VCE English Language Metalanguage Practice Test 2025 - Free Metalanguage Practice Questions and Study Guide

Question: 1 / 400

What is the key distinguishing feature of a suffix?

It appears at the end of a word

A suffix is specifically defined as a morpheme that is added to the end of a word to modify its meaning or to create a new word, establishing its key distinguishing feature as appearing at the end of a word. For example, in the word "happiness," the suffix "-ness" is added to the root word "happy" to form a noun that represents the quality of being happy. This modification often involves changes in the grammatical category of the word, such as turning an adjective into a noun. While it's true that suffixes can also influence word class, the defining characteristic is their position at the end of the word rather than their ability to change classes or their length. Other options incorrectly describe the characteristics of morphemes; for instance, prefixes occur at the beginning of words, and suffixes can vary in length beyond just a single letter.

Get further explanation with Examzify DeepDiveBeta

It appears at the beginning of a word

It is only a single letter

It can change word class

Next Question

Report this question

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy