Prefixes and Suffixes for IELTS Writing Test
International English Language Testing System ( IELTS )
Mastering vocabulary is essential for achieving a high band score in IELTS. A strong vocabulary not only enhances your language proficiency but also helps you excel in all four skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. This article explores effective vocabulary-building strategies such as root word analysis, contextual learning, and word family expansion.
What are Prefixes and suffixes?
- Prefixes are added to the beginning of a root word to change its meaning, such as un- in unhappy (meaning not happy).
- Suffixes are added to the end of a word to alter its form or function, such as -ness in happiness (changing an adjective to a noun).
- The root word is the base form that carries the core meaning, like happy in the examples above.
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Prefixes and suffixes for IELTS
Reading
- Recognizing prefixes and suffixes helps you deduce the meaning of unfamiliar words. For instance, the prefix "un-" in unhappy signals a negative meaning.
- They assist in identifying word forms (e.g., act, action, active) required to match question types or complete summaries.
Listening
- Being familiar with prefixes and suffixes allows you to anticipate meaning when encountering unknown words in recordings.
- Understanding word families helps you follow the flow of information, especially when speakers use varied forms of a root word.
Speaking
- Using words with the correct suffixes shows grammatical accuracy and demonstrates a good range of vocabulary. For example, saying beautifully instead of beautiful in the correct context.
- Knowledge of prefixes and suffixes allows you to use more precise language, enhancing fluency and lexical flexibility.
Writing
- Correct use of suffixes shows an ability to handle word forms accurately (e.g., invest, investment, investor).
- Prefixes help in showing contrasts or emphasis, such as using disagree instead of just not agree.
- Demonstrating variety in word forms enriches your essays and fulfills the Lexical Resource criterion.
List of Prefixes and suffixes
List of prefixes
| Prefix |
Meaning |
Examples |
Explanation |
| Un- |
Not, opposite of |
Unlikely, Unhappy |
Not likely; not happy. |
| Re- |
Again |
Rewrite, Redo |
Write again; do again. |
| Pre- |
Before |
Preview, Predict |
View before; to say beforehand. |
| Mis- |
Wrongly |
Misunderstand, Misuse |
Understand wrongly; use incorrectly. |
| Over- |
Too much |
Overestimate, Overwork |
Estimate too high; work too much. |
| Under- |
Too little |
Undervalue, Underpay |
Value too little; pay too little. |
| Anti- |
Against |
Antisocial, Antibiotic |
Against social norms; fights bacteria. |
| Dis- |
Not, opposite of |
Disagree, Disable |
Not agree; make unable. |
| In-/Im- |
Not, without |
Incomplete, Impossible |
Not complete; not possible. |
| Co- |
Together, with |
Cooperate, Coexist |
Work together; exist together. |
| Auto- |
Self, same |
Autograph, Automatic |
Written by oneself; works by itself. |
| Bi- |
Two |
Bilingual, Bicycle |
Speaks two languages; vehicle with two wheels. |
| Ex- |
Out, former |
Ex-president, Export |
Former president; send out goods. |
| Inter- |
Between, among |
International, Interact |
Between nations; engage with others. |
| Intra- |
Within, inside |
Intranet, Intravenous |
Internal network; inside a vein. |
| Sub- |
Under, below |
Submarine, Subtitle |
Underwater vessel; text under a video. |
| Super- |
Above, beyond |
Superhuman, Supervise |
Beyond human ability; oversee actions. |
| Trans- |
Across, beyond |
Transport, Transfer |
Move across places; shift from one place to another. |
| En- |
Cause to, put into |
Encourage, Enable |
Inspire courage; make something possible. |
| De- |
Reverse, remove |
Deactivate, Defrost |
Turn off; remove frost. |
| Mono- |
One, single |
Monologue, Monotone |
Speech by one person; uniform tone. |
| Multi- |
Many, multiple |
Multicultural, Multitask |
Many cultures; do multiple tasks. |
| Non- |
Not, without |
Nonexistent, Nonverbal |
Does not exist; not spoken. |
| Post- |
After |
Postgraduate, Postpone |
After graduation; delay something. |
| Pro- |
For, forward |
Promote, Proceed |
Support or advance; move forward. |
| Semi- |
Half, partial |
