Vocabulary: Building - UEfAP

Prefixes usually do not change the class of the base word, but suffixes usually do change ... e.g. Suffix used to form verbs with the meaning "cause to be". Vocabularybuilding Affixesandroots Addingaffixestoexistingwords(thebaseorroot)toformnewwordsis commoninacademicEnglish.Prefixesareaddedtothefrontofthebase(like dislike),whereassuffixesareaddedto theendofthebase(active activate).Prefixesusuallydonotchange theclassofthebaseword,butsuffixesusuallydochangetheclassofthe word. ThemostcommonprefixesusedtoformnewverbsinacademicEnglishare: re-,dis-,over-,un-,mis-,out-. Themostcommonsuffixesare:-ise,-en,-ate,-(i)fy. ByfarthemostcommonaffixinacademicEnglishis-ise. Verbs e.g.prefix+verb verb Prefix Meaning Examples re- againorback restructure,revisit,reappear,rebuild,refinance dis- reversesthemeaningoftheverb disappear,disallow,disarm,disconnect,discontinue over- toomuch overbook,oversleep,overwork un- reversesthemeaningoftheverb unbend,uncouple,unfasten mis- badlyorwrongly mislead,misinform,misidentify out- moreorbetterthanothers outperform,outbid be- makeorcause befriend,belittle co- together co-exist,co-operate,co-own de- dotheoppositeof devalue,deselect fore- earlier,before foreclose,foresee inter- between interact,intermix,interface pre- before pre-expose,prejudge,pretest sub- under/below subcontract,subdivide trans- across,over transform,transcribe,transplant under- notenough underfund,undersell,undervalue,underdevelop Exercise ^ e.g.Suffixusedtoformverbswiththemeaning"causetobe". Suffix Example -ise stabilise,characterise,symbolise,visualise, specialise -ate differentiate,liquidate,pollinate,duplicate, fabricate -fy classify,exemplify,simplify,justify -en awaken,fasten,shorten,moisten Exercise ^ Nouns ThemostcommonprefixesusedtoformnewnounsinacademicEnglishare: co-andsub-. Themostcommonsuffixesare:-tion,-ity, -er,-ness,-ism,-ment,-ant,-ship,-age, -ery.Byfarthemostcommonnounaffix inacademicEnglishis-tion. e.g.prefix+noun noun Prefix Meaning Examples anti- against anticlimax,antidote,antithesis auto- self autobiography,automobile bi- two bilingualism,biculturalism,bi-metalism co- joint co-founder,co-owner,co-descendant counter- against counter-argument,counter-example,counter-proposal dis- theconverseof discomfort,dislike ex- former ex-chairman,ex-hunter hyper- extreme hyperinflation,hypersurface in- theconverseof inattention,incoherence,incompatibility in- inside inpatient, inter- between interaction,inter-change,interference kilo- thousand kilobyte mal- bad malfunction,maltreatment,malnutrition mega- million megabyte mis- wrong misconduct,misdeed,mismanagement mini- small mini-publication,mini-theory mono- one monosyllable,monograph,monogamy neo- new neo-colonialism,neo-impressionism out- separate outbuilding, poly- many polysyllable pseudo- false pseudo-expert re- again re-organisation,re-assessment,re-examination semi- half semicircle,semi-darkness sub- below subset,subdivision super- morethan,above superset,superimposition,superpowers sur- overandabove surtax tele- distant telecommunications, tri- three tripartism ultra- beyond ultrasound under- below,toolittle underpayment,under-development,undergraduate vice- deputy vice-president Exercise ^ e.g.Suffixaddedtoaverb(V),noun(N)oradjective(A) noun Suffix Meaning Examples -tion-sion action/instanceofV-ing alteration,demonstrationexpansion,inclusion, admission -er personwhoV-ssomethingusedforV-ing advertiser,drivercomputer,silencer -ment action/instanceofV-ing development,punishment,unemployment -ant-ent personwhoV-s assistant,consultantstudent -age action/resultofV breakage,wastage,package -al action/resultofV denial,proposal,refusal,dismissal -ence-ance action/resultofV preference,dependence,interferenceattendance, acceptance,endurance -ery/-ry action/instanceofV-ingplaceofV-ing bribery,robbery,miseryrefinery,bakery   Suffix Meaning Examples -er personconcernedwithN astronomer,geographer -ism doctrineofN Marxism,Maoism,Thatcherism -ship stateofbeingN friendship,citizenship,leadership -age collectionofN baggage,plumage   Suffix Meaning Examples -ity stateorqualityofbeingA ability,similarity,responsibility,curiosity -ness stateorqualityofbeingA darkness,preparedness,consciousness -cy stateorqualityofbeingA urgency,efficiency,frequency Exercise ^ Adjectives Manyadjectivesareformedfromabaseofadifferentclasswithasuffix (e.g.-less,-ous).Adjectivescanalso beformedfromotheradjectives,especiallybythenegativeprefixes(un-, in-andnon-). Themostcommonsuffixesare-al,-ent,-ive,-ous, -ful,-less. e.g.Suffixaddedtoverbsornouns adjective Suffix Example -al central,political,national,optional,professional -ent different,dependent,excellent -ive attractive,effective,imaginative,repetitive -ous continuous,dangerous,famous -ful beautiful,peaceful,careful -less endless,homeless,careless,thoughtless -able drinkable,countable,avoidable, Exercise ^ e.g.negative+adjective adjective Prefix Examples un- unfortunate,uncomfortable,unjust im-/in-/ir-/il- immature,impatient,improbable,inconvenient, irreplaceable,illegal non- non-fiction,non-political,non-neutral dis- disloyal,dissimilar,dishonest Exercise Mixed e.g.basewithbothprefixandsuffix Adjectives:uncomfortable,unavoidable,unimaginative, inactive,semi-circular Nouns:disappointment,misinformation,reformulation ^ Wordformation FormalwrittenEnglishusesnounsmorethanverbs.Forexample,judgement ratherthanjudge,development ratherthandevelop,admiration ratherthanadmire. Thereappearedtobeevidenceofdifferentialtreatment ofchildren. Thisisreflectedinouradmirationforpeople whohavemadesomethingoftheirlives,sometimesagainstgreatodds,and inoursomewhatdisappointedjudgmentofthosewhomerelydriftthrough life. Allairfieldsinthecountrywouldbenationalised,and thegovernmentwouldcontinuewiththedevelopmentofnewaircraft asrecommendedbytheBrabazonCommittee. Associatedwithnominalisationistheoccurrenceofprepositionalphrases, introducedbyof: judgmentofthose treatmentofchildren developmentofnewaircraft -tionisthemostcommonsuffixused inthisway.Forexample:alteration,resignation. Howeverothersare:-ity ability,similarity,complexity;-ness blindness,darkness,preparedness;-ment development,encouragement;-ship friendship;-age mileage;-ery robbery,bribery;-al arrival;-ance assistance,resemblance. ^