Today we’ll be talking about suffixes that are used to create nouns of action. These nouns derive from verbs.
There are lots of suffixes that are used, but here are the most used ones:
Table of Contents
-tion
A lot of nouns of action end in –tion, like for example:
RECOGNITION – from the verb TO RECOGNIZE
He gained recognition as one of the best surgeons in the USA.
Here also belong:
INVITATION – from the verb TO INVITE
TRANSLATION – from the verb TO TRANSLATE
and many more.
-sion
Another common ending is –sion, like here:
INVASION – from the verb TO INVADE
The invasion of Poland started the Second World War.
Some other examples:
DIVISION – from the verb TO DIVIDE
CONFUSION – from the verb TO CONFUSE
-ance
Some nouns are created by means of the ending –ance, like for example:
ACCEPTANCE – from the verb TO ACCEPT
Her theory is gaining widespread acceptance.
There are lots of such nouns:
TOLERANCE – from the verb TO TOLERATE
GUIDANCE – from the verb TO GUIDE
-ence
A less frequent variant is the ending –ence, so spelled with an E:
EXISTENCE – from the verb TO EXIST
The existence of ghosts has never been proved.
Here are some more examples:
REFERENCE – from the verb TO REFER
INSISTENCE – from the verb TO INSIST
-ment
The next suffix is –ment:
ACHIEVEMENT – from the verb TO ACHIEVE
Finishing the race was his greatest achievement.
There are quite a lot of nouns with this suffix:
ENJOYMENT – from the verb TO ENJOY
DISAPPOINTMENT – from the verb TO DISAPPOINT
-al
Some suffixes are not very common. Here belongs the suffix –al, which can still be found in a decent number of nouns, like in this one:
PERUSAL – from the verb TO PERUSE
This manuscript deserves careful perusal.
Here are some other common examples:
REFUSAL – from the verb TO REFUSE
APPROVAL – from the verb TO APPROVE
-ure
Finally, the suffix –ure, which doesn’t belong to the most common ones either. As an example let’s take the following noun:
DEPARTURE – from the verb TO DEPART
Her departure has been delayed.
And here are some other examples:
FAILURE – from the verb TO FAIL
ERASURE – from the verb TO ERASE
