Prefixes

Reading and Discussion

A prefix is a letter or syllable that is added to the root of a word in order to form a new word with a different meaning. Root, stem, and base word all mean the same thing. Words change their meaning and become new words when we place letters or syllables at the beginning or end of a base word. If we look at the word prefix itself, we will see that it is made up from two parts: pre and fix. Pre, means before, and fix means attached. Pre is a syllable that is placed before the root which in this case is fix. So a prefix is a word or syllable that is placed before the root of the word. Prefixes have their own meaning, but when they are added to a root word, they change the meaning of that word. Prefixes are very useful because if we know how to identify them and their meaning, we can learn the meaning of the new word and improve our vocabulary. Common prefixes and their meanings:

PREFIX anti

MEANING against or opposite two together

EXAMPLES OF WORDS Antisocial Antidemocratic Bicycle Biannual Co-worker Co-founder Dislike Dishonest Export Exhale

MEANING OF WORDS Is someone who is not social Is against democracy Two wheels Twice a year To work together To found something together To not like To not be honest To send, sell, or transfer to outside To breathe out Out of the ordinary Out of earth Over sensitive Over breathing To send, transfer, to ship inside, into the country To force into Not sane Not direct

bi co

dis ex

not out, from

extra hyper im

out of over in, into

Extraordinary Extraterrestrial Hypersensitive Hyperventilate Import Impose

in

not

Insane Indirect

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inter mis mono multi non omni post pre

between, among wrong, badly single, one many not everywhere, all after before

International Interdepartmental Mistreat Misunderstand Monotone Monologue Multipurpose Multitask Nonprofit Nonsense Omnipresent Omnipotent Postmortem Postwar Preface Prehistoric

Between, among nations Between departments To treat badly To understand wrongly One tone or note One speech Many purposes Many tasks Not for profit Does not make sense Present everywhere All powerful After death After war Before an article or before text of book Before history was written Send again Tell again Under water Path under ground Three angles Three wheels Not kind Not interested

re sub tri

again, back below, under three

Resend Retell Submarine Subway Triangle Tricycle Unkind Uninterested

un

not

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Activities
Activity A: Multiple Choice: 1. A prefix is a letter, a syllable, or a word that is added to a root word at: a. b. c. d. The beginning The middle The end None of the above

2. The prefix hyper means: a. b. c. d. Not Over Out of Many

Activity B: Matching: _____ 1. Inter_____ 2. Extra_____ 3. Anti_____ 4. Un_____ 5. Tri_____ 6. Sub_____ 7. Co_____ 8. Omnia. Three b. Together c. Everywhere, all d. Between, among e. Not f. Against, opposite to g. Below, under h. Out of

Activity C: Identify the prefix and determine the meaning of each word below: 1. Antidepressant: Prefix: _________ Meaning of word: ______________

2. Misspell:

Prefix: _________

Meaning of word: ______________

3. Insane:

Prefix: _________

Meaning of word: ______________

4. Postwar:

Prefix: _________

Meaning of word: ______________

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Answer Key
Activity A 1. A prefix is a letter or syllable or word that is added to a root word at: a. The beginning b. The middle c. The end d. None of the above 2. The prefix hyper means: a. Not b. Over c. Out of d. Many

Activity B __d___ 3. Inter__h___ 4. Extra__f___ 5. Anti__e___ 6. Un__a___ 7. Tri__g___ 8. Sub__b___ 9. Co__c___ 10. Omnia. Three b. Together c. Everywhere, all d. Between, among e. Not f. Against, opposite to g. Below, under h. Out of

Activity C 1. Antidepressant: 2. Misspell: 3. Insane: 4. Postwar: Prefix: AntiPrefix: MisPrefix: InMeaning of word: Against depression Meaning of word: Spell incorrectly, wrongly Meaning of word: Not sane

Prefix: Post- Meaning of word: After war

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