Which affix type forms new words by derivation from a base word?

Which affix type forms new words by derivation from a base word?

• A. Prefixes
• B. Suffixes
• C. Inflectional affixes
• D. Derivational affixes

Answer: (D)

This question is about how affixes create new words by derivation from a base word. Derivational affixes attach to a base to form a new word with a new meaning, often changing its part of speech. For example, adding a suffix like -ness to an adjective to form a noun (happy → happiness) or adding a prefix like un- to a word to shift its meaning (happy → unhappy). The key point is that derivation yields a brand-new lexical item, not just a different grammatical form of the same word. By contrast, inflectional affixes, such as -s for plurals or -ed for past tense, modify grammar without producing a new word. So the concept described is derivational affixes, the ones that create new words from a base.

This question is about how affixes create new words by derivation from a base word. Derivational affixes attach to a base to form a new word with a new meaning, often changing its part of speech. For example, adding a suffix like -ness to an adjective to form a noun (happy → happiness) or adding a prefix like un- to a word to shift its meaning (happy → unhappy). The key point is that derivation yields a brand-new lexical item, not just a different grammatical form of the same word. By contrast, inflectional affixes, such as -s for plurals or -ed for past tense, modify grammar without producing a new word. So the concept described is derivational affixes, the ones that create new words from a base.