What does the suffix "-less" indicate?

Study for the PSSA English Language Arts (ELA) - Grade 4 Test. Engage with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each complete with hints and explanations to ensure understanding. Prepare for success on your exam!

Multiple Choice

What does the suffix "-less" indicate?

Explanation:
The suffix "-less" is used to indicate the absence of something or the lack of a particular quality. For example, when it’s added to the word "hope," it forms "hopeless," which means without hope. This linguistic tool helps to convey a sense of emptiness or deficiency regarding the root word it modifies. Thus, when a word ends with "-less," it suggests that whatever characteristic the root word signifies is not present. This is why "without" is the correct interpretation of the suffix "-less."

The suffix "-less" is used to indicate the absence of something or the lack of a particular quality. For example, when it’s added to the word "hope," it forms "hopeless," which means without hope. This linguistic tool helps to convey a sense of emptiness or deficiency regarding the root word it modifies. Thus, when a word ends with "-less," it suggests that whatever characteristic the root word signifies is not present. This is why "without" is the correct interpretation of the suffix "-less."

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