MTEL Communication Literacy Skills : Reading Practice Test

What meaning does the suffix -ize carry in verbs?

1. Having or showing

2. Make or cause to be

3. State or quality

4. Perform or conduct

The correct answer is: Make or cause to be

The suffix -ize, when added to verbs, conveys the meaning of "make" or "cause to be." This is evident in various verbs such as "realize," which can mean to make something real or to become aware, and "modernize," which means to make something modern or to bring it up to date. The use of -ize transforms the root word to suggest a change of state or the action of creating that state. This is a common pattern in English, where the addition of the suffix alters the word's function to indicate a process or an action that leads to a particular result or condition.