Learning the English prefixes and suffixes is a small effort that will have a big benefit in your English comprehension. Prefixes and suffixes are small pieces of words that are added to the beginning (prefix) or to the end (suffixes) in order to modify the original word. Sometimes prefixes and suffixes can be used to change a word from one type of word to another. For example from a noun to a verb, or from a verb to an adjective.
Using a suffix or prefix table is one good way to learn the basic prefixes and suffixes in English. Here is a basic table of prefixes, and some links to much more in-depth prefix and suffix tables.
HUGE LIST OF PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES:
http://www.prefixsuffix.com/rootchart.php
LINKS TO PREFIX AND SUFFIX WORKSHEETS:
http://www.esl-galaxy.com/prefix/Common%20prefix%20match.pdf
http://www.esl-galaxy.com/prefix/Common%20suffixes.pdf
http://www.esl-galaxy.com/prefix/prefixmultiplechoicesentences.pdf
http://www.esl-galaxy.com/prefix/prefixmultiplechoice.pdf
http://www.esl-galaxy.com/prefix/prefixwordmeaning.pdf
http://www.esl-galaxy.com/prefix/Negativeprefixes.pdf
LINKS TO PREFIX AND SUFFIX QUIZZES:
http://www.englishmedialab.com/Quizzes/advanced/prefixchoice.htm
http://www.englishmedialab.com/Quizzes/advanced/prefixmeaningmatch1.htm
http://www.englishmedialab.com/Quizzes/advanced/prefixwordbase.htm
http://www.englishmedialab.com/Quizzes/advanced/prefixwordbase2.htm
Prefix | Meaning | Examples | |
a- | also an- | not, without | atheist, anaemic |
a- | to, towards | aside, aback | |
in the process of, in a particular state | a-hunting, aglow | ||
a- | of | anew | |
completely | abashed | ||
ab- | also abs- | away, from | abdicate, abstract |
ad- | also a-, ac-, af-, ag- al-, an-, ap-, at- as-, at- | movement to, change into, addition or increase | advance, adulterate, adjunct, ascend, affiliate, affirm, aggravate, alleviate, annotate, apprehend, arrive, assemble, attend |
ante- | before, preceding | antecedent, ante-room | |
anti- | also ant- | opposing, against, the opposite | anti-aircraft, antibiotic, anticlimax, Antarctic |
be- | all over, all around | bespatter, beset | |
completely | bewitch, bemuse | ||
having, covered with | bejewelled | ||
affect with (added to nouns) | befog | ||
cause to be (added to adjectives) | becalm | ||
com- | also co-, col-, con-, cor- | with, jointly, completely | combat, codriver, collude, confide, corrode |
contra- | against, opposite | contraceptive | |
counter- | opposition, opposite direction | counter-attack, counteract | |
de- | down, away | descend, despair, depend, deduct | |
completely | denude, denigrate | ||
removal, reversal | de-ice, decamp | ||
dia- | also di- | through, across | diagonal |
dis- | also di- | negation, removal, expulsion | disadvantage, dismount, disbud, disbar |
en- | also em- | put into or on | engulf, enmesh |
bring into the condition of | enlighten, embitter | ||
intensification | entangle, enrage | ||
ex- | also e-, ef- | out | exit, exclude, expand |
upward | exalt, extol | ||
completely | excruciate, exasperate | ||
previous | ex-wife | ||
extra- | outside, beyond | extracurricular | |
hemi- | half | hemisphere | |
hyper- | beyond, more than, more than normal | hypersonic, hyperactive | |
hypo- | under | hypodermic, hypothermia | |
in- | also il-, im- | not, without | infertile, inappropriate, impossible |
also il-, im-, ir- | in, into, towards, inside | influence, influx, imbibe | |
infra- | below | infrared, infrastructure | |
inter- | between, among | interact, interchange | |
intra- | inside, within | intramural, intravenous | |
non- | absence, negation | non-smoker, non-alcoholic | |
ob- | also oc-, of-, op- | blocking, against, concealing | obstruct, occult, offend, oppose |
out- | surpassing, exceeding | outperform | |
external, away from | outbuilding, outboard | ||
over- | excessively, completely | overconfident, overburdened, overjoyed | |
upper, outer, over, above | overcoat, overcast | ||
peri- | round, about | perimeter | |
post- | after in time or order | postpone | |
pre- | before in time, place, order or importance | pre-adolescent, prelude, precondition | |
pro- | favouring, in support of | pro-African | |
acting for | proconsul | ||
motion forwards or away | propulsion | ||
before in time, place or order | prologue | ||
re- | again | repaint, reappraise, reawake | |
semi- | half, partly | semicircle, semi-conscious | |
sub- | also suc-, suf-, sug-, sup-, sur-, sus- | at a lower position | submarine, subsoil |
lower in rank | sub-lieutenant | ||
nearly, approximately | sub-tropical | ||
syn- | also sym- | in union, acting together | synchronize, symmetry |
trans- | across, beyond | transnational, transatlantic | |
into a different state | translate | ||
ultra- | beyond | ultraviolet, ultrasonic | |
extreme | ultramicroscopic | ||
un- | not | unacceptable, unreal, unhappy, unmanned | |
reversal or cancellation of action or state | unplug, unmask | ||
under- | beneath, below | underarm, undercarriage | |
lower in rank | undersecretary | ||
not enough | underdeveloped |
August 16, 2012 at 6:09 am
Table is very clear, thank you. It’s always a little surprising to see how complex the English language can sometimes be.
August 17, 2012 at 4:54 am
This is a really nice website for people to look at after they already know most of the basic English. This can help the meaning of peoples words on how they are using them. For example, how someone can be happy, but another can ask “You seem unhappy what’s wrong?”
December 4, 2012 at 4:10 am
Wow, cheers for this! A seriously useful resource.
I’m an ESL teacher and this is going to save the lives of loads of my students. Much appreciated.
Monica V : )
April 23, 2013 at 1:24 am
I’ve been looking for a list like this for my vocabulary lessons for my IELTS students. Thanks for compiling this. Really useful.
You have some interesting other posts too!