Prefixes, Suffixes and Roots Word Parts Prefixes, Suffixes and Roots

Word Meaning Attack Skills When you come to an unknown word you can: Take the time to look it up in a dictionary (or glossary) Break the word into parts to try to figure out the meaning of each part and what the word means in-total For word parts to be used effectively, you need to learn a lot of word parts and their meaning. Roots are a different thing.

PREFIXES A word part that occurs at the beginning of a word Alters the meaning of the root of the word Both a prefix and a suffix can be used to “double-change” the meaning of a word

Lists of Common Prefixes Check Table 2.1 for a list of common prefixes, page 30-31 in your book

Roots Carry the basic or core meaning of a word There are hundreds (or more) root words, but the list of 37 (Table 2.2 in your book, p. 32-33) will help you in learning their meanings. A pre-test and post-test will be used to help you memorize the common root words

Suffixes Come at the end of a word and often will change the meaning of the word A suffix can be a single letter such a Y. You must know the meaning of the root to then apply the new meaning because of a suffix.

A List of Suffixes Table 2.3 in your book (p. 36) will guide you in learning the basic suffixes. A Pre-test and Post-test will be used to guide you in attempting to memorize the suffixes you don’t know.