Roots, Prefixes & Suffixes — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
The fearless knight was too scared to enter the dark cave.
Corrected: The fearless knight bravely entered the dark cave without hesitation.
The suffix -less means without, so a fearless knight is without fear and would bravely enter the cave instead of being too scared. The corrected sentence matches what -less actually means.
2. Fix the sentence:
Adding -ment to the word "enjoy" changes it from a noun to a verb.
Corrected: Adding -ment to the word "enjoy" changes it from a verb to a noun.
Enjoy is a verb meaning to take pleasure in something, and adding -ment turns it into the noun enjoyment. The original sentence reversed the order, so the fix swaps verb and noun back into place.
3. Fix the sentence:
The famous singer was unknown and nobody had heard of her.
Corrected: The famous singer was well-known and admired by fans around the world.
The prefix un- means not, so unknown means not known, the opposite of famous. A famous singer would be well-known and admired rather than unknown.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The suffix -tion turns a verb into a noun, so "educate" becomes education.
The suffix -tion turns a verb into a noun, so the verb educate becomes the noun education. The new word names the result or process of the action.
2. Adding the suffix -ful to "hope" creates hopeful, meaning full of hope.
The suffix -ful means full of, so adding it to hope produces hopeful, meaning full of hope. The base word stays inside the new adjective.
3. The suffix -less means "without," so adding it to "care" makes careless.
Care plus the suffix -less makes careless, since -less means without. The combined word describes acting without care.
4. Adding the suffix -ment to "improve" creates the noun improvement.
Improve is a verb, and adding -ment turns it into improvement, a noun naming the result of improving something. The suffix -ment regularly forms nouns from action verbs.
Part C: Short Answer
Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.
1. What happens to the meaning and part of speech of a word when you add the suffix -ness? Give an example.
Sample answer: The suffix -ness changes an adjective into a noun that means "the state of being." For example, adding -ness to "kind" creates "kindness," which means the state of being kind.
The suffix -ness turns an adjective into a noun meaning the state of being something. So adding -ness to kind gives kindness, the state or quality of being kind.
2. Explain the difference between the suffixes -ful and -less. Use the root word "power" in your answer.
Sample answer: The suffix -ful means "full of" and -less means "without." Adding -ful to "power" creates "powerful," meaning full of power. Adding -less creates "powerless," meaning without power.
The suffix -ful means full of and -less means without, so they are opposites. Powerful means full of power, while powerless means without any power, even though both come from the same root.