Page 18 - DENG101_Communication Skills-I

Unit 2: Theme Based Vocabulary Building

Notes
Suffi x Meaning Examples
-ity state or quality of being A ability, similarity, responsibility, curiosity
-ness state or quality of being A darkness, preparedness, consciousness
-cy state or quality of being A urgency, effi ciency, frequency

Task Find five new verbs and nouns by suffi xing.
2.1.4 Adjectives

Many adjectives are formed from a base of a different class with a suffix (e.g. -less, -ous). Adjectives

can also be formed from other adjectives, especially by the negative prefixes (un-, in- and non-).
The most common suffixes are -al, -ent, -ive, -ous, -ful, -less.

Example: Suffix added to verbs or nouns adjective
Suffi x 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,
Example: negative + adjective adjective

Prefi x 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

2.1.5 Exercise (Mixed)

Example: Base with both prefix and suffi x
Adjectives: Uncomfortable, unavoidable, unimaginative, inactive, semi-circular
Nouns: Disappointment, misinformation, reformulation

2.2 Word Formation

Words can easily be built using root words. Also as you have seen, we have formed many words
using prefix and suffix to the root word.

Formal written English uses nouns more than verbs.
Example: judgment rather than judge, development rather than develop, admiration rather than
admire.
Example: There appeared to be evidence of differential treatment of children.

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