English Proficiency Programme

A collection of Suffixes


Suffix

Typical Word

Examples

-cy, -acy

noun

privacy, adequacy, intimacy, supremacy

-te, -ate

adjective

private, adequate, intimate

verb

imitate, meditate, officiate

-age

noun

courage, coinage, shrinkage, tonnage

-al

noun

referral, disavowal, disposal, festival

-al, -ial, -ical

adjective

structural, territorial, categorical

-ance, -ancy, -ence, -ency

noun

resistance, dependence, extravagance, vacancy, agency, potency

-ant, -ent

adjective

important, dependent, malignant

-ise, -ize

verb

energise, specialise, optimize

-fy, -ify

verb

classify, vilify, crucify, deify

-ion

noun

obsession, imitation, explosion

-ive

adjective

defensive, qualitative, evasive, aggressive

-ful

adjective

hopeful, powerful, beautiful

-less

adjective

helpless, meaningless, matchless

-hood

noun

manhood, brotherhood

-ly

adverb

equally, finally, specially

There are many others. Make an additional list. Expand this list itself with more examples.

There are those usual suffixes also with the basic conversion roles for nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. For example, -s, -es, -ess, -er, -est, -en, -ed, -t, -ing etc.


- Bhaskar Dasgupta