Inflectional suffixes change which of the following in a base word?

Inflectional suffixes primarily serve to modify the grammatical function of a base word without altering its core meaning. For instance, adding the suffix "-s" to a noun changes its form to indicate plurality, transforming "cat" into "cats." This indicates that the grammar of the word is altered to reflect its number, while the fundamental concept of the base word remains the same. Similarly, inflectional suffixes like "-ed" or "-ing" can indicate different tenses for verbs, changing "walk" to "walked" or "walking," again modifying how the word functions in a sentence regarding time and action.

While the other choices provide interesting aspects of language, they do not accurately capture the primary function of inflectional suffixes. Inflectional suffixes do not fundamentally change the meaning of the base word, nor do they typically change its pronunciation or length in a way that is significant to their grammatical function. Their main role is in altering the grammatical category, such as tense and number, allowing for nuanced expression in communication.