Prefixes
* Position: Appear before the root word.
* Function: Modify the meaning of the root word, often by adding a nuance, negation, or quantity.
* Examples:
* un- (undo, unhappy)
* pre- (pre-game, pre-existing)
* multi- (multi-tasking, multi-colored)
Suffixes
* Position: Appear after the root word.
* Function: Change the grammatical function of the root word, often turning it into a noun, adjective, adverb, or verb.
* Examples:
* -ing (running, swimming)
* -ly (quickly, happily)
* -ment (agreement, movement)
* -ness (kindness, happiness)
Key Differences
* Position: Prefixes come before, suffixes come after.
* Function: Prefixes modify meaning, suffixes change grammatical function.
Think of it this way:
* A prefix is like a modifier (like "very" or "not"). It adds to the meaning of the word.
* A suffix is like a transformation (like turning a verb into a noun). It changes the role of the word in a sentence.