Noun suffixes

-TION/-SION = ACTION
demonstration, exploration, authorization, expansion, admission
-MENT = ACTION OR ITS RESULT
punishment, argument, development, enlargement, unemployment
-AL = ACTION OR ITS RESULT
denial, refusal, trial, renewal, proposal
-ANCE/-ENCE = ACTION OR RESULT
dependence, attendance, acceptance, interference

-SHIP = STATE OR CONDITION

friendship, citizenship, leadership, authorship, membership

-CY = STATE OR CONDITION

bankruptcy, constancy, decency, accuracy, normalcy

-RY/-ERY = ACTION, CONDITION, OCCUPATION

slavery, foolery, dentistry, cookery, chemistry

-ILITY/-ITY/-TY = STATE OR CONDITION

ability, simplicity, cruelty, readability, visibility, stability

-ER = PROFESSION, PURPOSEFUL DEVICE, ORIGIN OF PERSONS

banker, bookseller, container, locker, Londoner

-EE = SB AFFECTED BY STH/SB

employee, chatee, interviewee, evacuee

-ANT/-ENT = SB WHO CARRIES OUT

servant, inhabitant, informant, solvent

-ING = RESULT
building, clothing, painting
Verb suffixes
-IFY = TO MAKE, TO CAUSE
simplify, prettify, classify, exemplify, justify

-IZE/-ISE = TO MAKE, TO TREAT IN THE WAY OF

civilize, organize, Americanize, legalize, nationalize, popularize

-EN = TO MAKE, TO MAKE BECOME

shorten, blacken, darken, harden, weaken, widen, sadden, deafen, deepen

-ATE = TO ADD OR PROVIDE WITH

urinate, ventilate, dehydrate, duplicate, differentiate
Adjective suffixes
-ABLE/-IBLE = STH THAT IS/CAN BE
drinkable, available, breakable, portable, reliable, responsible, audible

-AL = OF THE NATURE/ORIGIN OF

natural, tidal, accidental, musical, criminal, educational, editorial, continental

-EN = MATERIALS
wooden, woolen, golden/gold

-ESE/-AN/-IAN/-ISH = ORIGIN
Japanese, Portuguese, British, Turkish, German, Russian

-FUL = FULL OF, OF THE NATURE OF

doubtful, powerful, careful, useful, helpful, spoonful, handful, tactful

-IC = OF THE NATURE OF

comic, domestic, aristocratic, dramatic, phonetic, systematic, energetic

-ICAL = OF THE NATURE OF

economical, biological, comical, historical

-ING = STH EXPERIENCED LIKE

amazing, amusing, shocking

-LESS = DEVOID OF
homeless, endless, careless, spotless, thoughtless, jobless, nameless

-LY = PERIODIC OCCURRENCE

daily, monthly, yearly, quarterly

-LIKE = BEHAVING LIKE

childlike, gentlemanlike, godlike

-WARD = IN THE DIRECTION OF

homeward, eastward, onward, backward, forward

-Y = OF THE NATURE OF
funny, rusty, bony, nervy, catchy, sticky, headachy, classy
Negative prefixes
A- = NOT, LACKING IN, NOT AFFECTED BY
amoral, atheist, asymmetry, asexual, apolitical

DIS- = NOT, ABSOLUTE OPPOSITE

disloyal, distrust, disabled, dislike, disagree, disadvantage

NON- = LACKING IN
non-fiction, non-political, non-neutral

UN- = OPPOSITE
unhappy, unfair, unreal, unexpected, unproductive

BEFORE WORDS OF FRENCH ORIGIN: IN-

insane, injustice, intolerance, inconvenient

IL- = BEFORE L-
illegal, illogical

IM- = BEFORE P-
imperfect, impatient, improbable, immature

IR- = BEFORE R-
irregular, irresponsible, irreplaceable, irrelevant
Beware the differences
Economic deals with economy

Economical less wasteful

Economically is the adverb form of both words

Historical related to history, to the study of things in the past: novel, object, event

Historic has or it is likely to have significance/importance in history: event, person

Historically is the adverb form of both words

Alternate = /lt(r)nt/ adj. following by turns, one after the other, a substitute or
second, every other in a series

Alternately is the adverb form

Alternate /lt(r)net/ = verb related to the adjective = to go back and forth

Alternative = adj. /lt(r)ntv/, noun /lt(r)ntv/, refers to be able to be used

instead of sth, the other choice

Alternatively is the adverb form

Bad = adjective, describes nouns or pronouns, often used with verbs like look, feel,
sound, or to be.

-Incorrect: She felt badly about missing the date.

