Suffixes
Elementary School
Definition
A word part added to the end of a base word to change its meaning or part of speech. For example, adding "-ful" to "hope" makes "hopeful." Recognizing suffixes helps readers decode new words and understand how words function.
Worked examples
"care" + "-less" = "careless"
The suffix "-less" means "without," changing the noun "care" into the adjective "careless."
"teach" + "-er" = "teacher"
The suffix "-er" means "one who," changing the verb "teach" into the noun "teacher."
"quick" + "-ly" = "quickly"
The suffix "-ly" changes the adjective "quick" into the adverb "quickly."
Common mistakes
- "hapiness" (happy + -ness) → "happiness" (y changes to i before -ness) When a word ends in consonant + y, change y to i before adding most suffixes.
- thinking "-er" in "butter" is a suffix → recognizing that "butter" is a base word, not "butt" + "-er" Not every word ending matches a suffix; check if removing it leaves a real base word.
- "runned" (run + -ed) → "ran" (irregular past tense, no suffix) Irregular verbs don't follow suffix rules; memorize their forms separately.
Where you'll use it next
You'll use suffix knowledge to decode unfamiliar words in reading, build vocabulary, study word families and etymology, and improve spelling and grammar in your writing across all subjects.
See also
Reviewed by Pat Cheng, M.Ed. — StudyPug Curriculum Lead · Last updated June 6, 2026