Affixes: Understanding Prefixes, Suffixes, and Infixes

What are Affixes?

Affixes are morphemes, or meaningful units, that are attached to a root word or base word to create a new word or change its grammatical function. They don’t typically stand alone and must be combined with a base.

Key Concepts

Prefixes

Prefixes are affixes added to the beginning of a word. They usually change the meaning of the word but not its part of speech.

• un- (unhappy)
• re- (redo)
• pre- (preview)

Suffixes

Suffixes are affixes added to the end of a word. They can change the meaning and often change the part of speech.

• -able (readable)
• -ly (quickly)
• -tion (creation)

Infixes

Infixes are affixes inserted within a root word. They are less common in English but exist in some forms.

• Example: abso-bloody-lutely (informal, inserted infix)

Deep Dive: How Affixes Work

Understanding how affixes modify words is key to vocabulary building and comprehension. For instance, adding ‘un-‘ to ‘happy’ creates ‘unhappy’, reversing the meaning. Adding ‘-ness’ to ‘happy’ creates ‘happiness’, changing it from an adjective to a noun.

Applications

Affixes are fundamental to English vocabulary. They allow for the creation of new words from existing ones, enriching communication. Recognizing affixes aids in deciphering unfamiliar words and understanding nuances in meaning.

Challenges and Misconceptions

A common misconception is that all word endings are suffixes. Some endings are part of the root word itself. Also, not all prefixes and suffixes have consistent meanings across all words.

FAQs

Are all word parts affixes?

No. Only morphemes that are attached to a root or base word are considered affixes.

Can a word have multiple affixes?

Yes, words can have both prefixes and suffixes, like ‘unbelievably’ (un- + believe + -able + -ly).