Vocabulary-Suffixes-ize-ization - English vocabulary learning - Suffix -ize & -ization

Oct 1, 2026

Improve English vocabulary by mastering two powerful suffixes: -ize (US) / -ise (UK) for forming verbs meaning “to make,” and -ization (US) / -isation (UK) for forming nouns referring to the act of making or a state of being. The lesson explains the affix principle, advises learners to focus on high-need words, and gives example transformations and a large base-word-to-verb/noun table.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

-ize and -ization overview

Learning principle and how to study

Verb suffix: -ize / -ise

Compound noun suffix: -ization / -isation

Examples and word list

Improve your Vocabulary: Learn hundreds of words with the suffixes-ize & -ization Want to expand your English vocabulary? Prefixes and suffixes are powerful shortcuts to achieving your goal. A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word, and a suffix is a group of letters added to the end of a word. Both prefixes and suffixes (known collectively as affixes) can reveal or modify the meaning of a word. The two suffixes shown below are particularly impressive! They can be added to hundreds of everyday adjectives and nouns to create advanced verbs and nouns. Here’s what to do. Don’t try to learn all the words. Understand the principle, and highlight the words you’re most likely to need. Then, start using them while speaking or writing. Including such precise words in your IELTS/TOEFL/PTE exam, professional resume, job interview, client meeting, or business email can dramatically increase your chances of academic and professional success. 1. Verb Suffix: -ize (US) or-ise (UK) • makes a word into a verb • usually means to make 2. Compound Noun Suffix: -ization (US) or-isation (UK) • makes a word into a noun • usually refers to the act of making or a state of being Examples: We must make the hotel more modern. We need to modernize the hotel. The modernization of the hotel is essential. 1 • Suffixes: -ize & -ization by Rebecca © LearnVid Education, 2018 more free resources, lessons, and quizzes at [www.engVid.com](www.engVid.com) | 􀀻 | BASE WORD | VERB | NOUN | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | actual | actualize | actualization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | alphabet | alphabetize | alphabetization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | authority | authorize | authorization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | capital | capitalize | capitalization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | category | categorize | categorization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | character | characterize | characterization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | civil | civilize | civilization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | colony | colonize | colonization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | commercial | commercialize | commercialization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | computer | computerize | computerization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | concept | conceptualize | conceptualization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | criminal | criminalize | criminalization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | crystal | crystalize | crystallization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | department | departmentalize | departmentalization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | democracy | democratize | democratization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | demon | demonize | demonization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | economy | economize | economization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | emotional | emotionalize | emotionalization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | energy | energize | energization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | equal | equalize | equalization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | external | externalize | externalization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | familiar | familiarize | familiarization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | fertile | fertilize | fertilization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | fiction | fictionalize | fictionalization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | final | finalize | finalization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | formal | formalize | formalization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | fraternity | fraternize | fraternization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | general | generalize | generalization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | glamour | glamorize | glamorization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | global | globalize | globalization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | hospital | hospitalize | hospitalization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | human | humanize | humanization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | hypnosis | hypnotize | hypnotization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | ideal | idealize | idealization | 2 • Suffixes: -ize & -ization by Rebecca © LearnVid Education, 2018 more free resources, lessons, and quizzes at [www.engVid.com](www.engVid.com) | 􀀻 | BASE WORD | VERB | NOUN | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | idol | idolize | idolization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | illegal | illegalize | illegalization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | immune | immunize | immunization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | incentive | incentivize | incentivization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | individual | individualize | individualization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | initial | initialize | initialization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | institution | institutionalize | institutionalization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | intellectual | intellectualize | intellectualization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | internal | internalize | internalization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | international | internationalize | internationalization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 | italics | italicize | italicization | | 􀂅􀂅􀂅 |

FAQs

What do the suffixes -ize (-ise) and -ization (-isation) do?

-ize (-ise) turns a base word into a verb, usually meaning “to make.” -ization (-isation) turns a base word into a noun, usually referring to the act of making or a state of being.

How should you study these suffixes instead of memorizing everything?

Understand the principle, then highlight the words you are most likely to need and start using them while speaking or writing.

Where can using these precise words help?

Including these precise words can dramatically increase chances of academic and professional success in exams and professional contexts like resumes, job interviews, client meetings, and business emails.

Oct 1, 2026

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