Agent Suffix Sort

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Hover over each suffix to see examples. Click on each link to learn more.

<-or>

<i> + <-an>

Other

<-ist>

<-er>

Agent suffixes are added to verbs to create agent nouns. Agent nouns are the person or thing "doing" the verb.

Agent suffixes

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Drag each word to the correct agent suffix. Then write and complete the word sum. (Note any changes!)

act

bank

read

conduct

banker; reader; teacher; worker; batter; driver

teach

actor; conductor; creator; factor; collector; dictator

create

fact

collect

work

bat

drive

dictate

<-er>

<-or>

Solution

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Drag each partial word sum to the correct agent suffix. Then write and complete the word sum. (Note any changes!)

sci + ent

libr + ary

flor

music

librarian; musician; custodian; historian; technician; vegetarian

chem

scientist; florist; chemist; tourist; biologist; activist

custody

history

techn + ic

veget + ary

tour

bi + o + loge

act + ive

<i> + <-an>

<-ist>

Solution

Agent suffix <-ist>

Words that take the agent suffix <ist> will often have a counterpart in words with the suffix <-ism>: journalist/journalism socialist /socialism This suffix also shows up a lot in musical professions (violinst, pianist) and scientific professions (botanist, psychologist)

Agent suffix <-er>

This is the most frequent agent suffix in English. It is still productive today.

Agent suffix <i> + <an>

Watch your suffixing conventions when using this suffix. Sometimes the connecting vowel letter <i> isn't needed, as in republican. Sometimes the <i> was a <y> in the base or stem, as in comedian. Sometimes, the base is contracted as in American or Mexican.

Latinate suffix <-or>

This suffix is typically found on words or bases of Latin origin. However, just because a base is from Latin does not mean it requires the suffix <-or>. Sometimes if you can add a suffix <-ion> to the base, you can also add agent suffix <-or>, as in actor/action or professor/profession. However, this is not always the case, doctor/*doction. Another rule of thumb says if you can add the suffix <-ate>, it will also take an agent suffix <-or>, as in alternate/alternator.