Word formation
COMPOUND WORDS
A compound word is a word made up of two other words. They can be nouns or adjectives, and can be spelt as a single word, hyphenated or as two separate words. Hyphenated compound words are usually modifiers. However, the only way to know how to write a compound word is check it in a dictionary. Frequently, in a compound noun the first word explains the class or type of the second one.
Examples:
Closed compound words
Cannot
Baseball
Fireworks
Grandmother
Elsewhere
Upside
Together
Sunflower
Crosswalk
Become
Open compound words
Ice cream
Grand jury
Cave in
Post office
Real estate
Middle class
Full moon
Attorney general
Half sister
Hyphenated compound words
One-half
Mother-in-law
Eighty-six
One-third
Merry-go-round
Well-being
Mass-produced
Over-the-counter
Daughter-in-law
Examples:
Closed compound words
Cannot
Baseball
Fireworks
Grandmother
Elsewhere
Upside
Together
Sunflower
Crosswalk
Become
Open compound words
Ice cream
Grand jury
Cave in
Post office
Real estate
Middle class
Full moon
Attorney general
Half sister
Hyphenated compound words
One-half
Mother-in-law
Eighty-six
One-third
Merry-go-round
Well-being
Mass-produced
Over-the-counter
Daughter-in-law
PREFIXES
A prefix is a syllable placed in front of a word to add or to change its meaning.
Prefix -- Meaning -- Example
-anti -- against, opposite -- anti-fungal, antidepressant
-auto -- self -- autograph, automobile
-bi -- two -- bicycle, bivalve
-con -- with -- contact, conform, converse
-un -- not -- unconvincing, unnatural, unprepared
-re -- again -- revisit, reenter
-a, an -- not, without -- amoral, anesthetic, apolitical, asocial
-ab -- away from -- abduction, abstain, abnormal
-ambi -- both -- ambidextrous, ambivalent
-centro, centri -- around, center -- concentric, centrifugal
-dis -- apart, not -- disengage, discord, discomfort
Prefix -- Meaning -- Example
-anti -- against, opposite -- anti-fungal, antidepressant
-auto -- self -- autograph, automobile
-bi -- two -- bicycle, bivalve
-con -- with -- contact, conform, converse
-un -- not -- unconvincing, unnatural, unprepared
-re -- again -- revisit, reenter
-a, an -- not, without -- amoral, anesthetic, apolitical, asocial
-ab -- away from -- abduction, abstain, abnormal
-ambi -- both -- ambidextrous, ambivalent
-centro, centri -- around, center -- concentric, centrifugal
-dis -- apart, not -- disengage, discord, discomfort
SUFFIXES
A suffix is a set of letters added at the end of a word to make another word or as an inflexion. It can alter the spelling of words when changing the part of speech.
Suffix -- Meaning -- Example
-er -- doer -- teacher
-able -- able to -- unbelievable
-ous -- full of -- dangerous
-ness -- state of being -- happiness
-ful -- full of -- wonderful
-ly or y --like -- gently, wintry
-ment --state of -- government
-cide -- kill(ing) -- patricide, infanticide, herbicide, suicide
-logy -- study field of -- biology, geology, etymology, cardiology
-phobia -- exaggerated fear -- photophobia, claustrophobia, agoraphobia
Suffix -- Meaning -- Example
-er -- doer -- teacher
-able -- able to -- unbelievable
-ous -- full of -- dangerous
-ness -- state of being -- happiness
-ful -- full of -- wonderful
-ly or y --like -- gently, wintry
-ment --state of -- government
-cide -- kill(ing) -- patricide, infanticide, herbicide, suicide
-logy -- study field of -- biology, geology, etymology, cardiology
-phobia -- exaggerated fear -- photophobia, claustrophobia, agoraphobia