I thought while we were on the topic (see my video-my last blog), I would also include the meaning and pronunciation of some common English suffixes and how to say them.
Interestingly, I have also noticed that some people have difficulty pronouncing the ‘y’ at the end of words and sometimes leave it off. For example it’s not ‘He was thirst’, it’s ‘He was thirsty’ . Whether it’s the British /ˈθɜːsti/ or American /ˈθɜrsti/ or Australian accent /ˈθɜːsti:/, the ‘y’ at the end is still pronounced. It’s the same for the ‘ly’ English suffix. For example in the word ‘quickly’.
The other thing to note about English suffixes is that often, but not always, the vowel is said as the de-stressed or weak form, the schwa vowel /ə/.
Meaning Of 10 Common English Suffixes And How To Say Them
Suffix Meaning Word
| y | characterised by | happy, grumpy, baby |
| ly | characteristic of | mainly, instantly, only, quickly |
| s, es | more than one | books, coats, boxes, horses |
| ed | past-tense verbs | wanted, looked, waved |
| ing | verb form present participle | singing, giving, eating, making |
| ous, eous, ious | possessing the qualities of | delicious, joyous, erroneous |
| able, ible | can be done | comfortable, able, audible |
| er | comparative | longer, higher, faster |
| ion, tion, | act, process | station, occasion, fashion |
| ment | action or process | statement, enjoyment, compliment |
AUDIO Training- 10 Common English Suffixes And How To Say Them
Happy practising. Best wishes, Esther
Choose:- I want to speak more clearly in a…
