useless and useful

[Candy Floss]

Hello everyone..I want to ask about the suffixes "less" and "ful" ...if the root of the word is use... what would be less?I know what does this word mean but want to know how to form that kind of words with less and ful ..like wordless and e.c. I don't know when exactly to put less and on what word, verbs or nouns? Plese explain me the grammar rules in this case!Thank you in advance...Many regards

[Alan]

Hi Candy Floss,

There are so many examples that it would be difficult to make a definitive list. As far as the construction of these words, they are usually a noun turned into an adjective but the additions of the suffixes 'ful' and 'less' don't always apply to the same word.

Examples:

Noun - thought
Adjectives thoughtful and thoughtless

Noun - speech
Adjective speechless but no word can be formed with speech+ful.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Candy Floss]

Alan thank you very much for your quick response.Now I make it out :)