Formation of Adjectives

We can make adjectives by adding prefixes and suffixes.

Suffixes to form adjectives:

Suffixes go on the end of words. They change a word from one part of speech, such as a noun or a verb, to another, such as an adjective.

➡️ For example, if you add ‘-able' to ‘solve', you create the adjective ‘solvable'.

➡️ The most common adjective suffixes : able -ible -ful -less -ous -ual -al-ic -ish -en -y -ive -ant -ent -ate-ical-ly

able : understandable, readable, acceptable

ible :incredible, responbsible, accessible

ful : beautiful, helpful, harmful

less :hopeless, groundless, restless

ous :gorgeous, dangerous,mysterious

al :functional, influential, chemical

ical : alphabitical, economical, historical

ic : artistic, rustic, terrific

ish :childish, foolish, selfish

en : golden,wooden, woolen

ive : intuitive, inventive, attractive

ant : distant, tolerant, resistant

ent : different, violent, independent

ate : passionate, accurate, fortunate

y : windy, icy, rainy

ly : daily, freindly, lovly

ual : usual, individual, annual

Prefixes to form adjectives

Most adjectives in English have an opposite. Often, these word pairs are completly different to one another : big#small, hot#cold, tall#short

However, we can also use prefixes to form opposite (negative) adjectives.

Prefixes go at the beginning of words.

➡️ for example if tou add ‘im' to perfect, you create the adjective: imperfect

The most common adjective prefixes and their meaning: il-, im-, ir-, in-un-dis..........

il : illegal, illogical, illegible

im : impatient, immature, impossible

ir : irregular, irrelevant, irresponsible

un : unlucky, uncomfortable, uncertain

dis : dishonest, disrespectful,disobedient

in : incorrect, inaccurate, informal