Word Formation-Suffixes

PART I – LIST OF COMMON SUFFIXES

 According to:

• Meaning

• What they form (noun / adjective / verb / adverb)

• What type of word they attach to

I. NOUN-FORMING SUFFIXES

1. –er / –or

Meaning: a person who does an action
Added to: verbs

teach → teacher
act → actor
inspect → inspector

2. –ist

Meaning: a person who believes in / practices
Added to: nouns / verbs

art → artist
science → scientist
novel → novelist

3. –ian

Meaning: person related to / specialist
Added to: nouns

music → musician
history → historian

4. –ment

Meaning: result / state / process
Added to: verbs

develop → development
encourage → encouragement

5. –tion / –sion

Meaning: action / process
Added to: verbs (mostly Latin origin)

educate → education
decide → decision

6. –ness

Meaning: state / quality
Added to: adjectives

kind → kindness
happy → happiness

7. –ity

Meaning: state / quality
Added to: adjectives (mostly Latin origin)

active → activity
pure → purity

8. –ship

Meaning: state / condition / relationship
Added to: nouns

friend → friendship
leader → leadership

9. –hood

Meaning: state / condition
Added to: nouns

child → childhood
brother → brotherhood

10. –age

Meaning: collection / result / process
Added to: verbs / nouns

post → postage
marry → marriage

II. ADJECTIVE-FORMING SUFFIXES

1. –ful

Meaning: full of
Added to: nouns

beauty → beautiful
hope → hopeful

2. –less

Meaning: without
Added to: nouns

hope → hopeless
care → careless

3. –ous

Meaning: full of / having
Added to: nouns

danger → dangerous
fame → famous

4. –al

Meaning: related to
Added to: nouns

nation → national
music → musical

5. –ive

Meaning: having the quality of
Added to: verbs

create → creative
act → active

6. –able / –ible

Meaning: capable of
Added to: verbs

read → readable
access → accessible

7. –ic

Meaning: relating to
Added to: nouns

poet → poetic
history → historic

8. –y

Meaning: full of / having
Added to: nouns

rain → rainy
cloud → cloudy

III. VERB-FORMING SUFFIXES

1. –ize / –ise

Meaning: to make / to become
Added to: nouns / adjectives

modern → modernize
pure → purify

2. –ify

Meaning: to make
Added to: adjectives / nouns

simple → simplify
beauty → beautify

3. –en

Meaning: to make / become
Added to: adjectives

dark → darken
wide → widen

IV. ADVERB-FORMING SUFFIX

–ly

Meaning: in a manner
Added to: adjectives

quick → quickly
happy → happily

PART II – EXERCISES

TYPE 1 – Fill in the blanks (form nouns)

1. Develop → __________

2. Happy → __________

3. Act → __________

4. Move → __________

5. Kind → __________

6. Marry → __________

7. Friend → __________

8. Decide → __________

9. Dark → __________

10. Educate → __________

TYPE 2 – Form Adjectives

1. Care → __________

2. Danger → __________

3. Nation → __________

4. Create → __________

5. Hope → __________

6. Rain → __________

7. Music → __________

8. Fame → __________

9. Power → __________

10. Access → __________

TYPE 3 – Form Verbs

1. Modern → __________

2. Beauty → __________

3. Strength → __________

4. Wide → __________

5. Class → __________

6. Pure → __________

7. Simple → __________

8. Dark → __________

9. False → __________

10. Solid → __________

TYPE 4 – Multiple Choice (Choose correct suffix form)

