To the Teacher
Suffixation is a major process in the formation of words. Although prefixes are easier to learn, suffixes are more numerous. The suffixes –er, -or, and -ist are introduced first because they have a high frequency and easy-to-understand meanings. Of the three suffixes, –er is the most frequent. (In the exercises that follow, words morphemically divided are joined by plus signs. Words phonetically divided are separated by dashes.)
For Students
How Words Are Made
How are words made? They are made with three main morphemes. Morphemes are word parts that have meaning: bases, prefixes, and suffixes. The base is the main part of a word. The base of unhelpful is help. Un is a prefix. It comes at the beginning of a word, before the base. Ful is a suffix. It comes at the end of a word, after the base. Today’s lesson is about suffixes. Suffixes have been used to make thousands of words. One of the most useful suffixes is -er. The suffix –er is used to turn a verb into a noun. It means “one who does.” Teach + er becomes teacher, one who teaches. A farmer (farm+er) is one who farms. A runner (run {n} +er) runs. A walker (walk+er) walks. The suffix – er can also be used to tell where a person is from. A Southerner (South+ern +er) is from the South. A New Yorker (York+er) is from New York.
The Suffix –or
The suffix –or is similar in meaning to the suffix –er. When added to a verb, the suffix -or forms a noun: act + or >actor. The suffix -or means a person that does something. A director (direct+or) directs. A visitor (visit+or) visits. An inventor (in+vent+or) invents. The suffix -or can also mean “a thing that does something.” An elevator (elevat{e} + or) elevates, which means “to lift up.” Not all or’s at the end of a word are suffixes. The –or at the end of alligator is not a suffix. Alligators don’t alligate.
The Suffix –ist
The suffix –ist means “someone who does or makes or knows.” A bicyclist (bi+cycl(e)+ ist) rides a bicycle. An artist (art+ist) does art. A scientist is one who knows a lot of science. The suffix –ist also means “one who plays a musical instrument” such as a violinist (violin+ist) or clarinetist (clarin+et+ist).
Adding Suffixes
Add the suffix –er, – or, or –ist to the boldfaced words in the following sentences.
- A bank _____ loans people money.
- A banjo_____ likes to make music.
- A cartoon______likes to draw.
- An edit_____fixes spelling, capitalization, and other mistakes.
- A plumb_____ fixes leaks.
- An invent_____ creates new things.
- A ballon_______flies high in the sky.
- A zookeep_____ takes care of animals.
- A visit_____ goes to see people.
- A sail_____ sails the seas.
Matching Words
Read the following. Then match the words.
Dangerous Jobs
Some jobs are downright dangerous. One of the most dangerous is that of the snake milker. Snake milkers milk the poison from venomous (VEN-uh-mus) snakes. Scientists have discovered that poison from snakes can be used to make an anti-venom. An anti-venom is a medicine used by doctors to stop the effects of a poison in a person who has been bitten by a poisonous snake. Herpetologists (her-puh-TAHL-luh-jists) are glad that anti-venoms have been created. As they study snakes, herpetologists are sometimes bitten.
Also dangerous is the job of an alligator wrangler. In some parts of the country where alligators live in the wild, they make their way to places where people live. That’s when alligator wranglers are called. Using ropes and poles to catch the alligator, the wrangler will wire or tape its mouth shut. The wrangler then takes the alligator back to the wild. That’s good for walkers, farmers, soccer players, hikers, visitors, and other people who might be outdoors. They feel safer. Zoologists and conservationists (kon-sir-VAY-shuh-nists) agree that It’s also good for the alligators. The alligators aren’t hurt by humans.
Match the words with their meanings. Draw a line from the word to its meaning.
| 1. herpetologist | a. studies all kinds of animals |
| 2. conservationist | b. herds and controls horses or other animals |
| 3. zoologist | c. saves and protects animals and the environment
|
| 4. wrangler | d. studies snakes and other reptiles |
Answers
Adding Sufixes
1) banker, 2) banjoist, 3) cartoonist, 4) editor, 5) plumber, 6) inventor,
7) balloonist, 8) zookeeper, 9) inventor, 10) sailor
Matching Words
- herpetologist- d. studies snakes and other reptiles
- conservationist- c. saves and protects animals and the environment
- zoologist- a. studies all kinds of animals
- wrangler- b. herds and controls horses or other animals