Suffixes are groups of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning or how it's used. They're like little word Lego pieces that can completely transform a word!
Here's the breakdown:
* They change a word's meaning: Adding "-er" to "teach" gives you "teacher" (someone who teaches).
* They change a word's part of speech: Adding "-ly" to "quick" turns the adjective "quick" into the adverb "quickly".
* They can even show if a word is plural: Adding "-s" to "cat" makes it "cats".
Types of Suffixes
* Derivational: These suffixes create entirely new words, often changing the part of speech.
* Examples: "-ness" (sad -> sadness), "-ment" (agree -> agreement), "-able" (read -> readable)
* Inflectional: These suffixes don't create new words, but they do change how a word is used grammatically.
* Examples: "-s" (cat -> cats), "-ed" (walk -> walked), "-ing" (run -> running)
Common Suffixes and What They Do
* -er / -or: Often indicates a person who does something (teacher, actor)
* -ly: Often turns adjectives into adverbs (quickly, sadly)
* -ness: Often turns adjectives into nouns (happiness, kindness)
* -tion / -sion: Often used to form nouns (information, discussion)
* -ing: Can make verbs into adjectives (running shoes) or nouns (the act of running)
Why are suffixes important?
* Vocabulary builders: Understanding suffixes helps you figure out the meaning of new words.
* Grammar clues: They can tell you how a word is functioning in a sentence.
* Spelling helpers: Knowing common suffixes can improve your spelling.
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