1. Her __________ (happy / happiness / happily) was visible.

2. He is a famous __________ (music / musical / musician).

3. The speech was very __________ (inspire / inspiring / inspiration).

4. We need proper __________ (organize / organization / organizing).

5. The child behaved __________ (careless / carelessly / careless).

6. She showed great __________ (kind / kindness / kindly).

7. This book is very __________ (use / useful / uselessly).

8. His __________ (decide / decision / decisive) shocked everyone.

9. It was a __________ (danger / dangerous / dangerously) journey.

10. She answered __________ (polite / politely / politeness).

TYPE 5 – Identify the suffix and its meaning

Example: Happiness → –ness → state/quality

1. Teacher

2. Friendship

3. Beautiful

4. Simplify

5. Darkness

6. National

7. Creative

8. Childhood

9. Movement

10. Readable

TYPE 6 – Make opposites using suffixes

1. Hopeful → __________

2. Careful → __________

3. Useful → __________

4. Powerful → __________

5. Meaningful → __________

6. Harmful → __________

7. Respectful → __________

8. Fearful → __________

9. Successful → __________

10. Thoughtful → __________

TYPE 7 – Correct the Word Form

1. He showed great brave.

2. She acted very careless.

3. The child has great intelligent.

4. This machine needs regular maintain.

5. His decide was wrong.

6. She spoke soft.

7. It was a beauty sight.

8. He is fame writer.

9. The govern has announced policy.

10. This is use book.

TYPE 8 – Make Noun + Adjective Pairs

Example: Hope → hopeful → hopeless

1. Care → ______ → ______

2. Power → ______ → ______

3. Help → ______ → ______

4. Thought → ______ → ______

5. Use → ______ → ______

6. Harm → ______ → ______

7. Success → ______ → ______

8. Meaning → ______ → ______

9. Fear → ______ → ______

10. Wonder → ______ → ______

TYPE 9 – Match the Following

A | B
Develop | –ness
Kind | –ment
Child | –hood
Active | –ity
Educate | –tion
Hope | –less
Care | –ful
Create | –ive
Friend | –ship
Dark | –en

TYPE 10 – Sentence Transformation

Change the underlined word into correct form.

1. She is a person of kind.

2. He gave a speech that inspired everyone.

3. This road is full of danger.

4. She answered in a polite way.

5. He is known for his brave.

6. The company will modern its system.

7. She showed great patient.

8. The sky became dark.

9. He acted with careless.

10. We admire his wise.

•  Suffixes forming NOUNS

•  Suffixes forming ADJECTIVES

• Meaning

• What they attach to

• Examples

• Followed by exercises (with internal options)

PART I – SUFFIXES FORMING NOUNS

1. –er / –or

Meaning: person who does an action
Added to: verbs

teach → teacher
act → actor

2. –ist

Meaning: person who practices/believes
Added to: nouns

art → artist
science → scientist

3. –ian

Meaning: specialist/person related to
Added to: nouns

music → musician
history → historian

4. –ment

Meaning: result/process
Added to: verbs

develop → development
encourage → encouragement

5. –tion / –sion

Meaning: action/process
Added to: verbs

educate → education
decide → decision

6. –ness

Meaning: state/quality
Added to: adjectives

happy → happiness
kind → kindness

7. –ity

Meaning: state/quality
Added to: adjectives

active → activity
pure → purity

8. –ship

Meaning: state/condition
Added to: nouns

friend → friendship
leader → leadership

9. –hood

Meaning: state/period
Added to: nouns

child → childhood
brother → brotherhood

10. –ance / –ence

Meaning: state/action
Added to: verbs/adjectives

perform → performance
different → difference

PART II – SUFFIXES FORMING ADJECTIVES

1. –ful

Meaning: full of
Added to: nouns

beauty → beautiful
hope → hopeful

2. –less

Meaning: without
Added to: nouns

hope → hopeless
care → careless

3. –ous

Meaning: full of
Added to: nouns

danger → dangerous
fame → famous

4. –al

Meaning: related to
Added to: nouns

nation → national
music → musical

5. –ive

Meaning: having quality of
Added to: verbs

create → creative
act → active

6. –able / –ible

Meaning: capable of
Added to: verbs

read → readable
access → accessible

7. –ic

Meaning: relating to
Added to: nouns

poet → poetic
history → historic

8. –y

Meaning: full of
Added to: nouns

rain → rainy
cloud → cloudy

9. –en

Meaning: made of / become
Added to: nouns/adjectives

wood → wooden
dark → darken

10. –ish

Meaning: somewhat / like
Added to: nouns

child → childish
fool → foolish

EXERCISES

SECTION A – Making Nouns

Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct noun form.

