# Suffixes That Change a Word’s Job

- Link: https://thecuriosi.com/lessons/suffixes-parts-of-speech/
- Published: 2026-10-31T14:57:07+05:30
- Author: MAHENDRA MANCHIKALAPATI

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Prefixes change what a word means. **Suffixes** often change what a word _does_.
By adding a suffix, you can turn a verb into a noun, a noun into an adjective, or
an adjective into an adverb. Understanding suffixes helps you recognise a word’s
job, called its **part of speech**, even when you have never seen the word before.

## Noun suffixes

These suffixes usually create **nouns**, words for people, things or ideas.

  |  Suffix |  Meaning |  Examples |  
   |  -er, -or, -ist |  a person who |  teacher, inventor, scientist |  
 |  -tion, -sion |  the act or state of |  celebration, decision |  
 |  -ment |  the result or act of |  agreement, movement |  
 |  -ness |  the state of being |  kindness, darkness |  
 |  -ity |  the quality of |  ability, curiosity |  
 |  -ship |  the condition of |  friendship, leadership |

### Example

Start with the verb _invent_. Add _-or_ and you get _inventor_, the person who invents.
Add _-ion_ and you get _invention_, the thing invented. One base word, three words.

## Adjective suffixes

These suffixes usually create **adjectives**, words that describe nouns.

  |  Suffix |  Meaning |  Examples |  
   |  -ful |  full of |  hopeful, careful |  
 |  -less |  without |  hopeless, careless |  
 |  -able, -ible |  able to be |  readable, visible |  
 |  -ous |  full of, having |  dangerous, famous |  
 |  -ive |  tending to |  creative, active |  
 |  -al |  relating to |  natural, musical |

### Opposite suffixes

_-ful_ and _-less_ are opposites: _fearful_ means full of fear, while _fearless_
means without fear. The difference of one suffix can completely flip a description
of a character.

## Verb and adverb suffixes

 * **-ize** or **-ise** and **-ify** often create **verbs**: _modernize_, _simplify_,
   _classify_.
 * **-en** can create verbs too: _strengthen_, _brighten_.
 * **-ly** usually creates **adverbs** from adjectives: _quick_ becomes _quickly_,
   _careful_ becomes _carefully_.

### Spelling note

American English usually spells _-ize_ (organize), while British English often uses_-
ise_ (organise). Both are correct; just be consistent in your writing.

## Word families

A **word family** is a group of words built from the same base with different suffixes.

  |  Base |  Noun |  Adjective |  Verb |  Adverb |  
   |  create |  creation, creator |  creative |  create |  creatively |  
 |  danger |  danger |  dangerous |  endanger |  dangerously |  
 |  simple |  simplicity |  simple |  simplify |  simply |

### Using suffixes in reading

When you meet an unfamiliar word, its suffix tells you its likely job. In the sentence
_The scientist’s hypothesis was testable_, you may not know _testable_ yet, but _-
able_ tells you it is an adjective meaning “able to be tested”.

### Using suffixes in writing

Suffixes help you vary your sentences. Instead of _She showed a lot of creativity
in a creative way_, try _She solved the problem creatively_. Choosing the right 
form makes your writing smoother.

### Example in a science text

Read this sentence: _The researchers observed a measurable improvement in the plants’
growth after adding fertiliser._ Two suffixes do a lot of work here. _Measurable_(_-
able_) is an adjective telling us the improvement could be measured. _Improvement_(_-
ment_) is a noun naming the result of improving. Even if a word in a science text
is new to you, its suffix often tells you whether it names a thing, describes something
or names an action, which is a big step toward understanding the whole sentence.

### Stacking suffixes

Words can carry more than one suffix: _care_ + _-ful_ + _-ly_ = _carefully_; _hope_
+ _-less_ + _-ness_ = _hopelessness_. Peel them off one at a time from the end.

## Key takeaways

 * Suffixes often change a word’s part of speech.
 * -tion, -ment, -ness and -ity usually signal nouns; -er, -or and -ist signal people.
 * -ful, -less, -able and -ous usually signal adjectives; -ly usually signals adverbs.
 * A word family shares a base but uses different suffixes for different jobs.

## Practice

Complete the word family for **act**: a person who acts (noun), the thing done (
noun), describing someone who does a lot (adjective), and in a lively way (adverb).

Answers: actor, action, active, actively.

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 [ Previous lesson Prefixes for Number, Place and Time ](https://thecuriosi.com/lessons/number-place-time-prefixes/)
[ Next lesson Spelling Rules for Adding Suffixes ](https://thecuriosi.com/lessons/suffix-spelling-rules/)

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