Suffixes — lesson. English Language State Board, Class 8.

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Suffixes are words attached at the end of root words to derive a newer meaning. Let us explore the usage of some suffixes:

1. Suffixes that derive plurals: The suffix "s", "es" usually brings about the plural meaning.

Example:

object - objects

wish - wishes

bottle - bottles

2. Suffixes that derive tenses: The suffix "ed" usually is used for past tense.

The suffix "ing" usually is used for present tense.

Example:

walk - walked

type - typed

run - running

sing - singing

3. Suffixes that mean consequential: The suffixes "ate", "en", "ify", "ize" usually mean 'to become'.

Example:

complex - complicate

tight - tighten

straight - straighten

beauty - beautify

strategy - strategize

4. Suffixes that mean quality: The suffixes "acy", "ly", "ance", "ity", "ty", "tion" usually mean the quality of being.

Example:

supreme - supremacy

normal - normally

dominate - dominance

active - activity

honest - honesty

promote - promotion

5. Suffixes that mean the study of: The suffix "logy" usually denotes the field of study.

Example:

biology

ornithology

ecology

Here is a list of commonly used suffixes:

Suffix	Meaning	Example
s, es	plural	things, buses
ed	past tense	obtained
ing	present tense	training
ate	to become	hibernate
en	to become	enlighten
ify	to become	notify
ize	to become	revolutionize
ise	to become	advertise
ly	explain quality	swiftly, slowly
acy	state or quality	supremacy
ance	state or quality	acceptance
dom	state of being in	freedom, boredom
er, ian, ost, eer	one who is	teacher, engineer, technician
ism	belief	Hinduism, Buddhism
ist	one who is	extremist, Buddhist
ity, ty	quality	honesty, responsibility
ment	condition of	improvement
ness	condition of, state	sadness
ion, tion, sion	state of being	promotion, condensation
o-logy	study of	biology, ecology

The suffixed words used in the lesson are:

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12. Suffixes