Learn affix, prefix, and suffix with definitions, types, examples, word formations in

detail and comprehensively with a large number of lists.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

 Differentiate Prefixes and suffixes

 Identify affixes in a given story.
 Use affixes in differentiated tasks.

Definition of Affix:
"The words which are used before or after the words are called Affix".

For example:

im, in, up, less, ful, over etc.

Impossible, incomplete, beautiful, effortless.

Types of Affix

There are two types of Affix.

1: Prefix.       

2: Suffix

Definition of Prefix:

The words that are used before a word are called prefix. e.g un, dis, pre, re, im, ir, il,
in, over, out, up, sub, pro, fore, mis, ante, auto, extra, be, bi, ex, co, inter, tri, milli,
micro, tetra, penta, giga, hecto, deci, kilo, anti, under, up, over etc.

Definition of Suffix:

The words that are used after a word are called Suffix. e.g. s, es, d, ed, ing, y, ly, ish,
er, est, ness, less, hood, full, ship, age, dom, ion, ante, auto, extra, be, ex, co, inter, tri,
ante, under, up, over, etc.

Note:
We use prefix and suffix words to convert a word into only four categories (Nouns,
Adjectives, Verbs, Adverbs).

Examples of Suffix:

Use of "S"

Cow+s=cows

Chair + s = chairs

Dog+s=dogs

Boy+s=boys

Use of "es"

Box+es=boxes

Wash + es = washes

Bench+ es = benches

Bunch+ es = bunches

Rich+es=riches

Use of "d"

Dare+d=dared

Prove+d=proved

Use of "ed"

Play+ed=played

Wash + ed = washed

Wish+ ed = wished

Worship+ed= worshipped

Use of "en"
Beat+ en= beaten

Black+ en= blacken

Use of "ing"

Eat+ing= eating

Do+ing= doing

Learn + ing = learning

Read+ ing= reading

Sleep+ ing = sleeping

Chew+ ing = chewing

Use of "y"

Dirt+y= dirty

Tast + y = tasty

Mudd + y = muddy

Water+y= watery

Use of "ly"

Slow+ly= slowly

Humorous + ly = humorously

Deep+ ly = deeply

Heart+ ly = heartly

Kind+ly= kindly

Use of "er"

Small+er= smaller
Teach+er= teacher

Reform+ er = reformer

Use of "est"

Small+est= smallest

Wise+ est =wisest

Tall+ est = tallest

High+est= highest

Weak+ est= weakest

Deep+est deepest

Great+est= greatest

Use of "ish"

Child+ish= childish

Fool+ish= foolish

Use of "ful"

Harm+ful= harmful

Help+ ful= helpful

Care+ful= careful

Examples of Prefix:

Use of "un"

Un+kind= unkind

Un+ happy = unhappy

Un+ fortunate= unfortunate

Un+ wise= unwise

Un+ dress= undress

Use of "dis"

Dis+ honour= dishonour

Dis+ unity = disunity

Dis+ courage= discourage

Dis+ honest= dishonest

Dis+ close= disclose

Use of "de"

De+ form= deform

De+ hydration= dehydration

De+ notes= denotes

De+ value= devalue

Use of "im"

Im+ possible= impossible

Im+ mortal= immortal

Im+ proper= improper

Imp+ pressed = impressed

Use of "Pre"

Pre+ caution= precaution

Pre+ fix= prefix

Pre+ heat = preheat

Pre+ mature= premature

Pre+ loaded= preloaded

Pre+ view = preview

Pre+ historic= prehistoric

Use of "re"

Re+ collect= recollect

Re+ call= recall

Re+ gain= regain

Re+ write = rewrite

Re+ learn = relearn

Use of "ir"

Ir+ regular= irregular

Ir+ relevant= irrelevant

Ir+ religious= irreligious

Use of "in"

In+ direct= indirect

In+ door= indoor

In+ definite = indefinite

Use of "il"

IL+ legal= illegal

IL+ legitimate= illegitimate

IL+ literate= illiterate

IL+ Legible= illegible

Use of "en"

En+ rich= enrich

En+ joy= enjoy

Enl+ large= enlarge

En+ close= enclose

En+ able= enable

Use of "mis"

Mis+ take= mistake

Mis+ understand= misunderstand

Mis+ use= misuse

Mis+ fit= misfit

Mis+ fortune= misfortune

Use of "auto"

Auto+ biography= autobiography

Auto+ mobile= automobile

Auto+ motive = automotive

Auto+ mate= automate

Auto+ marker= automaker

Use of "extra"

Extra+ ordinary= extraordinary

Extra+ vagant= extravagant

Use of "be"

Be+ little= belittle

Be+ hold = behold

Be+ hind= behind

Be+ get= beget

Use of "bi"

Bi+ lingual= bilingual

Bi+ cycle= Bicycle

Bi+ sect= bisect

Use of "ex"

Ex+ minister= Exminister

Use of "co"

Co+ exist= coexist

Co+ linear = colinear

Co+ ordinate= coordinate

Use of "inter"

Inter+ national= international

Inter+ city= intercity

Use of "tri"

Tri+ angle= triangle

Tri+ cycle= tricycle

Tri+ gonal= trigonal

Tri+ star = tristar

Use of "sub"

Sub+ engineer= subengineer

Sub+ continent= subcontinent

Sub+ judge= subjudge

Sub+ inspector= subinspector

Sub+ campus= subcampus

Use of "anti"

Anti+ viral= antiviral

Anti+ biotic= antibiotic

Anti+ allergic= antiallergic

Anti+ social= antisocial

Anti+ dengue= antidengue

Use of "under"

Under+ stand= understand

Under+ pressure= underpressure

Under+ wear= underwear

Use of "up"

Up+ lift= uplift

Up+ hold= uphold

Up+ hill= uphill

Up+ set= upset

Use of "out"

Out+ burst= outburst

Out+ door= outdoor

Use of "over"

Over+ crowd= overcrowd

Over+ load= overload

Over+ eating= overeating

Over+ confidence= overconfidence

Use of "fore"

Fore+ see= foresee

Fore+ head= forehead

Use of "super"

Super+ man= superman

Super+ natural= supernatural

Super+ power= superpower

Super+ market= supermarket

Super+ star= superstar

Super+model= supermodel

Super+ intendent= superintendent

Super+ oxide= superoxide

You may also learn:

Interjections
Digraphs and Diphthongs

Subject-Verb Agreement

Idioms and Phrases with Meanings and Examples

Apostrophe