1. The rapid _______ of technology is remarkable.
   (develop / development / developing)

2. His sudden _______ shocked everyone.
   (decide / decision / decisive)

3. We admire her _______.
   (kind / kindness / kindly)

4. The _______ of the army was impressive.
   (strong / strength / strengthen)

5. She has great _______.
   (confident / confidence / confidently)

6. The _______ of the results was delayed.
   (announce / announcement / announcing)

7. His _______ in the exam was excellent.
   (perform / performance / performing)

8. There is a big _______ between the two ideas.
   (different / difference / differently)

9. The teacher praised his _______.
   (honest / honesty / honestly)

10. The _______ of the building took years.
    (construct / construction / constructive)

11. Her _______ was visible on her face.
    (happy / happiness / happily)

12. He is known for his _______.
    (brave / bravery / bravely)

13. Their _______ lasted long.
    (friend / friendship / friendly)

14. The company needs better _______.
    (manage / management / managing)

15. The child lost his _______.
    (innocent / innocence / innocently)

16. His _______ to the proposal was negative.
    (react / reaction / reactive)

17. The _______ of the machine requires skill.
    (operate / operation / operative)

18. The _______ of the storm caused damage.
    (violent / violence / violently)

19. We need proper _______.
    (organize / organization / organizing)

20. The _______ of the temple attracts tourists.
    (beautiful / beauty / beautifully)

21. His _______ was not acceptable.
    (refuse / refusal / refusing)

22. The _______ of the law was necessary.
    (approve / approval / approving)

23. Her _______ impressed the audience.
    (creative / creativity / creatively)

24. The boy showed great _______.
    (intelligent / intelligence / intelligently)

25. The _______ of the child amused everyone.
    (child / childhood / childish)

SECTION B – Making Adjectives

Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct adjective form.

1. She is a very _______ person.
   (care / careful / carefully)

2. It was a _______ journey.
   (danger / dangerous / dangerously)

3. India is a _______ country.
   (nation / national / nationally)

4. He is a _______ leader.
   (power / powerful / powerfully)

5. This book is very _______.
   (use / useful / uselessly)

6. She gave a _______ reply.
   (hope / hopeful / hopelessly)

7. He made a _______ attempt.
   (success / successful / successfully)

8. It was a _______ decision.
   (sense / sensible / sensibly)

9. The child was very _______.
   (play / playful / playfully)

10. She wore a _______ dress.
    (beauty / beautiful / beautifully)

11. This medicine is _______.
    (effect / effective / effectively)

12. It is an _______ mistake.
    (honor / honorable / honorably)

13. The sky looks _______.
    (cloud / cloudy / cloudily)

14. He is a _______ student.
    (science / scientific / scientifically)

15. She has a _______ nature.
    (help / helpful / helplessly)

16. It was an _______ response.
    (emotion / emotional / emotionally)

17. He is a _______ worker.
    (skill / skillful / skillfully)

18. That was a _______ act.
    (hero / heroic / heroically)

19. The room is very _______.
    (comfort / comfortable / comfortably)

20. She is a _______ speaker.
    (confidence / confident / confidently)

21. It is a _______ problem.
    (practice / practical / practically)

22. The sky looked _______.
    (gloom / gloomy / gloomily)

23. He gave a _______ explanation.
    (logic / logical / logically)

24. It was a _______ opportunity.
    (rare / rarely / rareness)

25. She has a _______ voice.
    (melody / melodious / melodiously)

Exercise 

PART I – MAKE NOUNS

Instruction: Form nouns by adding suitable suffixes (–ment, –tion, –sion, –ness, –ity, –ship, –hood, –er, –or, –ist, –ance, –ence, –al, etc.)

1. Develop → __________

2. Decide → __________

3. Move → __________

4. Happy → __________

5. Dark → __________

6. Active → __________

7. Free → __________

8. Marry → __________

9. Appear → __________

10. Differ → __________

11. Perform → __________

12. Permit → __________

13. Strong → __________

14. Pure → __________

15. Grow → __________

16. Refuse → __________

17. Important → __________

18. Silent → __________

19. Brother → __________

20. Child → __________

21. Lead → __________

22. Govern → __________

23. Create → __________

24. Exist → __________

25. Know → __________

26. Resist → __________

27. Able → __________

28. Deep → __________

29. Friend → __________

30. Speak → __________

PART II – MAKE ADJECTIVES

Instruction: Form adjectives using suitable suffixes (–ful, –less, –ous, –al, –ive, –able, –ible, –ic, –y, –en, –ish, etc.)

1. Care → __________

2. Danger → __________

3. Nation → __________

4. Power → __________

5. Use → __________

6. Help → __________

7. Hope → __________

8. Fame → __________

9. Act → __________

10. Create → __________

11. Access → __________

12. Comfort → __________

13. Fool → __________

14. Child → __________

15. Gold → __________

16. Hero → __________

17. Poetry → __________

18. Cloud → __________

19. Dirt → __________

20. Health → __________

21. Success → __________

22. Sense → __________

23. Sleep → __________

24. Mystery → __________

25. Artist → __________

26. Science → __________

27. Centre → __________

28. History → __________

29. Self → __________

30. Religion → __________

PART II– MAKE NOUNS

Instruction: Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct noun form from the options given in brackets.