-Correct: She felt bad about missing the date.

Badly = adverb, describes verbs and should be used with all verbs other than linking
verbs. It usually answers the question "How?"

-Incorrect: Mudville played bad last night.

-Correct: Mudville played badly last night.
Continual = repeated again and again:
I was continually interrupted by the telephone.

Continuous = uninterrupted:
It rained continuously for forty-eight hours.

Different from vs. Different than?

-Different from is standard English proper use

-Different than is nonstandard improper use

Special = adj. = particular, having a specific function or application, designed for a

particular purpose or distinct among others of a kind (a special type of Paint, a special
medication, special role in a mission)

Specially = adv. = particularly, for a particular purpose (specially designed costume,

he came specially to see us, the school is specially for children of diplomat families)

Especial = adj. = exceptional, noteworthy, particular

Especially = adv. = exceptionally, in a noteworthy manner, or particularly, when

something applies more in a situation than another(as in particularly)

-In the sense of particular or particularly - synonyms

-Stressing the exceptional quality = especial/especially:

He did especially well in All-Star Game.

-Stressing the distinctive purpose of something = special/specially:

This program has specially designed macros for word processors.

Farther = length or distance = comparative form of far when referring to distance

-London is farther north than Juneau. (distance)

Further = to a greater degree, additional, additionally. It refers to time or amount =

comparative form of far when meaning much
-This plan requires further study. (additional study, refers to amount)
-According to my timetable, we should be further along. (time)
Good = adj. = describes nouns or pronouns, used also with verbs like look, feel,
sound, taste, or be to describe the subject
-Incorrect: The coffee tasted well this morning.
-Correct: The coffee tasted good this morning.
-Correct: The pitcher is looking good today.

Well = adv. = describes verbs (sometimes adjectives), used with most other verbs
Well as an adj. means healthy

-Correct: He pitches well.

-Incorrect: I do not feel very good.
-Correct: I do not feel very well. (healthy)

Number or Amount?
-Unconuntable: Amount with quantities that cannot be counted:
He had a small amount of ammunition left.

-Conuntable: Number with quantities that could be counted one-by-one.

-He had a small number of bullets left.

Perspective = noun = point of view, especially the ability to see the whole of
something (in art - the ability to draw three dimensional objects using two
dimensional ones)
-The prefix per- means completely

Prospective = adj. = future or potential (prospective position)

-The prefix pro- means forward

Prospect = noun form

-The Latin root of both words, -spect-, means to see. So perspective literally means
seeing completely and prospective means seeing ahead.

Quote = verb = to repeat the words of a writer or speaker

Quotation = noun = words quoted, the act of quoting
Quotation marks = punctuation marks used to highlight a written quotation

-Correct: He quoted Shakespeare frequently.

-Incorrect: We listened to a long quote from the government report.
-Correct: We listened to a long quotation from the government report.
-Incorrect: You need to put this part in quotes.
-Correct: You need to put this part in quotation marks.

Raise = to make higher, to build, to nurture and cause to grow. It is normally

transitive, that is, the action is done to something or someone else. It is a regular
verb.
-They raised the bar of performance.
-He was raised by his grandparents

Rise = to get up, become elevated. It is never transitive. The past tense is rose; the
past participle, risen.
-The sun rises and sets every day.

Real = adjective, modifies only nouns or pronouns

Really = adverb, modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs

-Correct: He stayed at hotels with real class. Class is a noun. The adjective modifies it.
-Incorrect: He stayed at a real classy hotel. (Classy is an adjective. It should be
modified by an adverb.)
-Correct: He stayed at a really classy hotel. (The adjective classy is modified by the
adverb.)

Sure = adjective, modifies nouns or pronouns

Surely = adverb, modifies verbs, adjectives, or adverbs

-Correct: It is a sure thing. (Thing is a noun. An adjective modifies it.)

-Incorrect: It is sure hot outside. (Hot is an adjective. It should be modified by an
adverb.)
-Correct: It is surely hot outside. (Hot is an adjective. An adverb modifies it.)

Borrow = from someone: Can I borrow your bike, please?

Lend = to someone: I can lend you my bike if you want.

Bring = to carry to a nearer place from a more distant one
-Bring that file over here.

Take = to carry to a more distant place from a nearer one

-Take this package to the post office.

Learn = to educate oneself

-I am a student and I am learning about adjectives.

Teach = to educate others

-She is teaching us how to use adjectives.

Try And or Try To?

Try and followed by a verb is nonstandard = improper use

Always use try to

-Incorrect: Try and do it again.

-Correct: Try to do it again.