Prefixes and suffixes

​PREFIXES

By Chiamaka Mbagwu

📘 What Is a Prefix?

A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning.

Example:

• happy → unhappy (The prefix un- means "not", so unhappy means "not happy")

​🧩 Why Are Prefixes Important?

All Prefixes help us:

• Understand new words

• Build vocabulary

• Change the meaning of words without learning a whole new word templates can be reused multiple times.

​🧩 Why Are Prefixes Important?

Prefixes help us:

• Understand new words

• Build vocabulary

• Change the meaning of words without learning a whole new word

Common Prefixes and Their Meanings

​✍️ Practice Time!

Try adding prefixes to these base words:

• re + do = redo

• re+ read = reread

• ___ + agree = _______

• ___ + view = _______
more practice;

I had to_____ (do) my test because I made a mistake.

2. She was very_____(happy) when her ice cream melted.

3. It is____ (legal) to park in front of a fire hydrant.

4. I saw a movie ____(view) before it came out in cinemas.

Can you identify the prefixes in the sentences below?

• unhappy

• rebuild

• mislead

• preview

​WRAP UP

WHAT IS A PREFIX?
Can you give me two examples with meanings?

SUFFIXES

WHAT IS A SUFFIX?

A suffix is a group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning or grammatical function. For example,
Help + ful (suffix) = Helpful

✏️ Suffix Rules to Remember

If a word ends in y, change the y to i before adding -ness or -ly

Happy → Happiness, Happy → Happily

• If a word ends in e, drop the e before adding -ing or -able

Make → Making, Love → Lovable

• Double the final consonant if the word is short and ends in a single vowel + consonant

Run → Running, Sit → Sitting.

Use the following suffixes to form five new words and write sentences with each:

• -ful

• -less

• -ly

• -ment

• -ness