Affix

Definition

An affix is a bound morpheme added to a root word — either a prefix at the front or a suffix at the end. Affixes modify meaning (UN- reversing) or grammatical role (-ED marking past tense).

Why it matters

Recognising an affix from positional clues anchors several letters at once, sharply narrowing your candidate list in a single deduction.

Examples

• UN- + TIE = UNTIE.
• BAKE + -ER = BAKER.

Best practices

• Learn the most frequent English affixes.
• Remember answers favour base words over heavily inflected forms.

Frequently asked