Grammar Prefixes - Suffixes

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vmbo b, k, g
• Leerjaar 3,4

Prefixes and Suffixes

Prefixes

Are placed in front of the word.

Change the meaning of the word.

Prefixes 

Prefixes change the meaning of words, because the prefix has a meaning:

-pre            before

-post          after

-re                again

- mis            wrong/bad

determine - predetermine                   arrange - re-arrange

war time - post-war time                       behave - misbehave

Prefixes

The following prefixes all mean ‘not’ or ‘the opposite’: 

non-      fiction  - non-fiction

un-         available - unavailable

im-         possible - impossible

il-             legal - illegal

in-           expensive - inexpensive

ir-            regular - irregular

dis-         like - dislike

Suffixes

Are placed after the word.

Change the meaning of the word.

Suffixes 

-less                      without                                                                                 childless

-able                      able to                                                                                  comfortable

-ance/-ence       makes a noun of a verb or adjectives                   annoyance/ intelligence

- ion/-ment         makes a noun from a verb                                          translation/ enjoyment

-ness/ -ity            makes a noun from an adjective                             redness / similarity            

-er/-or/-ist            describe people and jobs                                           teacher/ editor/ artist

Suffixes

BUT: there are many suffixed you know and used every day:

- ed     indicates something happened                              learn - learned

- ing    indicates something is happening                        cycle - cycling

- er       indicates something is more                                   small - smaller

- est     indicates something has reached its peak       small - smallest

- ly        indicates how something is done                          careful - carefully

QUESTIONS?

Choose the correct form:
Appear

1. Unappear
2. Disappear
3. Irappear
4. Nonappear

disbelief
dis =

1. impolite
2. rude
3. tasty
4. not

Return / Replay / Rerun, etc.
Wat does 're' stand for?

1. wrong
2. again, back
3. not
4. opposite

Complete the sentence with the correct prefix.

I don't trust that boy anymore. He was ...honest about his age.

1. re
2. dis
3. mis
4. im

Choose the suffix that changes the verb 'buy' into a person that does the action.

1. -ing
2. -ment
3. -er

Change the noun 'respect'. Add the prefix that gives it the opposite meaning.

Change the verb 'begin' into the product of the action. Choose the correct suffix -ment or -ing.

Change the adjective 'responsible'. Add the prefix that gives it the opposite meaning.

Change the verb 'disappoint' into a noun. Choose the correct suffix: -ment or -ness.

Choose the suffix that changes the verb 'develop' into a person that does the action.

1. -ment
2. -ness
3. -er