Semicircle, Semifinal |
Half-circle; halfway in a competition. |
| Uni- |
One, single |
Unilateral, Uniform |
Involving one side; consistent in appearance. |
List of Suffixes
| Suffix |
Meaning |
Examples |
Explanation |
| -tion |
State or action (noun) |
Education, Operation |
Act of educating; a process of working. |
| -ment |
Result of an action |
Development, Achievement |
Act of developing; result of achieving. |
| -er/-or |
Person performing action |
Teacher, Actor |
One who teaches; one who acts. |
| -ly |
In a manner (adverb) |
Quickly, Happily |
In a quick way; in a happy way. |
| -able/-ible |
Ability or quality |
Capable, Visible |
Able to do; can be seen. |
| -ous |
Full of (adjective) |
Famous, Dangerous |
Full of fame; risky or harmful. |
| -ive |
Having a quality |
Creative, Productive |
Having creativity; efficient in producing. |
| -ness |
State or quality |
Happiness, Kindness |
The state of being happy; quality of being kind. |
| -ic |
Pertaining to |
Historic, Scientific |
Related to history; relating to science. |
| -ize/-ise |
To make or become (verb) |
Organize, Realise |
To arrange; to make real. |
| -al |
Relating to |
Cultural, Natural |
Related to culture; related to nature. |
| -ance |
Action, process, state |
Performance, Guidance |
Act of performing; act of guiding. |
| -ence |
State, quality |
Difference, Existence |
State of being different; state of existing. |
| -ary |
Related to, place of |
Secretary, Library |
One who helps administratively; a place for books. |
| -ful |
Full of |
Beautiful, Hopeful |
Full of beauty; full of hope. |
| -less |
Without |
Careless, Hopeless |
Without care; without hope. |
| -ship |
Position, quality |
Leadership, Friendship |
Being a leader; bond of friendship. |
| -ity |
Quality, state |
Responsibility, Flexibility |
State of being responsible; ability to adapt. |
| -sion |
Action, process (noun) |
Decision, Expansion |
Act of deciding; process of expanding. |
Prefix Exercise with Answers and Explanations
Part 1: Prefixes
Complete the sentences by adding the correct prefix.
1. The company decided to _______launch the product after fixing its technical issues. (launch)
Answer: Relaunch
Explanation: The prefix re- means "again," so relaunch means to launch again after adjustments.
2. His arguments were completely _______related to the topic, making it difficult to follow his point. (related)
Answer: Unrelated
Explanation: The prefix un- means "not," so unrelated means not connected to the topic.
3. Students often _______interpret complex passages in the IELTS reading test. (interpret)
Answer: Misinterpret
Explanation: The prefix mis- means "wrongly," so misinterpret means to interpret something incorrectly.
4. _______cultural communication skills are essential in global business environments. (cultural)
Answer: Intercultural
Explanation: The prefix inter- means "between," so intercultural refers to communication between different cultures.
5. Due to insufficient funds, the project was _______funded and could not meet its goals. (funded)
Answer: Underfunded
Explanation: The prefix under- means "too little," so underfunded indicates a lack of sufficient funding.
6. We should not _______estimate the importance of time management in the IELTS exam. (estimate)
Answer: Overestimate
Explanation: The prefix over- means "too much," so overestimate means to assess something as more important than it is.
7. The lecture was _______recorded for students who could not attend in person. (recorded)
Answer: Pre-recorded
Explanation: The prefix pre- means "before," so pre-recorded means recorded earlier.
8. She requested a _______view of her writing to catch any overlooked errors. (view)
Answer: Preview
Explanation: The prefix pre- means "before," so preview means to view beforehand.
9. Many people _______trust online information, leading to the spread of misinformation. (trust)
Answer: Distrust
Explanation: The prefix dis- means "not" or "opposite of," so distrust means not trusting something.
10.The train will _______fer passengers from the airport to the city center. (fer)
Answer: Transfer
Explanation: The prefix trans- means "across," so transfer means to move something or someone across places.
Suffix Exercise with Answers and Explanations
Part 2: Suffixes
Complete the sentences by adding the correct suffix.
