Vocabulary: Word Formation & Morphology (B1) - Lesson 3: Common Suffixes for Adjectives

Lesson 3: Common Suffixes for Adjectives

How to Create Describing Words

You've learned how to change words into nouns using suffixes like '-tion' and '-ness'. Now, let's learn another powerful trick: changing nouns and verbs into adjectives! By adding a suffix¹, you can create a new word that describes something. This is a key skill for making your English more detailed and expressive.

Suffix 1: "-ful" (full of)

This common suffix is added to a noun and means "full of" that quality.

• beauty (noun) ➞ beautiful
• care (noun) ➞ careful
• power (noun) ➞ powerful
• success (noun) ➞ successful

Suffix 2: "-less" (without)

This suffix is the opposite of "-ful". It is added to a noun and means "without" that quality.

• care (noun) ➞ careless (without care)
• home (noun) ➞ homeless (without a home)
• use (noun) ➞ useless (without any use)

Suffix 3: "-able" / "-ible"

This suffix is usually added to a verb and means "can be done".

• drink (verb) ➞ drinkable (can be drunk)
• understand (verb) ➞ understandable
• response (noun) ➞ responsible

Suffix 4: "-ous"

This suffix is often added to a noun and means "having the quality of".

• danger (noun) ➞ dangerous
• fame (noun) ➞ famous
• mystery (noun) ➞ mysterious

Usage Note: Using Adjectives to Compare

Once you have an adjective, you can use it to compare things. For longer adjectives, like the ones we are learning today, we use "more". This is called the comparative² form.

• "This temple is more beautiful than that one."
• "He is more careful than his brother."

In Conversation

Alex and Srey are discussing a movie they just watched.

Alex: That was a powerful movie! The story was amazing.

Srey: I agree. The main actor is very famous, isn't he?

Alex: Yes. He was in a movie about a dangerous spy. This role is very different.

Srey: It's understandable why he wanted a different role. It's good to try new things.

Bora: I thought the character he played was very careless with money.

Srey: True, but the ending was not hopeless! He learned to be responsible.

quiz Check Your Understanding

1. What is the adjective form of the noun 'beauty'?

• a) beautiless
• b) beautiment
• c) beautiful

Click to see the answer

Answer: c) beautiful

2. If something has no use, it is ______.

• a) useful
• b) useless
• c) useable

Click to see the answer

Answer: b) useless

3. The suffix "-able" usually means...

• a) full of.
• b) without.
• c) can be done.

Click to see the answer

Answer: c) can be done.

edit Your Mission

1. Word Families: In your notebook, complete these transformations: 1. danger (noun) ➞ ? 2. hope (noun) ➞ ? (the opposite) 3. comfort (noun) ➞ ?.
2. My Sentences: Write two sentences using adjectives from this lesson. (e.g., "Motorbikes can be dangerous if you are not careful.")
3. Speak: Your mission is to describe something to a friend using an adjective that ends in "-ful" or "-less". (e.g., "The movie was powerful." or "This broken pen is useless.")

book Lesson Glossary

1. Suffix (noun) - Khmer: បច្ច័យ (pach-chay) - A letter or group of letters added to the end of a word to change its function. ↩
2. Comparative (adjective form) - Khmer: ការប្រៀបធៀប (kaa priəp-thiəp) - The form of an adjective used to compare two things (e.g., bigger, more beautiful). ↩
3. -ful (suffix) - Khmer: (-ហ្វូល) - A suffix that means "full of" a quality. ↩
4. -less (suffix) - Khmer: (-ឡេស) - A suffix that means "without" a quality. ↩
5. -able / -ible (suffix) - Khmer: (-អេប៊ល / -អ៊ិប៊ល) - A suffix that means "can be done". ↩
6. -ous (suffix) - Khmer: (-អស) - A suffix that means "having the quality of". ↩