4. Word Formation - Prefixes and Suffixes in Action

 

 

Learn: every word in English has a secret power waiting to be unlocked. With just a few letters added at the beginning or end, one idea can grow, twist, or transform into many new meanings. Learning prefixes and suffixes is like holding a key to the English language — it helps you understand new words without using a dictionary, express yourself more precisely, and recognise patterns that make English logical. Once you start noticing them, you’ll see them everywhere — in songs, textbooks, movies, and conversations — turning ordinary reading into a treasure hunt for meaning. Now, let's watch an introductory video to understand what exactly a prefix and a suffix are. 

 

 

Key Takeaways:

Here are some prefixes mentioned in the video:
re- — means "again" (redo = do again)
un- — means "opposite / reverse" (undo = reverse an action)
dis- — means not / opposite (disagree, dislike, disappear)

 

Here are some suffixes mentioned in the video:
Adding -ness changes adjectives into nouns
happy — happiness
sad — sadness
tired — tiredness

 

Learn: now, let's continue by exploring suffixes in detail. As you already know, a suffix is a group of letters added to the end of a root word to change its meaning or its part of speech. What exactly is a root word?

 

 

Let’s take a look at these suffixes we use to form adjectives and describe what something or someone is like in detail.

Learn: suffixes can be added to form not only adjectives. This way we can form nouns as well. Let's explore in detail. 

 

 

Learn: now it is time to explore prefixes. Watch the video. 

 

Key Takeaways:
Prefixes and their meanings

un- — opposite (happy — unhappy)
over- — too much (spend — overspend, sleep — oversleep)
pre- — before (predict, prepaid, preheat)
post- — after (postgraduate, postwar, posthumous)
multi- — many (multicultural, multimillionaire, multiply)
mono- — one (monologue, monopolize, monotheistic)
bi- — two (bicycle, bilingual)
under- — too little (undercooked, underrepresented, underestimate)
super- — extra, extreme (supermodel, supercomputer, superfluous)
mis- — wrong, badly (misunderstand, misbehave, misplace)
anti- — against, opposite (antisocial, anti-aging, anticlimactic)

 

How to Know What Part of Speech You Need
Nouns
Come after articles (a, an, the) — a habit, the improvement
Can follow adjectives — a balanced diet
Often used as subjects or objects — Exercise is important.

Adjectives
Come before nouns — healthy food, harmful habit
Come after verbs like "be", "seem", "feel" — She is tired.
Often used after "very" / "too" / "quite" — very positive attitude

Verbs
Come after “to” — to relax, to exercise
Can follow a subject directly — He eats well.
Change form for tense — works / worked / is working

Adverbs
Tell how something happens — She eats healthily.
Often come after verbs — He sleeps well.
Usually end in -ly — quickly, carefully, regularly

 

Final tip: how to remember prefixes and suffixes

1. Don’t try to memorise every prefix and suffix at once — notice them in action.
2. Each time you meet a new word, look for its parts: the prefix, the root, and the suffix. Ask yourself: “What happens to the meaning when I add this ending or beginning?”

3. Such way, soon you’ll start recognising patterns — and that’s how prefixes and suffixes become your secret code for unlocking hundreds of new words.