1. Flexibility and adaptability are key factors for _______ in academic environments. (succeed)
Answer: Success
Explanation: The suffix -cess forms a noun indicating the outcome of succeeding.
2. The scientist provided a detailed _______ of the experiment's results. (explain)
Answer: Explanation
Explanation: The suffix -ation forms a noun, indicating the process or result of explaining.
3. It is essential to maintain _______ during challenging situations in the exam. (calm)
Answer: Calmness
Explanation: The suffix -ness forms a noun, describing the state or quality of being calm.
4. The natural landscape had an _______ quality that captivated visitors. (aesthetic)
Answer: Aesthetic
Explanation: The suffix -ic forms an adjective describing something related to beauty or art.
5. His _______ attitude made it easier for his team to work collaboratively. (support)
Answer: Supportive
Explanation: The suffix -ive forms an adjective, describing someone who provides support.
6. Candidates must demonstrate their _______ to summarize main ideas effectively in writing. (able)
Answer: Ability
Explanation: The suffix -ity forms a noun, referring to the quality of being able.
7. The speaker addressed an audience of _______ scholars at the conference. (academia)
Answer: Academic
Explanation: The suffix -ic forms an adjective describing something related to education or scholarship.8
8. Time _______ is critical in completing the IELTS writing task within the allotted time. (manage)
Answer: Management
Explanation: The suffix -ment forms a noun indicating the process or result of managing something.
9. IELTS listening requires candidates to respond _______ to various accents and styles. (quick)
Answer: Quickly
Explanation: The suffix -ly forms an adverb, describing how an action is performed.
10. The _______ nature of the problem made it difficult to find a single solution. (complex)
Answer: Complex
Explanation: The word complex itself serves as both a noun and an adjective, describing something complicated.
Exceptions to Affixes
While most prefixes and suffixes follow predictable patterns, there are some exceptions to how they function. For instance,
- Certain prefixes can create irregular forms or alter the spelling of the root word in unexpected ways. One example is the prefix "in-," which typically means "not," but when added to words like "incredible," it does not simply negate the meaning but intensifies it.
- Similarly, when suffixes like "-able" or "-ible" are added, they may require the removal of certain letters from the root word.
- In some cases, a word may appear to be modified by an affix but retain its original meaning, such as "enlarge," where "en-" doesn't dramatically change the meaning but intensifies it.
Understanding these exceptions requires practice and exposure to various words, as they are often influenced by the historical evolution of the language.
Frequently Asked Questions
1 Can I improve my vocabulary for IELTS by learning prefixes and suffixes?
Answer: Yes, learning prefixes and suffixes enables you to expand your vocabulary and understand word families. This will improve your ability to choose the correct word forms in both the Writing and Speaking sections.
2 How can I practice using prefixes and suffixes for IELTS?
Answer: Practice by creating word families from root words. For example, from the root word "active", you can form "inactive", "activity", and "activation". Additionally, try reading academic texts and identifying prefixes and suffixes in new words.
3 Do prefixes and suffixes affect the meaning or grammatical structure of a word?
Answer: Yes, prefixes and suffixes significantly change the meaning or grammatical role of a word. For example, the prefix "dis-" in "disagree" reverses the meaning, while the suffix "-ly" in "quickly" turns an adjective into an adverb.
4 Are there any exceptions to how prefixes and suffixes work?
Answer: While most prefixes and suffixes follow clear patterns, there can be some exceptions. For instance, some words have irregular spellings or forms when combined with prefixes or suffixes, so it's essential to practice and recognize these exceptions.
5 Can I use prefixes and suffixes in my IELTS Writing Task?
Answer: Absolutely! Using the correct prefixes and suffixes will help you demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary, which is crucial for achieving a higher score in IELTS Writing. For example, using the appropriate suffix can change a noun into an adjective, making your sentence more precise and varied.
6 How long will it take to master prefixes and suffixes for IELTS?
Answer: The time it takes to master prefixes and suffixes depends on your current vocabulary and study habits. However, with consistent practice, you can significantly improve your understanding and usage of prefixes and suffixes in a few weeks. Regular reading and vocabulary exercises are key to quick mastery.
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