Prefix and Suffix Tips and Tricks for Government Exams

Introduction

• Prefixes and suffixes are words that change the meaning of the word just by adding two, three, or four alphabets at the beginning or at the end of the word. We can benefit from a brief study of prefixes and suffixes, known collectively as affixes. Prefixes and Suffixes are words that make antonym words; like- Fortunately and unfortunately. Here, ‘Un’ is a prefix. By adding the prefix we get an antonym of the word- Fortunately.

Theory

Prefixes

• Prefixes come at the beginning of the word. These are usually two to three alphabets long. By using prefixes, it’ll change the word’s meaning. Some prefixes even combine with other prefixes to create words such as unpremeditated (un+ pre+ meditated). A prefix is a group of letters that is placed before the root of a word. For example, the word “disclose” consists of the prefix “dis-” [which means “not”] combined with the root (or stem) word “close”; the word “disclose” means “not to close or not to reveal.”

Suffixes

• Suffixes come at the end of the word. These are usually two to four alphabets long. By using suffixes, it’ll change the word’s meaning. A suffix is a group of letters that is placed after the root word of the word. For example- the word careless consists of the root word “care” combined with the suffix “-less” [which means “without”]; the word “careless” means “having no care.”

Facts

Prefixes

• Different prefixes which are used in the English language can also have the same meaning. For example, in-, un-, not- all have the same meaning which is, ‘opposite of’ or ‘not’. Similarly, the prefix is- and mis- means incorrectly or wrongly.
• Repetition of letters is also possible. That is to say that when im- or unto word and if the word starts with ‘m’ and ‘n’ respectively then the double letters are also possible. For example immeasurable and unnoticeable.
• You need to be careful while seeing the words which starts with the prefix but do not contain the prefix. For example, the word uncle is a whole word. It does not have any prefix at the beginning.
• The addition of prefix should not change the spelling of the base word. For example, when you add ‘un’ to the word happy the spelling will be unhappy which is the same spelling as the base word.

Suffixes

• Like prefixes, many suffixes have the same meaning. The best example is the use of the word ‘er’, which when you add to the end of any word, represents a person who is performing an action. Further, ‘er’ is also added at the end of adverbs and adjectives. This helps in the comparison of two things. Like slow will be slower and fast will be faster.
• For suffixes, the spelling of the base word can change when you add a suffix at the end. This is mostly true for the words ending with ‘y’ at the end. For example, when a suffix is added to the word crazy it will change into crazier or craziness.
• The above statement is also true for the base words which end with a silent ‘e’. For example, make and manage will change into making and managing when you add the suffix ‘ing’ to both the words. But not all words ending with ‘e’ will have a different spelling.

Rules

• Use a hyphen (-) when adding a prefix to a common noun. For example Pro-American, Anti-religion, etc. 
• Hyphen is must to be used after prefixes Self and Ex, example, Self-dependant, self-esteem, Ex-husband, Ex-employee, etc.
• When adding a Prefix, do not change the spelling of the original word or root word; Examples: Undo, disappear, irrelevant, cooperation, irrational, etc.
• Repetition of letters is possible when adding a prefix. Basically, point number 3 (do not change spelling) is to be followed even if the spelling results in double consonants after adding the prefix.
• There are certain words that start with prefix but do not have any prefix added to them like the word Uncle.
• Many Prefixes can have the same meaning such as ‘in’ ‘im’ ‘un’ all these prefixes mean ‘opposite of’ or ‘not’.
• Similarly, many Suffixes also have the same meaning. Like the suffix, ‘er’ when added to any word will denote the action performed by the person. Example – Teacher, Gardener, Performer etc. 
• Suffix ‘er’ is also added towards the end of adjectives or adverbs to help compare two things. Example- Slow becomes slower, soon becomes sooner, fast becomes faster etc.
• When suffix is added, the spelling of the base word can change. This is mostly the case when the base words end with y or e. For example – happy becomes happier, costly become costlier with the suffix ‘er’, manage becomes managing, make becomes making with the suffix ‘ing’.
• The Prefix that ends in a vowel, ‘a’ than the base word starting with a consonant will use it as it is, like atypical, amoral, etc.

Solved Examples