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