Academic Writing for IT Students

Prefixes

Meaning

Examples

mis-

wrongly, badly

misunderstand,

misunderstanding

monograph

mono-

one

multidisciplinary

multi-

many

non-ability

non-

not

outbalance, outgo

out-

more, better

overestimated

over-

excessively

postdate

post-

after

pseudo-scientific

pseudo-

false

preanalysis,

pre-

before

precalculate

recalculate

re-

again

semi-automatic, semi-

semi-

half

natural

subdivision

sub-

under, less

supercompact,

super-

more, big

superfast

trans-

into another state or

transform

place

unexpected,

un-

opposite

unacceptable

Prefixes

Meaning

Examples

under-

not enough

underdeveloped

Suffixes

Meaning

Examples

-age

denoting an action; denoting an

usage, linkage;

aggregate or number of

percentage

-al

denoting verbal action

refusal

denoting a quality or state or an

mportance;

-ance

dissonance;

instance of one; denoting an action

appearance

-ation

denoting an action or an instance of it

exploration

-cy

denoting state or condition

vacancy

Suffixes

Meaning

Examples

-ee

recipient of the action

conferee

denoting a quality or an instance of it;

competence;

-ence

difference;

denoting an action or its result

reference

-er,-or

agent performing the action

publisher, inventor

-ion

denoting verbal action

revision

denoting a member of a profession or

-ist

business activity; denoting a person

plagiarist

who does something expressed by a

verb ending in -ize

-ity

denoting quality or condition

ormality

Suffixes

Meaning

Examples

-ment

state, action, the result of

development

-ness

status, condition, quality

effectiveness

-ship

condition, status

membership

-sion

forming nouns of action, condition,

comprehension

etc.

-sis

denoting an action or its result

analysis

-tion

forming nouns of action, condition

completion

-ty

denoting quality or condition

oyalty

Suffixes

Meaning

Examples

-able

able to

acceptable

-al

relating to

logical

-ible

able to be,

–

suitable for being

-ic

having the nature of, like

realistic

-ive

tending to;

active,

having the nature of

conclusive

-ful

full of, characterised by

useful,

meaningful

-less

without

useless,

meaningless

Suffixes

Meaning

Meaning

-en

denoting the development,

creation,

widen, deepen

or intensification of a state

-ise

make or become;

legalise,

follow a specified practice

theorise

To begin: initially, first, firstly, first of all, in the

Listing/

first place, to start/begin with.

To continue: secondly, second, thirdly, third, next,

Sequencing

then, thereafter.

To conclude: finally, lastly, eventually, in the end.

and, both … and, as well (as), what is more, in

addition (to this), additionally, moreover, also,

Indicating addition

further, furthermore, besides (this), too

Negative addition: neither … nor, nor, neither,

either.

alternatively, although, but, conversely, despite,

even so, even though, for all that, however, in

Highlighting

contrast, in spite of, instead,

on the contrary, contrary to, nevertheless,

contrast

nonetheless, notwithstanding, rather, still, on the

other hand, otherwise, though, whereas, while

Explaining

accordingly, as a result/consequence of,

consequently, for this reason, hence, so, therefore,

results/effects

thus, inevitably

Giving

a/the consequence of, because, because of,

due to, for this reason, as, as a result (of), the effect

reasons/causes

of …, the result of …, since

Making a general

generally, in general, as a rule, for the most part, in

statement

most cases, normally, on the whole, usually

Stating purposes

so as (not) to, in order (not) to, in case, to, so that,

in order that

Referring to other

with reference to, according to, in accordance with

sources:

for example, for instance, in particular,

Giving examples

such as, thus, a further instance of this is..., an

example of this is…, as follows, especially

Rephrasing

in other words, more simply, namely, simply, put, to

statements

put it differently / another way, such as, that is

in fact, indeed, particularly, especially,

interestingly, (un)fortunately, naturally, obviously,

Emphasising a

unquestionably, clearly, undoubtedly, generally,

point:

admittedly, again, to repeat, it should be

noted/mentioned (that), more important(ly), most

importantly

Making

similarly, in a similar manner, similar to, likewise,

in the same way, too, the same as, equally,

comparisons

correspondingly, in comparison

Providing

if, in that case, in case of, in case, unless, provided

condition

that, providing that, on condition that

in conclusion, in summary, to sum up, in brief, in

Summarizing

short, taking everything into account/consideration,

on the whole, all things considered, for the above

mentioned reasons.