un- for a familiar opposite
The prefix un- can make some adjectives express an opposite meaning.
ModelThe lab's schedule remained unclear until Monday.
Use it well: Check that the complete adjective is an established word before using it.
Prefixes, suffixes and the spelling changes that come with them, in 36 short cards. Learn the patterns once and every word family you meet becomes easier to read, spell and use.
Most academic words are built from smaller parts. Once you know that -ment and -tion make nouns, that -able and -ive make adjectives, and that un- and in- reverse a meaning, an unfamiliar word like reconsideration stops being a wall and becomes a puzzle you can solve.
On the TOEFL this pays off in two places. In Complete the Words you restore the missing end of a word, so you need to know which ending the sentence demands: a noun after the, an adverb before a verb. In writing, choosing the right form of a word you already know is often the difference between a clear sentence and one with a noticeable error.
Most useful for: Complete the Words · Build a Sentence · Write an Email · Academic Discussion
The prefix un- can make some adjectives express an opposite meaning.
Use it well: Check that the complete adjective is an established word before using it.
The prefix re- can indicate doing an action again.
Use it well: Its meaning depends on the whole word and context.
The prefix pre- can place an event before another event.
Use it well: A dictionary confirms whether a particular form takes a hyphen.
The prefix post- can place an event after another event.
Use it well: Some combinations use a hyphen and others do not.
The prefix multi- commonly suggests more than one part or group.
Use it well: Do not infer the exact number from the prefix alone.
The prefix mis- commonly signals an incorrect action or interpretation.
Use it well: A prefix is only a clue; verify the full word.
The suffix -ment often forms a noun from a verb.
Use it well: Do not assume every verb accepts this suffix.
The suffix -tion appears in many nouns related to actions or processes.
Use it well: The base spelling often changes before this ending.
The suffix -ity often forms a noun naming a quality or state.
Use it well: The adjective stem may change its spelling.
The suffix -ness can turn some adjectives into nouns naming states.
Use it well: A consonant plus y often changes to i.
The suffix -er can name a person who performs an action.
Use it well: It also has other uses, including comparison, so use context.
The suffix -ance occurs in nouns related to actions or conditions.
Use it well: The exact base-to-noun pairing must be checked.
The suffix -able can make an adjective expressing that something can be done.
Use it well: Not every verb has a natural -able form.
The suffix -ful can form an adjective meaning full of a quality.
Use it well: Meaning is lexical; do not attach it freely.
The suffix -less can form an adjective meaning without something.
Use it well: Some -less forms have specialized meanings in context.
The suffix -ive appears in many adjectives describing a tendency or quality.
Use it well: A base may change when the suffix is added.
The suffix -al can form adjectives meaning related to a noun.
Use it well: The spelling and meaning of each form need checking.
The suffix -ous forms some adjectives describing a quality.
Use it well: It is a word-form clue, not a universal rule.
The suffix -ify can create verbs meaning to make or become something.
Use it well: Check the established word before using the pattern.
The suffix -en can create verbs describing a change of state.
Use it well: The base may alter its spelling in the verb.
The suffix -ize can form verbs meaning to make or organize something.
Use it well: Some words also have an -ise spelling in British English.
The suffix -ly often turns an adjective into a manner adverb.
Use it well: Some -ly words are adjectives, so check their function.
English can use a noun as a verb without an added suffix.
Use it well: The verb meaning should be confirmed in context.
Some compound nouns are written as separate words.
Use it well: Check a dictionary for each compound's normal spelling.
A final silent e is often removed before adding -ing.
Use it well: Keep a dictionary handy for exceptions and unusual stems.
A consonant plus y often changes to i before some suffixes.
Use it well: The suffix -ing usually keeps the y instead.
Words ending in y usually retain it before the suffix -ing.
Use it well: Do not transfer the y-to-i pattern to this ending.
A stressed final syllable ending in one short vowel plus one consonant often doubles that consonant before -ing or -ed.
Use it well: Stress and word shape matter, so check uncertain forms.
Count nouns ending in consonant plus y usually take -ies in the plural.
Use it well: Nouns ending in vowel plus y normally add -s.
A regular past-tense verb ending in e normally adds only d.
Use it well: This pattern applies to regular verbs, not irregular ones.
An adjective suffix helps identify a word class but cannot prove meaning alone.
Use it well: Read the surrounding phrase before assigning a definition.
A noun suffix may suggest a word class without fixing its exact sense.
Use it well: A passage can use an unfamiliar noun in a specialized way.
Adjectives ending in -ic and -ical can have different meanings.
Use it well: Do not treat paired forms as automatically interchangeable.
Some English words ending in -ly can function as adjectives.
Use it well: Judge the word by its role in the sentence.
Compound nouns may be open, closed, or hyphenated words.
Use it well: A dictionary is safer than inventing a new spelling.
The same written form can work as different word classes.
Use it well: Use sentence structure to identify its role.