English Affixes with Identical Forms

Affixes are forms that attach to the base to form new words. Because they do not occur in isolation, they are bound morphemes. A number of English affixes have the same forms but are in fact separate affixes.

Four affixes with identical forms are -en, -er, -s and -ing. Although they have the same phonological forms, they are two separate morphemes. The reason is that they have different meanings and different functions.

The affix -en is often used for the past participle. In the sentence I have eaten, the word eaten is the past participle of the verb eat. However, the affix en can also attach to adjectives to create verbs. In the senttence, I need to tighten my belt, the affix -en derives a verb from the adjective tight.

Let us now analyze the affix -er. It can be the agentive suffix in words such as painter, singer and teacher. However, it can also be the comparative suffix of adjectives and adverbs. In the sentence She was faster, the word faster is an adjective, and in the sentence She runs faster, the word faster is an adverb.

The affix -s marks the plural in words such as books, cars and tables. It can also mark the third person singular present form of verbs as in the sentence He always eats breakfast.

Another affix with two forms is -ing. It can be used to make gerunds, nouns derived from verbs. An example is the sentence Singing is a lot of fun. However, in the sentence They are singing, the affix -ing is a participle affix. The verbs are and singing create the present participle.

Affixes are very useful in the formation of words. Unlike nouns and words which can occur in isolation, affixes cannot. Nouns and verbs are free morphemes, but affixes are bound morphemes. Many English affixes have identical forms but are actually separate affixes.