FCE Part 1: 5.3.- Noun Suffixes

What job do you think you will have when you finish school?

Book Exercise 5 about forming pairs on page 41

https://wordwall.net/es/resource/67985284

Listening Exercise:

https://www.topworksheets.com/t/Zx3ewhZItBR

Video:

😊 B2-level rules for word formation with the noun suffixes -or, -ist, -ian, -er, -ant. These suffixes usually create nouns for people, especially jobs, roles, or beliefs.

1. -or

Meaning: a person who does an action
Often used with: verbs (especially from Latin)

Rules

Add -or to a verb to form a noun.
Common in formal or technical jobs.

Examples

act → actor
direct → director
invent → inventor
operate → operator

✅ Tip: Many -or words come from Latin-based verbs.

2. -ist

Meaning:

a person who believes in something, or
a person who does a specialized activity

Rules

Added to nouns or adjectives.
Often used for ideologies, beliefs, arts, sciences.

Examples

art → artist
science → scientist
tour → tourist
social → socialist

✅ Tip: If it’s about ideas, beliefs, or movements, -ist is very common.

3. -ian

Meaning:

a person connected with something, or
a person from a place, or
a professional in a field of study

Rules

Added to nouns (often names, subjects, or places).
Spelling may change slightly.

Examples

history → historian
music → musician
Brazil → Brazilian
politics → politician

⚠️ Note: music → musician (spelling changes)

4. -er

Meaning: a person who does an action
Often used with: verbs

Rules

One of the most common suffixes.
Add -er to a verb.
If the verb ends in -e, just add -r.

Examples

teach → teacher
work → worker
drive → driver
bake → baker

✅ Tip: If you’re unsure, -er is often the safest choice.

5. -ant

Meaning: a person who performs an action or has a role

Rules

Added mainly to verbs of Latin origin.
Often used in formal or academic vocabulary.

Examples

assist → assistant
apply → applicant
participate → participant

⚠️ Note: You usually learn these as fixed forms (not all verbs can take -ant).

Quick Comparison Table

Suffix	Main Idea	Common Use
-or	does an action	formal jobs
-ist	beliefs / activities	ideologies, arts
-ian	connection / origin	fields, places
-er	does an action	everyday jobs
-ant	formal roles	academic / formal