Practice
English practice: prefixes and suffixes
Sign in to saveA small part at the beginning or end of a word can change the whole sentence. Compare happy, unhappy, and happiness: the base idea stays connected, but the meaning and grammar change.
Recognise common prefixes and suffixes, explain what they add to a base word, and choose a form that fits the sentence.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
They rewrote the email carefully. /ðeɪ ˌriːˈrəʊt ðiː ˈiːmeɪl ˈkeəfəli/
The short answer
Use a prefix to add or change meaning before a base word, and a suffix to make a related form after it. Check both the meaning and the grammar of the finished word.
They rewrote the email carefully.
Why it works: Re- means again, while -ly changes careful into an adverb that describes how they wrote.
5 more examples
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The manager was unhappy with the late report.
Un- adds the idea of not to the adjective happy.
Not this:The manager was
happywith the early report. What changes: Without un-, the adjective has the opposite meaning. -
Please rewrite the address on the form.
Re- means again, so rewrite means write again.
Not this:Please
writethe address on the form. What changes: Write names the first action; rewrite names a repeated action. -
Her kindness made the new student feel welcome.
The suffix -ness changes the adjective kind into a noun for the quality.
Not this:Her
kindreply made the new student feel welcome. What changes: Kind describes reply, while kindness names the quality itself. -
The instructions were helpful during the repair.
The suffix -ful forms an adjective meaning full of help or providing help.
Not this:The instructions were
uselessduring the repair. What changes: The suffix -less means without, so useless has a negative meaning. -
Mina answered the question carefully.
The suffix -ly forms an adverb that tells us how Mina answered.
Not this:Mina gave a
carefulanswer. What changes: Careful is an adjective before a noun; carefully modifies the verb answered.
Read the full guide
Look for the part of the word that carries the central idea. In dislike, like is the base word and dis- changes the meaning. In kindness, kind is the base word and -ness makes a noun. This approach helps you work out many unfamiliar words without guessing from spelling alone.
Find the base word first
The base word carries the central idea. In disagreement, agree is the base word. The parts around it add extra meaning or change its grammar. Looking for the base can make a long word easier to understand.
The group disagreed about the final date.
Agree means share an opinion. Dis- changes that idea, so disagree means have a different opinion.
What is the base word in reusable?
The base word is use. Re- means again, and -able means possible, so reusable means able to be used again.
Use prefixes to change meaning
Common prefixes give broad clues. Un- often means not, re- often means again, dis- can express an opposite or negative idea, and pre- means before. The same prefix may have a slightly different effect in different words, so use the sentence as well.
The museum will reopen next Monday.
Reopen means open again. The prefix tells you that the museum had been open before.
We met for a preview before the full performance.
Pre- points to an earlier time, so a preview comes before the main event.
Use suffixes to choose the word class
Suffixes often help you choose the grammar a sentence needs. The suffix -ness often makes a noun, -ment often makes a noun, -ful and -less often make adjectives, and -ly often makes an adverb. Notice where the word appears in the sentence before you choose it.
The committee announced its decision after lunch.
The suffix -ion makes decision a noun. It can follow the possessive its and be the thing the committee announced.
Which form fits She explained the rule ___: clear or clearly?
Use clearly because the word describes the verb explained. Clear is an adjective, while clearly is an adverb.
Let the sentence guide your choice
Two related forms may both be real words, but only one fits a particular sentence. Look at the words before and after the gap. Articles, nouns, verbs, and linking verbs can show whether you need a noun, adjective, or adverb.
The team celebrated their achievement.
Achievement is a noun after their. Achieve is a verb, so it cannot fill the same position.
The team was successful this year.
Successful is an adjective after was. Success is a noun and needs a different sentence pattern.
Watch for spelling changes and exceptions
Adding a suffix can change the spelling of the base word. Happy becomes happiness, and rely becomes reliable. Some words look as if they contain a familiar suffix but do not follow the usual pattern. Use an English learner's dictionary when you are unsure.
Her happiness was easy to see.
The y in happy changes to i before -ness. The finished word is a noun.
Why is a dictionary useful after you identify a possible prefix or suffix?
It confirms whether the complete word exists and shows its spelling, meaning, pronunciation, and word class in real examples.
Before you go
Remember this
Find the base word first. A prefix goes before it and often changes meaning; a suffix goes after it and often changes the word's grammar. Then read the full sentence to make sure the new word says what you intend.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "English practice: prefixes and suffixes"
What is the difference between a prefix and a suffix?
A prefix appears before a base word and usually adds or changes meaning. A suffix appears after the base word and often creates a related word class, such as a noun, adjective, or adverb. Read the whole sentence to confirm the intended meaning.
The manager was unhappy with the late report.
How can I identify a base word in English?
Look for the familiar part that carries the main idea. In reusable, use is the base word. In kindness, kind is the base word. The letters before or after it may be a prefix or suffix, but check a dictionary when the word is unfamiliar.
The manager was happy with the early report.
Do prefixes always have the same meaning?
A prefix often gives a useful clue, such as re- for again or pre- for before, but the complete word matters. English words have exceptions and some prefixes carry more than one related sense. Use the surrounding sentence and a learner's dictionary together.
Please rewrite the address on the form.
When should I use an adjective ending in -ful or -less?
Use an adjective when the sentence needs to describe a noun or follow a linking verb such as be. Helpful usually means providing help, while careless means lacking care. Choose the word that fits the meaning and grammar of the particular sentence.
Please write the address on the form.
Why do some words change spelling when a suffix is added?
English spelling rules sometimes alter the final letters of a base word when a suffix is attached. For example, happy becomes happiness. These patterns are helpful, but they are not universal, so check the dictionary entry for words you plan to use in important writing.
Her kindness made the new student feel welcome.