In English, you can often build new words by attaching a suffix to the end of an existing word. We can add the suffix ‘-er’ to the word ‘proofread’, for example, to make ‘proofreader’ (i.e. a person who proofreads).
Nice and simple, eh? If only life were always that easy. Unfortunately, there are dozens of suffixes in English, which can be confusing if you’re not sure about using them. But what exactly are suffixes? And how are they used?
As suggested above, suffixes are common word endings. The ‘-er’ suffix used in the introduction to this post, for example, is often attached to a verb (e.g. ‘work’ or ‘employ’) to create a noun that stands for the person who performs the action (e.g. a ‘worker’ or an ‘employer’).
However, not every suffix can be added to every word. For instance, while we can add the suffix ‘-ful’ to the word ‘care’ to make ‘careful’ (i.e. something characterised by care), we can’t add it to the word ‘work’ to make ‘workful’. There is no strict reason for this: it just isn’t standard English.
Nor is every word that ends in a suffix based on a common English word. The suffix ‘-logy’, for instance, is familiar from words like ‘biology’ and ‘geology’. However, you will not find the words ‘bio’ or ‘geo’ used by themselves (these are prefixes that go at the start of other words).
As you can see, suffixes vary from word to word! If you’re ever unsure whether a suffix works with a particular word, then, make sure to look it up.
You also need to look out for sneaky spelling changes when adding suffixes to words. These can occur when adding a suffix to words that end in ‘y’ (which changes to ‘i’) or ‘e’ (which is sometimes dropped completely):
Beauty + -ful = Beautiful
Write + -ing = Writing
In Australian English, we also double the final consonant in some words when adding a vowel suffix. For instance, ‘run’ becomes ‘runner’ when we add ‘-er’. There are plenty of exceptions to these spelling rules, though, so make sure to double check any term you’re unsure about.
We won’t attempt to list every English suffix here, but we will provide a few examples below so that you know what to look for.
Some suffixes you might encounter include:
Suffix
Usage/Meaning
Examples
-able
Capable of or susceptible to
Believe → Believable
Question → Questionable
-dom
Used to form nouns that refer to a particular domain or general condition
Free → Freedom
King → Kingdom
-est
Used to form superlatives (i.e. the most of something or to the highest degree)
Big → Biggest
Happy → Happiest
-ise or -ize
Used for verbs, usually indicating a change
Computer → Computerise
Idol → Idolise
-less
Without
Hope → Hopeless
Care → Careless
-ness
Used for nouns that refer to a state or quality
Bright → Brightness
Dark → Darkness
Keep an eye out for other common word endings when you’re writing. With enough practice, you’ll soon spot the similarities in how different suffixes are used. And if you need more help, why not try our proofreading?
Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.
Δ
3-minute read
Google Docs is a powerful collaborative tool, and mastering its features can significantly enhance your...
2-minute read
If you’re writing about health issues, you might need to reference the Centers for Disease...
5-minute read
Introduction If you’re involved with ecommerce, you’re likely familiar with the often painstaking process of...
Are you interested in learning more about the role of a content editor and the...
4-minute read
Proofreading is important to ensure your writing is clear and concise for your readers. Whether...
Creating presentations can be time-consuming and frustrating. Trying to construct a visually appealing and informative...