Prefixes and Suffixes — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. A person who reads books is called a reader.
The suffix -er means "one who." A reader is a person who reads, just like a writer is one who writes.
2. To judge someone wrongly is to misjudge that person.
The prefix mis- means "wrongly." Misjudge means to form a wrong opinion about someone before you really know them.
3. The tallest building in the city reaches above all others.
The suffix -est means "the most." Tallest means more tall than all the other buildings in the city.
4. A package that can be returned is returnable.
The suffix -able means "can be." Returnable means the package can be sent back to the store if you do not want it.
5. The weakweakness in his arm made lifting hard.
The suffix -ness means "the state of being." Weakness is the state of being weak, which made lifting difficult.
6. A room full of beauty is beautiful.
The suffix -ful means "full of." Beautiful means full of beauty, describing something lovely to look at.
7. She spoke softly so no one woke up.
The suffix -ly turns the adjective soft into an adverb. Softly tells how she spoke -- quietly enough not to wake anyone.
8. To arrange the chairs again is to rearrange the chairs.
The prefix re- means "again." Rearrange means to arrange the chairs in a new way one more time.
9. A child with no manners is mannerless.
The suffix -less means "without." Mannerless means without manners, describing someone who is rude.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
re-
→ again
full of
-ful
→ full of
state of being
mis-
→ wrongly
wrongly
-ness
→ state of being
again
Correct matches: re- → again; -ful → full of; mis- → wrongly; -ness → state of being.