English Prefixes and Suffixes Exercises - Part 1

English Prefixes and Suffixes Exercises about: word meanings, identifying the correct prefix or suffix, writing suffixed or prefixed words correctly and making new words using affixes.

Exercise 1                     Answers

Identify the five words with prefixes in the following paragraph, and specify write their meanings on a sheet of paper.

At first, I thought one of my fuzzy, orange socks disappeared in the dryer, but I could not find it in there. Because it was my favorite pair, nothing was going to prevent me from finding that sock. I looked all around my bedroom, under the bed, on top of the bed, and in my closet, but I still could not find it. I did not know that I would discover the answer just as I gave up my search. As I sat down on the couch in the family room, my Dad was reclining on his chair. I laughed when I saw that one of his feet was orange and the other blue! I forgot that he was color-blind. Next time he does laundry I will have to supervise him while he folds the socks so that he does not accidentally take one of mine!

Exercise 2                     Answers

Add the correct prefix to the word to complete each sentence. 

1- I wanted to ease my stomach ________comfort, so I drank some ginger root tea.

2- Lenny looked funny in his ________matched shirt and pants.

3- Penelope felt ________glamorous at the party because she was the only one not wearing a dress.

4- My mother said those ________aging creams do not work, so I should not waste my money on them.

5- The child’s ________standard performance on the test alarmed his parents.

6- When my sister first saw the meteor, she thought it was a ________natural phenomenon.

7- Even though she got an excellent job offer, Cherie did not want to ________locate to a different country.

8- With a small class size, the students get to ________act with the teacher more frequently.

9- I slipped on the ice because I did not heed the ________cautions about watching my step.

10- A ________combatant is another word for civilian.

Exercise 3                     Answers

Write correctly the forms of the words with their suffixes. You may need to see the suffixes rules.

refer + ed	....................................
refer + ence	....................................
mope + ing	....................................
approve + al	....................................
green + ness	....................................
benefit + ed	....................................
resubmit + ing	....................................
use + age	....................................
greedy + ly	....................................
excite + ment	....................................

Exercise 4                     Answers

Use prefixes to find the opposite of these verbs. Check a common prefixes list it needed.

wrap	....................................
use	....................................
agree	....................................
engage	....................................
behave	....................................
understand	....................................
fold	....................................
spell	....................................
connect	....................................
close	....................................

Exercise 5                     Answers

Put the words in brackets in the appropriate form (use prefixes or suffixes):

1- He was acting in a very _______ way. (child)

2- She looked _______ .She started to cry. (happy)

3- He passed his exam. He was _______ for the second time. (succeed)

4- The team that he supported was able to win the _______ . (champion)

5- I couldn't find any _______ in his theory. (weak)

6- He wants to be a _______ when he grows up. (mathematics)

7- There were only a _______ of people at the match. (hand)

8- The road was too narrow, so they had to _______ it. (wide)

9- I think that you should _______ your decision. It may not be the best thing to do. (consider)

10- You need a _______ of motivation, organization and hard work to realize your dreams. (combine)

Exercise 6                     Answers

Complete the tables and mark the stress on each word: 

Verb	Noun		Adjective	Noun
educate	.............		stupid	.............
improve	.............		happy	.............
jog	.............		weak	.............
govern	.............		similar	.............
spell	.............		active	.............
hesitate	.............		sad	.............
arrange	.............		popular	.............

Exercise 7                     Answers

Complete the verbs in these sentences

1- We un__________ as soon as we got to the hotel, then went out for a walk.

2- She was here a minute ago, then she dis__________. I don’t know where she is.

3- My homework was so bad that I’ll have to re__________ it.

4- Her alarm clock didn’t go off and she over__________.

5- I dis__________ the film, but the others enjoyed it.

6- I don’t think I’ll pass the exam, but I can always re__________  it September.

Exercise 8                     Answers

Combine words on the left with the correct suffix on the right to complete the text. In case of ambiguity suffixes rules may help you:

improve    televise     weak    govern    elect    educate      manage     stupid

-ment    -ity    -ness    -ion    -ation

In his first broadcast on _(television)_ since he won the ____________ last month, the prime minister promised to make health and ____________  his top two priorities.

And in a strong attack on the previous ____________, he said that the present ____________ of the British economy was caused by their ____________ and bad ____________ . He said things were going to change, and he hoped the British people would be able to see a big ____________ in the economy by the end of the year.

Exercise 9                     Answers

Add a prefix to each of the following words to make new words :

mis- / anti- / im- / in- / il- / un- / dis- / non- / pre- / en-

…….possible	…….understand	…….attentive	…….polite	…….place
…….depressive	…….employed	…….turn	…….vision	…….organized
…….agree	…….able	…….justice	…….lead	…….gravity
…….happy	…….legal	…….like	…….write	…….school
…….active	…….regular	…….logical	…….sense	…….stop
…….known	…….fiction	…….expected	…….historic	…….cursor
…….loyal	…….cover	…….dote	…….dress	…….courage
…….do	…….able	…….reliable	…….face	…….climax

Exercise 10                     Answers

Add a suffix to each of the following words to make new words:

-y/ -ly / -less / -ful / -er / -or / -ness / -able / -ment / -al / -ary / -ous / -ian / -ity

fear…….	teach…….	help…….	brother…….	happy…….
accident…….	photocopy…….	understand…….	loud…….	courage…….
thought…….	kind…….	care…….	home…….	fashion…….
friend…….	water…….	jealous…….	speech…….	tax…….
popular…….	clear…….	hope…….	mad…….	suit…….
sugar…….	rely…….	prime…….	pain…….	danger…….
fame…….	comfort…….	fog…….	environment…	act…….
use…….	Brazil…….	drink…….	encourage…….	deplore…….