1. Word Components:

2. Word Components: Level 1 (usually known in elementary grades)
Prefixes
ex-
pre-
re-
un-
dis-
non-
im-
mis-
mini-
maxi-

3. Word Components: Level 2 (usually known in intermediate grades)
Prefixes
co-; con-; com-
syn-; sym-
in-; en- (into)
sub-; sup- e-
a-; ab-
inter-
intra-
mono-
uni-
bi-; tri-; quad-, etc.
cent-; milli-; mega-
poly-; multi-
omni-
trans-
semi-
bio-; geo-; eco-

4. Word Components: Level 3 (usually known in high school)
Prefixes
pseudo-
demi-
endo-; ecto-
pro-
per-
peri-
hemi-
ob-
bene-
mal-
photo-
nom-
ig-
muni-
contra-
philo-

5. Common Word Roots for Academic Subjects:
Often combine with:
sub re pro-
ex ob per-
de a-; ab- co-
con e-
trans ex-
Often end with:
-ive
-ation; sion
-ate
-able; ible
-or
Basic:
-ject (to throw)
-port (to carry)
-scrip, scribe (to write)
-vert, vers (to turn)
-pos, pon (to place)
-tract (to draw)
-pel, pul (to drive)
-struct (to build)
-grad, gress (to step)
-plic, plex (to fold)
-flic, flex (to bend)
-fic, fac (to make)
-miss, mit (to send)
-sid, sed (to sit)
-spec (to see)
-voc (to call)
-dict (to say)
-rupt (to break)
Case against teaching word roots:
Many words have wandered away from their roots:
ex: mortgage; torture; vocation, adverse
Some word roots have multiple forms:
Case for teaching word roots
1. The more information you have about a word,
the more likely you are to remember it
2. The more you can associate words with their
look-alikes, the deeper your understanding
3. Root meanings reveal “deep truths” about a
word

6. Common Word Roots for Academic Subjects:
Advanced:
-cad, -cas,-cid (to fall)
-dyna (force; power)
-magn (great; large)
-quir, -quis (to seek)
-gen (race, kind origin)
-cham, -cam (vault)
-cen (to judge)
-doc, -dox (to think)
-greg (to flock)
-cau (to burn)
-ess, -sent (to exist)
-close, -clud, -clus (to close)
-mand, -mend (to order)
-junct (to join)
-jur, -jus (to swear)
-lith (stone)
Often combine with:
sub re pro-
ex ob per-
de a-; ab- ne-
con e-
trans ex-
Often end with:
-ive
-ation; sion
-ate
-able; ible
-or
-ize
-ence, ance
-ary

7. tract- port- pel- script- cred- spec- duct- struct-
Word Components Chart II
<Slide 14: Print as full page>
Write the words that you’ve heard of that would logically fill in the chart.
(Note: Not all of the blanks should be filled in.)
-tion
-ment
-able
-ible
-er, or
-ence
-ance
tract-
attraction
contractor
port-
vert-
pel-
struct-
script-
cred-
spec-
duct-

8. pre- re- un- a, ab- sub- de- pro- ob- con- Word Components Chart I
<Slide 13: Print as full page>
Word Components Chart I
Write the words that you’ve heard of that would logically fill in the chart:
(Note: Not all the blanks should be filled in.)
-tract
-struct
-port
-verse
-pel
pre-
re-
report
un-
a, ab-
averse
sub-
subtract
de-
pro-
propel
ob-
con-
construct

9. 10 Key Words: These 10 words display enough word components
(prefix, suffix, root) to
form at least 10,000
words.
INTERMITTENT
REFLECT
SUBTRACT
COMPLIANCE
CORRESPONDENT
PROPELLER
TRANSPORTATION
DESTRUCTIVE
PERSPECTIVE