Suffixes

Suffixes are letter groups added to the end of base words to change their meaning or their grammatical function. In English, suffixes create new nouns, adjectives, adverbs, or verbs from existing words. Learning common suffixes helps you expand vocabulary and understand word families—very useful for TOEIC listening and reading.

• Suffixes modify word class: noun, adjective, adverb, verb.
• They often change spelling (e.g., y → i, drop final e).
• Common business-related suffixes include -ment, -ship, -ity, -able, -ness.

When adding a suffix, pay attention to spelling and word class changes. Small spelling changes often occur; learn common patterns.

• If a word ends with y after a consonant, change y → i before adding -ness or -ment (happy → happiness).
• Drop the final silent e before adding -able, -ment, -ize (manage → management, make → making).
• Double the final consonant in short stressed words before -er/-ing (plan → planning).
• Choose the correct suffix for meaning: -ness (state), -ity (quality), -ship (role/status).

When unsure, check a dictionary—some words keep irregular forms.

Learners often make predictable errors when using suffixes. Be aware of these universal pitfalls.

• Using the wrong suffix changes meaning (e.g., 'responsible' vs 'responsibility').
• Incorrect spelling: forgetting to change 'y' to 'i' (happy → happyness is wrong).
• Dropping or keeping the final 'e' incorrectly (manage → management, but care → careful).
• Overusing a suffix that results in an unnatural word (avoid 'manageabilityness').
• Mixing suffixes that form different parts of speech (use -ment for nouns, -ing/-ed for verbs/adjectives).

When in doubt, check word lists or a dictionary for correct derived forms.