Lecture Notes on Affixes

Definition of Affixes

• An affix is a set of letters added to the beginning or end of a word to form a new word with a different meaning.
  • Prefix: Added to the beginning of a word.
  • Suffix: Added to the end of a word.

Prefixes

• An: Means "not"

  • Examples:
    • unhappy: not happy
    • unusual: not usual
    • unreal: not real

• In: Also means "not"

  • Examples:
    • incomplete: not complete
    • incorrect: not correct
    • inadequate: not enough

• Im: Means "not"

  • Examples:
    • improper: not proper
    • imperfect: not perfect
    • impossible: not possible

• Dis: Means "opposite of" or "not"

  • Examples:
    • disappear: not appear
    • disagree: not agree
    • dissimilar: not similar

• Miss: Means "wrong" or "wrongly"

  • Examples:
    • misspell: to spell wrongly
    • misplace: to place wrongly
    • misuse: to use wrongly

• Re: Means "again"

  • Examples:
    • rebuild: to build again
    • rewrite: to write again
    • replay: to play again

Summary of Prefixes Learned

1. An - not
2. In - not
3. Im - not
4. Dis - not / opposite of
5. Miss - wrong / wrongly
6. Re - again

Activities on Prefixes

• Examples and exercises to identify the correct prefix:
  • Sentence completions with appropriate prefixes.

Suffixes

• Suffix: A set of letters added to the end of a word.

• Er: Means "someone who performs an action"

  • Examples:
    • teacher: someone who teaches
    • painter: someone who paints
    • singer: someone who sings

• Ness: Means "state of being"

  • Examples:
    • sadness: state of being sad
    • kindness: state of being kind
    • darkness: state of being dark

• Ous: Means "full of"

  • Examples:
    • dangerous: full of danger
    • courageous: full of courage
    • glamorous: full of glamour

• Ful: Also means "full of"

  • Examples:
    • powerful: full of power
    • joyful: full of joy
    • fearful: full of fear

• Less: Means "without"

  • Examples:
    • otherless: without other
    • sleepless: without sleep
    • tasteless: without taste

• Able: Means "capable of being"

  • Examples:
    • readable: capable of being read
    • measurable: capable of being measured
    • observable: capable of being observed

Summary of Suffixes Learned

1. Er - someone who performs an action
2. Ness - state of being
3. Ous - full of
4. Ful - full of
5. Less - without
6. Able - capable of being

Activities on Suffixes

• Examples and exercises to identify the correct suffix based on definitions.