A suffix is a letter, or a group of letters, that is added to the end of a word to change its meaning. You just practiced using the suffixes -ful and -less in the article “One of These Dolphins Is a Robot.” Now it’s time to figure out what some other common suffixes mean.
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What’s That Suffix?
Instructions: As you read each passage below, note the bolded suffix used throughout. Then try to guess its meaning.
1.
Ben is the tallest of my brothers—he’s almost as tall as our dad. He’s also the oldest, so he’ll probably be the first one to graduate from high school. Joey might be the smartest, because he always wins when we play board games. But I think some of the others baby him and let him win because he’s the youngest.
The suffix -est means:
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The suffix -est means A “most.” It can turn long into longest (most long) and fast into fastest (most fast).
2.
After taking guitar lessons for five years, Violet has become a very skilled guitarist. She’s a talented visual artist too: She can draw or paint just about anything. She works as a colorist in a salon, giving customers highlights and pink hair. But her big dream is to become a novelist and write award-winning books.
The suffix -ist means:
Chokniti-Studio/Shutterstock
The suffix -ist means someone who does, works with, or believes in something. More examples of words with this suffix are violinist and realist.
3.
I’m walking very softly and slowly so I won’t wake up my baby sister. When she gets woken up in the middle of a nap, she screams loudly and won’t stop for ages. I usually don’t mind, but I wish she could express herself more quietly when my friends are visiting. I asked my dad very politely if my baby sister could sleep in the garage, but he said no.
The suffix -ly means:
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The suffix -ly means something is being done in a certain way. If you speak in a quick way, you speak quickly.
4.
I love snowy days like this! It was cloudy yesterday, and I was expecting a rainy day today. Instead, I woke up to all this fluffy snow! I feel so lucky. My hairy dog has been rolling around in the snow, and her silky hair is covered in it. It will make a watery mess in the house when it melts, but I don’t mind.
The suffix -y means:
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The suffix -y means having or being like something. If a snack is salty, it has or tastes like salt.
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