Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes Word Parts Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes Excerpts from: Grammar and Composition Handbook. New York: Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2002.

Why are we doing this?!?! You can often figure out the meaning of words by knowing the meaning of the basic parts. Knowing the parts will help with definitions as well as parts of speech. When you read, if you encounter big words you don’t recognize you will be able to figure it out by breaking the word into parts. Now you won’t have to reach for a dictionary or just ignore the word and hope it doesn’t make a lot of difference to the sentence.

ROOTS Main part of the word Carries the basic meaning of the word Often a word all by itself

PREFIXES Added to the beginning of a root Changes the meaning of the root

SUFFIXES Added to the end of a root Changes the meaning of the root

Why are they called roots? Really, roots, prefixes, and suffixes are all roots…in the scientific/genealogical sense. What is a root? All of our words have roots in other languages, especially Greek and Latin. That’s where our roots (as in root words) are “rooted” – Get it?

ROOT RINGS You will make a “root ring” – the root ring will include prefixes and suffixes as well as root words. Why? We’ll start with root words. On your cards, make mini flash cards. The word on one side, the definition on the back. You will be quizzed. You must know the definition of the part and be able to give an example of a word that has the root word in it. You must also define the new word. Quizzes: Prefixes Roots Suffixes

Roots Layout of cards: Front: root itself Back: definition of root Bio: life Ex. Biology – the study of living things Dent: tooth Ex. Dentist – a doctor who treats the teeth Graph: writing Ex. Autograph – one’s own writing (signature) Phon: sound or voice Ex. Telephone – a device for transmitting voices over a distance Scrib/script: to write Ex. Prescription – write an order for medicine spec/spect: to look or to watch Ex. Spectator – one who watches Tele: distant, far off Ex. Television – a device for transmitting pictures over a distance Tri: three Ex. Tricycle – a three-wheeled vehicle Vit: life Ex. Vital – necessary for life Viv: live, alive Ex. Revive – bring back to life Layout of cards: Front: root itself Back: definition of root example word with root in it definition of example Front: BIO Back: Def. Life Ex. Biology Ex. Def. Study of life

Prefixes Layout of cards: Front: root itself function of prefix reverse meaning de- remove from; reduce Ex. Defrost – to remove frost dis- not; do the opposite of Ex. Disappear –to do the opposite of appear in- not Ex. Incomplete – not complete il- not Ex. Illegal – not legal im- not Ex. Immature – not mature ir- not Ex. Irregular – not regular un- not; do the opposite of Ex. Unhappy – not happy show relationship pre- before Ex. Preseason – before the season re- back; again Ex. Repay – pay back show number Uni – one Ex.Unicycle – one-wheeled vehicle Layout of cards: Front: root itself function of prefix Back: definition of root example word with root in it definition of example Front: De- Reverses meaning Back: Def. Remove from; reduce Ex. defrost Ex. Def. to remove frost

Suffixes Layout of cards: Front: root itself function of prefix Create nouns -eer: means one who Ex. Charioteer – one who drives a chariot -er: means one who; native of Ex. Worker – one who works -or: means one who; that which Ex. Sailor – one who sails --ation: act or process, result, state or condition Ex. Flirtation – the act of flirting -ion: act or process, result, state or condition Ex. Invention – the result of inventing -ment: shows an action, condition, or result Ex. Argument – the result of arguing Creates adverbs -ly: means in a (certain) manner Ex. Sadly – in a (sad) manner Creates verbs -ize: means to become, make, or to cause to be Ex. Visualize – to cause to be made visual Layout of cards: Front: root itself function of prefix Back: definition of root example word with root in it definition of example Front: -eer Creates a noun Back: Def.: one who; that which Ex.: charioteer Ex. Def.: one who drives a chariot