1. The rapid __________ of technology has changed our lives.
   (develop / development / developing)

2. His sudden __________ surprised everyone.
   (decide / decision / decisive)

3. We admired her great __________.
   (kind / kindness / kindly)

4. The government announced a new __________.
   (govern / government / governing)

5. The __________ of the building took two years.
   (construct / construction / constructive)

6. Her __________ was clearly visible on her face.
   (happy / happiness / happily)

7. The child showed great __________ in solving the puzzle.
   (intelligent / intelligence / intelligently)

8. There was no __________ in his voice.
   (confident / confidence / confidently)

9. The __________ of the machine requires skill.
   (operate / operation / operative)

10. We appreciate your __________ in this matter.
    (assist / assistance / assistant)

11. His __________ to the proposal shocked us.
    (react / reaction / reactive)

12. The __________ between the two countries improved.
    (relate / relation / relative)

13. The __________ of the results took time.
    (announce / announcement / announcing)

14. She gave a clear __________ of the problem.
    (explain / explanation / explanatory)

15. The __________ of the army was impressive.
    (strong / strength / strengthen)

16. He is known for his __________.
    (brave / bravery / bravely)

17. The __________ of the temple attracts tourists.
    (beautiful / beauty / beautifully)

18. Their __________ lasted for years.
    (friend / friendship / friendly)

19. We must fight against social __________.
    (just / justice / justify)

20. The __________ of the storm caused damage.
    (violent / violence / violently)

21. His __________ in the exam was remarkable.
    (perform / performance / performing)

22. The __________ of the child made everyone laugh.
    (innocent / innocence / innocently)

23. The __________ of the new policy is necessary.
    (approve / approval / approving)

24. The teacher praised her __________.
    (honest / honesty / honestly)

25. There is a lot of __________ in this area.
    (poor / poverty / poorly)

26. The __________ of the company increased profits.
    (manage / management / managing)

27. His __________ was not acceptable.
    (refuse / refusal / refusing)

28. The __________ of the plan failed.
    (execute / execution / executive)

29. We need proper __________ for success.
    (organize / organization / organizing)

30. Her __________ impressed the judges.
    (creative / creativity / creatively)

PART II – MAKE ADJECTIVES

Instruction: Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct adjective form.

1. She is a very __________ person.
   (care / careful / carefully)

2. It was a __________ journey.
   (danger / dangerous / dangerously)

3. India is a __________ country.
   (nation / national / nationally)

4. He is a __________ leader.
   (power / powerful / powerfully)

5. This is a very __________ book.
   (use / useful / uselessly)

6. She gave a __________ reply.
   (hope / hopeful / hopelessly)

7. He made a __________ attempt.
   (success / successful / successfully)

8. It was a __________ decision.
   (sense / sensible / sensibly)

9. The child was very __________.
   (play / playful / playfully)

10. She wore a __________ dress.
    (beauty / beautiful / beautifully)

11. This medicine is __________.
    (effect / effective / effectively)

12. It is an __________ mistake.
    (honor / honorable / honorably)

13. The weather is very __________ today.
    (cloud / cloudy / cloudily)

14. He is a __________ student.
    (science / scientific / scientifically)

15. She is known for her __________ nature.
    (help / helpful / helplessly)

16. It was a __________ response.
    (emotion / emotional / emotionally)

17. He is a __________ worker.
    (skill / skillful / skillfully)

18. That was a __________ act.
    (hero / heroic / heroically)

19. The room was completely __________.
    (comfort / comfortable / comfortably)

20. She is a __________ speaker.
    (confidence / confident / confidently)

21. It is a __________ problem.
    (practice / practical / practically)

22. The sky looked __________.
    (gloom / gloomy / gloomily)

23. He gave a __________ explanation.
    (logic / logical / logically)

24. It was a __________ opportunity.
    (rare / rarely / rareness)

25. She has a very __________ voice.
    (melody / melodious / melodiously)

26. He showed __________ behaviour.
    (child / childish / childishly)

27. This is a __________ tradition.
    (religion / religious / religiously)

28. She felt __________ about the results.
    (anxiety / anxious / anxiously)

29. It was an __________ performance.
    (impress / impressive / impressively)

30. He lives a very __________ life.
    (peace / peaceful / peacefully)