Suffixes for People: -er, -or, -ist

Recognize suffixes that turn a word into a person who does something.

Some suffixes tell you a word names a person. '-er' means a person who does something: a teacher teaches, a farmer farms, a painter paints. '-or' does the same job, often on longer words: an actor acts, an inventor invents, a visitor visits. '-ist' means a person who works with or practices something: an artist works with art, a scientist works in science, a cyclist rides a bicycle.

When you see one of these endings, ask: 'What does this person do? ' Try 'collector'. The base is 'collect', and '-or' makes it a person: someone who collects. Try 'florist': 'flor' relates to flowers, so a florist works with flowers.

• 1-er and -or = a person who does something.
• 2-ist = a person who works with or practices something.
• 3Ask: What does this person do?