形容词后缀不可乱加
下面这则广告中的
形容词"irresistable"里的后缀( suffix)不对,应该把"-able"改为"-ible":
"We offer:
competitivemonthly salary, weekly
incentives, attractive transport allowance,
incentive trips and irresistable performance bonus."
到底是"-able",还是"-ible"?这两者有何不同?
现在先从
形容词的其他后缀谈起。
形容词后缀分两大类。一类是加到名词上的;另一类是加到动词上的。
㈠加到名词上的主要有:① -y,如:bloody, dirty, healthy, juicy, muddy; ② -ly,如:costly, friendly, lovely, orderly, timely;③ -ful,如:careful, faithful, helpful, peaceful, useful;④ -less,如:careless,
harmless, noiseless,
senseless, useless;⑤ -ous/-ious,如:dangerous;
courageous,
envious, mysterious;⑥ -al/-tal/-ial/-tial,如:accidental,
horizontal, colonial, influential;⑦ -ic/-etic/-atic,如:artistic, sympathetic, systematic;⑧ -ish,如:childish, foolish, selfish;⑨ -like,如: life-like, business-like, war-like;⑩ -ed/-en,如:skilled, horned, golden, wooden。
㈡加到动词上的有:① -ent/-ant,如:dependent, different, observant, pleasant;② -able/-ible,如: agreeable, comfortable, defensible, sensible;③ -ive/-tive/-ative/-itive,如:active, attentive,
imaginative, sensitive;④ -ed/-en,如:advanced, noted, stolen, swollen;⑤ -ing,如:annoying, disgusting, entertaining。
-able/ible 出现在第二类后缀中,"-able"后缀的
形容词属英语体系的字;"-ible"后缀的
形容词则来自拉丁体系。前者数量大,后者数量少,主要的是下面这些,可以特别留意:
accessible, apprehensible,
audible, compatible,
contemptible, convertible, corrigible, destructible, digestible, divisible, defensible,
edible, eligible, exhaustible, fallible,
feasible,
flexible, forcible, horrible, illegible, intelligible, negligible,
perceptible, possible, responsible, resistible, sensible, suspectible, tangible, terrible, visible。
现在顺便把名词、动词和副词主要后缀提出,作为参考:
⑴名词后缀
-ment, -t, -ture, -ion/-ition, -al, -ance, -ent, -er, -ant 等。这些名词后缀都要加到适当的动词上,如:arrangement,
restraint,
fixture,
celebration,
extension, competition, renewal, assistance,
resident, exporter, attendant。
-ness, -y/-ty/-ity, -th, -ce/-cy 等,可以加到适当的
形容词上如:darkness, kindness,
honesty,
loyalty,
simplicity, truth, warmth, importance, absence, ungency,
efficiency.
⑵动词后缀:
加到名词上的有 -en, -ise/-ize, -fy, -ate,如:frighten, apologise,
beautify, motivate。
加到
形容词上的有 -ise/-ize, -en,如:modernise, realise,
brighten,
weaken。
⑶副词后缀:
-ly,可以加到
形容词和某些名词上,如:beautifully, clearly,
leisurely, weekly。
每个后缀都有一定的意思,但不能脱离词根独立生存,这点要特别注意,以免犯错。
关键字:
英语讲义生词表: