefer– preferred Verbs that end in “y”: C + y -ing: just add –ing. -ed: change the y to i and add -ed cry – crying cry – cried study – studying study – studied SPELLING OF -ING AND -ED FORMS (CONT.) V+y -ing -ed play – playing played enjoy – enjoying enjoyed  SPELLING OF -ING AND -ED FORMS (CONT.) Verbs that end in “-ie” For -ing: change the “ie” to “y”, then add -ing. For -ed: just add “-d” -ing -ed die – dying die – died lie – lying lie – lied To Die (Morir) To Sing (Cantar) To Dye (Teñir) To Singe (Chamuscar) dye – dyeing – dyed singeing – singed canoe – canoeing – canoed hoe – hoeing – hoed  SPELLING OF -ING AND -ED FORMS (CONT.) Exceptions: ✦ Words that end with the letter l are an exception to the above rule as they may be spelled either with or without the double l; however, if the stress is on the final syllable, the letter l is doubled. Examples: control – controlled ➤ controlling ; carol – caroled, carolled; caroling, carolling ✦✦ Another exception is the word worship. It can double the final consonant or not, though the latter is preferred in the United States: worshiped, worshipped ➤ worshiping, worshipping. ✦✦✦ If a two-syllable word, with the stress on the second syllable, has a double f and ends in er, the final consonant is not doubled: differ – differed ➤ differing.  -ence: If the stress of the root word moves to another syllable when the suffix is added, then the final consonant is not doubled. – Refer – reference ; advert – advertence ; prefer – preference If the suffix begins with a consonant, then the final consonant would not be doubled (cup + -ful = cupful) – Force + -ful = forceful ; hope + -ful = hopeful ; fit + -ful = fitful OTHER SUFFIXES When a word ends in a final –e, the e is usually retained IF the suffix begins with a consonant. – announce + ment = announcement; achieve + ment = achievement – love + -ly = lovely; grace + -ful = graceful If the suffix begins with a vowel, then the final e is usually dropped. – announce + -er = announcer; forgive + -able = forgivable; – pure + -ify = purify; scarce + -ity = scarcity; sure + -est = surest When words end in –oe, the e is retained to keep the same pronunciation – Canoe + -er = canoer; tiptoe + -ing = tiptoeing  If the final “e” comes after a “c” or a “g” that must remain soft, such as the words trace or outrage, the final –e is not dropped to keep the ‘soft’ sound of the c and g when adding a suffix that begins with a, o, or u (trace – traceable, outrage – outrageous) Remember: if the letter c comes before the vowels a, o, or u, the c has a k sound ( /k/ ). Same thing with the g; before the vowels a, o, or u, the g has a g sound ( /g/ ). Words ending in –ce usually drop the final –e, then add an –i before adding the suffix –ous. – Space + ous = spacious; grace + ous = gracious  Words that end in –ce can be tricky. There are a couple of rules for words that end in these letters, or even with words that end in –e. For instance, if you add –al, -ation, -ent, or –ency, the final –e may change to –i before adding the suffix, or you just drop it: – face + -al = facial; province + -al = provincial – registrate + -ation = registration; starve + -ation = starvation Words that end in a single vowel + t, the letter t is usually changed to s before adding the suffix –sion. – permit + -sion = permission; transmit + -sion = transmission; admit + -sion = admission; omit + -sion = omission – * Exception to this rule: transit + -sion = transition