KS3 English Language: Prefixes and Suffixes

Prefixes and Suffixes…

Prefixes and suffixes are additions to words that change them into different words.

Prefixes are added to the beginning and suffixes are added to the end of the word.

Examples of a prefix include ‘Pre’, ‘un’, and ‘re.’

And examples of a suffix include ‘less’, ‘ing’ and ‘ish’.

Prefixes and suffixes can change the meaning of a word, making it plural or changing its tense.

For example, ‘Farmer Frank can’t recall where he left his trailer so he’s gone to look for it.’ The ‘re’ in ‘recall’ is a prefix that modifies the word, ‘call’. It changes its meaning to bring a fact back into one’s mind.

‘Farmer Frank didn’t realise that leaving the goat alone was a bad idea.’ The ‘ing’ in ‘leaving’ is a suffix that modifies the tense of the word ‘leave’.

Prefixes and suffixes are useless without their root words.

Just like this trailer is useless without the quad bike. In the word ‘useless’, ‘less’ is a suffix that altogether changes the meaning of the word ‘use’.

We could exchange it for the suffix, ‘full’ to make the antonym or opposite word, ‘useful’. As in ‘A trailer is useful if you have a horse.’

‘When working with animals, it’s important to take proper precautions.’ That’s ‘precautions’ as in before.

So here’s that useless… Sorry, I mean ‘useful’ definition again.

Prefixes and suffixes are additions to words that change them into different words.

Prefixes are added to the beginning and suffixes are added to the end of the word.