Prefixes and Suffixes Notes & Questions | Class 4 English | Drishti OS

Prefixes and Suffixes

A prefix is added to the front of a word to change its meaning (un + happy = unhappy).
A suffix is added to the end of a word to change its meaning (care + ful = careful).
Common prefixes: un- (not), re- (again), dis- (not/opposite).
Common suffixes: -ful (full of), -less (without), -ly (in a certain manner).

Adding a prefix or suffix creates a new word with a related meaning: care → careful → careless → carefully.

NCERT anchor: Marigold 4 (CBSE English reader) — word formation and vocabulary building.

Add a prefix to 'agree' to mean 'not agree'.

Step 1 — 'Not agree' needs a prefix that means 'not'.
Step 2 — 'dis-' means not/opposite.
Answer: disagree

Add a suffix to 'fear' to mean 'without fear'.

Step 1 — 'Without' needs the suffix '-less'.
Step 2 — fear + less = fearless.
Answer: fearless

Mistake	Why it happens	Fix
Mixing up un- and dis-	Both can mean 'not'	Learn common words with each prefix by heart
Adding -ful and -less to the same word by mistake	Confusing 'full of' and 'without'	Ask: does the word mean HAVING it or NOT HAVING it?
Forgetting to drop letters before adding a suffix	Not checking spelling rules	Check spelling carefully (e.g., happy → happily)

Add 're-' to 'read' — what does the new word mean?
Add '-ful' to 'help' — what does the new word mean?
Which prefix turns 'kind' into its opposite?
Stretch: Make three new words using 'un-', 're-', and 'dis-' with words of your choice, and use each in a sentence.

Revision tip: Keep a list of prefixes and suffixes with one example word for each — add a new one every week.

Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Prefixes and Suffixes.