Word Formation Processes: Affixation (How words are formed in English)

There are different processes by which (new) words are formed in English language. The processes include: 

Affixation

Clipping

Reduplication

Borrowing

Conversion

However, for the purpose of today's lesson, the focus shall be on Affixation. Affixation is from the word 'affix', which means 'to add'. Affixes can be added before words and they can be added after words. Affixes that are added before a word are called prefixes. Those that are added after a word are called suffixes. 

We shall first discuss prefixes. Prefixes are added before a word. Examples of prefixes include:

dis- (dis+play=display; dis+appoint=disappoint)

en- (en+force=enforce; en+courage=encourage)

un- (un+educated=uneducated; un+do=undo)

ir- (ir+relevant=irrelevant; ir-resistible=irresistible)

il- (il+legal=illegal; il+literate=illiterate)

non-(non+performer=nonperformer; non+inclusion)

pre- (pre+modify=premodify; pre+occupy=preoccupy)

Suffixes are added after a word. Examples of suffixes include:

-s   (boy+s=boys; read+s=reads)

-es (go+es=goes; box+es=boxes)

-ies (lady+ies=ladies; study+ies=studies)

-ing (go+ing=going; read+ing=reading)

-ed (jump+ed=jumped; form+ed=formed)

-er (big+er=bigger; tall+er= taller) 

-est (big+est=biggest; tall+est=tallest)

There are other types, which are the main focus in this lesson. When these types of suffixes are added to a word, for example, a verb, they can change the verb to a noun, and change the noun to an adjective, and change the adjective to an adverb. Examples include: 

-er ---- teach (verb) + er = teacher (noun); pray (verb) + er = prayer (noun)  

-ment ---- develop (verb)+ment = development (noun) 

-ion ---- correct (verb) + ion = correction (noun) 

-ive ---- educate (verb) + ive = educative (adjective)

-ous ---- danger (noun) + ous =

dangerous (adjective)

-ful ---- play (verb) + ful = playful (adjective)

Sometimes two or more suffixes can be added to a word. 

develop (verb) + ment + al + ly = developmentally (adverb) 

danger (noun) + ous + ly = dangerously (adverb) 

Similarly, a prefix and a suffix can be added to a word. For example: 

I.  unhappiness 

II. unloveable

III. disappointment

IV. disloyalty 

Additional examples of how words change from verbs to nouns, to adjectives, to adverbs by the addition of suffixes are shown in the image below 👇 

Exercise  

1. Which of the following words can -ous be added to?

A. teach

B. courage 

C. stupid 

D. great

2. The prefix -ill can be added to...... 

A. link

B. lame

C. loyal

D. legal 

Complete the table below.

VERB       NOUN    ADJECTIVE  ADVERB

1.rotate   ...........    .................    ...............

2...........   ...........    productive   ...............

3........... expression ...............   ...............

4.pray     ...............   ................   ...............

5. .......... ...............   energetic    ..............