Table 1.

Some English Derivational Affixes

Affix - Category Change Semantic Change Examples
Suffix
–able verb -> adjective able to be X’ed repairable, portable
–ation verb -> noun the result of X’ing organization
-er / -or verb -> noun one who X’s teacher, actor
–ing verb -> noun the act of X’ing the shooting, acting
verb -> adjective in the process of X’ing the developing country
–ion verb -> noun the result or act of X’ing protection, action
–ive verb -> adjective having the property of doing X active, educative
– ment verb -> adjective the act or ressult of X’ing government
–al noun -> adjective pertaining to X national, actual
–ial noun -> adjective pertaining to X financial, managerial
–ian noun -> adjective pertaining to X Indonesian, Canadian
–ic noun -> adjective having the property of doing X organic, didactic
–ize noun -> verb put in X hospitalize
–ize adjective -> verb make X modernize, finalize
–less noun -> adjective without X shoeless, wireless
–ous noun -> adjective the property of having or being X dangerous, humorous
–ate adjective -> verb make X activate
–ity adjective -> noun the result of being X priority
–ly adjective > adverb in an X manner slowly, calmly
–ness adjective -> noun in a state of beingX happiness

prefix
ex- noun -> noun former X ex-president
in- adjective-> adjective not X incompetent
un- adjective-> adjective not X unhappy
verb > verb reverse X untie, undo
re- verb > verb X again redo, recheck
Source: O’Grady et al, 1993.
Table 1. Some English Derivational Affixes
Affix - Category Change Semantic Change Examples
Suffix
–able verb -> adjective able to be X’ed repairable, portable
–ation verb -> noun the result of X’ing organization
-er / -or verb -> noun one who X’s teacher, actor
–ing verb -> noun the act of X’ing the shooting, acting
verb -> adjective in the process of X’ing the developing country
–ion verb -> noun the result or act of X’ing protection, action
–ive verb -> adjective having the property of doing X active, educative
– ment verb -> adjective the act or ressult of X’ing government
–al noun -> adjective pertaining to X national, actual
–ial noun -> adjective pertaining to X financial, managerial
–ian noun -> adjective pertaining to X Indonesian, Canadian
–ic noun -> adjective having the property of doing X organic, didactic
–ize noun -> verb put in X hospitalize

Source: O’Grady et al, 1993.

Table 1. Some English Derivational Affixes

Affix - Category Change Semantic Change Examples
Suffix
–ize adjective -> verb make X modernize, finalize
–less noun -> adjective without X shoeless, wireless
–ous noun -> adjective the property of having or being X dangerous, humorous
–ate adjective -> verb make X activate
–ity adjective -> noun the result of being X priority
–ly adjective > adverb in an X manner slowly, calmly
–ness adjective -> noun in a state of beingX happiness

prefix
ex- noun -> noun former X ex-president
in- adjective-> adjective not X incompetent
un- adjective-> adjective not X unhappy
verb > verb reverse X untie, undo
re- verb > verb X again redo, recheck
Source: O’Grady et al, 1993.