Which among the following suffixes is not suitable for the root word 'prevent'?

Question

Accepted Answer

The question asks which suffix is not suitable for the root word 'prevent'. The correct answer is Option 4, 'ious'.

Here's a detailed explanation:

**Why Option 4 ('ious') is not suitable (Correct Answer):**

*   The suffix '-ious' is typically used to form adjectives, often from nouns or other adjectives, indicating a quality, state, or characteristic (e.g., 'ambition' -> 'ambitious', 'fury' -> 'furious', 'space' -> 'spacious').
*   When appended to the root word 'prevent', it would form 'preventious'. This word is not recognized in standard English dictionaries and is not used in common parlance. There is no established word 'preventious' that carries a meaningful or grammatically correct sense. Therefore, '-ious' is not a suitable suffix for 'prevent'.

**Why the other options are suitable (Incorrect Options for the question):**

1.  **'ing' (Suitable):**
    *   The suffix '-ing' is highly versatile and commonly used to form the present participle of verbs (e.g., "He is **preventing** the accident") or a gerund, which functions as a noun (e.g., "**Preventing** disease is crucial").
    *   The word 'preventing' is a standard and grammatically correct form derived from 'prevent'.

2.  **'ive' (Suitable):**
    *   The suffix '-ive' is used to form adjectives, often indicating a tendency, quality, or relation to the root verb.
    *   When added to 'prevent', it forms 'preventive' (or 'preventative'). This is a widely used and correct adjective, meaning "designed to prevent something, or used for preventing something" (e.g., "preventive measures," "preventive medicine").

3.  **'able' (Suitable):**
    *   The suffix '-able' is used to form adjectives, meaning "capable of being" or "fit for being" the action of the verb.
    *   When added to 'prevent', it forms 'preventable'. This is a common and correct adjective, meaning "capable of being prevented" (e.g., "preventable diseases," "preventable errors").

In summary, 'preventing', 'preventive', and 'preventable' are all valid and commonly used words in English, demonstrating that 'ing', 'ive', and 'able' are suitable suffixes for 'prevent'. However, 'preventious' is not a recognized word, making '-ious' the unsuitable suffix.