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What are adjective suffixes? 15 common adjective suffixes in English

What are adjective suffixes? What is the most appropriate way to use adjective suffixes in English? Let's have a look at some common adjective suffixes with PREP in the article below!

I. What are adjective suffixes?

What are adjective suffixes? Adjective suffixes are a group of letters added to the end of a word to turn it into an adjective. For example:

The verb “understand” when added with the suffix “-able” becomes the adjective “understandable”.
The noun “power” when added with the suffix “-ful” becomes the noun “powerful”.

For more information, please refer to the following articles:

What are noun suffixes? A summary of common noun suffixes in English

II. List of the most common adjective suffixes

Let's take a look at PREP's list of the 15 most common adjective suffixes below!

Adjective suffixes	Example	Meaning
-able/ -ible	Suitable	acceptable or right for someone or something
-able/ -ible	Audible	able to be heard
-ful	Beautiful	having an attractive quality that gives pleasure to those who experience it or think about it
-ive	Attractive	very pleasing in appearance or sound
-ant/ -ent	Observant	good or quick at noticing things
-ant/ -ent	Dependent	needing the support of something or someone in order to continue existing or operating
-less	Hopeless	without hope
-al/ -ial/ -ical	Musical	related to or connected with music
	Partial	not complete
	Identical	exactly the same, or very similar
-y	Dirty	marked with dirt, mud, etc., or containing something such as pollution or bacteria
-ish	Childish	typical of a child
-er/ -est	Taller	Comparative form of tall
-er/ -est	Tallest	Superlative form of tall
-ed/ -ing	Interesting	Someone or something that is interesting keeps your attention because he, she, or it is unusual, exciting, or has a lot of ideas
-ed/ -ing	Interested	wanting to give your attention to something and discover more about it

III. Adjective formation in English

How can an English adjective be formed? Read the information below to find the answer!

1. Add a suffix after the verb

Formula:

Verb + adjective suffix = adjective.

For example:

Verb	Adjective suffix	Adjective	Meaning
Access	-ible	Accessible	able to be reached or easily obtained
Create	-ive	Creative	producing or using original and unusual ideas

2. Add a suffix after the noun

Formula:

Noun + adjective suffix = adjective.

For example:

Noun	Adjective suffix	Adjective	Meaning
Faith	-ful	Faithful	firm and not changing in your friendship with or support for a person or an organization, or in your belief in your principles
Limit	-less	Limitless	without limit

3. The differences between adjectives ending in “-ed” and adjectives ending in “-ing”

Adjectives ending in “-ed”

Adjectives ending in “-ing”

Usage

To describe feelings or emotions

To describe characteristics of a person, a thing or a situation.

Example

I was surprised when receiving the gift.

She is interested in reading.

The story is surprising and well-written.

She is an interesting person.

IV. Exercises on adjective suffixes with answers

Let's practice the following exercises to gain more knowledge about adjective suffixes!

1. Exercises

Exercise 1: Complete the sentence with the suitable adjective form

The candidate had the_____(suit) skills and experience.
The speaker ensured that her voice was clear and_____(audio).
The garden was filled with vibrant flowers, creating a_____(beauty) atmosphere.
The new product design was so_____(attract) to potential customers.
Robert’s_____(observe) nature allowed him to notice the small details

Exercise 2: Match the following words with the appropriate adjective suffixes to form the correct adjectives

Word	Adjective suffix
Danger Friend Hope Energy Info	-ive -ous -ic -ful -ly

Exercise 3: Choose the correct answer

The twins may look alike, but their personalities are quite_______.
1. Different
2. Difference
3. Differentiate
The museum displayed a vast collection of _______artifacts, offering visitors a glimpse into the rich and diverse past of the region.
1. History
2. Historical
3. Historic
The professor provided _______resources for the students, including extra reading materials and online tutorials.
1. Addition
2. Additionality
3. Additional
The smartphone has become an essential and _______tool, allowing people to stay connected, access information.
1. Useful
2. Usage
3. Useless
Following the safety guidelines is _______to ensure the well-being of all employees in the workplace.
1. Important
2. Unimportant
3. Importance
I thought she was the most ______woman I’d ever seen.
1. Beauty
2. Beautiful
3. Beautifully
Robert didn't seem very _______in what I was saying.
1. Interesting
2. Interested
3. Interest

2. Answer

Exercise 1	Exercise 2	Exercise 3
Suitable Audible Beautiful Attractive Observant	Dangerous Friendly Hopeful Energetic Informative	A B C A A B B

V. Start Your IELTS Journey

Through this post, PREP hopes you have gained an understanding of 15 common English adjective suffixes. By familiarizing yourself with these suffixes, you can greatly expand your ability to describe and differentiate various qualities. If Want to learn the secrets to IELTS success? Explore PREP powerful resource today.

IELTS online coaching: Score Big in IELTS With Our Expert Tips!

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.