Root words, prefixes and suffixes Jan 2012. Kindly contributed by Helen Holt, Lincoln College. Search for Helen on www.skillsworkshop.org Visit the download page for this resource to find further links and related activities. Adult Literacy curriculum links Rw/E3.5 Use a variety of reading strategies to help decode an increasing range of unfamiliar words (a) Understand that effective readers draw on several sources of knowledge to help them make sense of unfamiliar words (besides looking at the individual words themselves): clues from context, experience, text and sentence structure (b) Apply knowledge of sound and letter patterns, and of the structure of words, to help decode them: including compounds, root words, grammatical endings, prefixes, suffixes, syllable divisions Rw/L1.3 Recognise and understand an increasing range of vocabulary, applying knowledge of word structure, related words, word roots, derivations, borrowings (a) Understand that some words are related to each other in form and meaning, and use this knowledge to help understand new words (b) Understand that prefixes and base/stem/root words can provide clues to meaning (c) Understand that languages borrow words from each other (d) Understand that suffixes can provide clues to word class Jan 2012. Kindly contributed to www.skillsworkshop.org by Helen Holt, Lincoln College.

- Root words, prefixes and suffixes. SfL LITERACY - Root words, prefixes and suffixes. Jan 2012. Kindly contributed to www.skillsworkshop.org by Helen Holt, Lincoln College. Helen Holt

Session outcomes To understand the terms ‘root’, ‘prefix’ and ‘suffix’; To use these to help with spelling and working out the meaning of unfamiliar words. Jan 2012. Kindly contributed to www.skillsworkshop.org by Helen Holt, Lincoln College. Helen Holt

Root Words: A root word stands on its own as a word. You can make new words from it by adding beginnings (prefixes) and endings (suffixes). Example: 'comfort' is a root word. By adding the prefix 'dis' or the suffix 'able' you can make new words such as 'discomfort' and 'comfortable'. Helen Holt

What Are Prefixes? un + kind = unkind A prefix is a group of letters we add to the front of a root word. Prefixes change the meaning or purpose of the word, e.g: un + kind = unkind Jan 2012. Kindly contributed to www.skillsworkshop.org by Helen Holt, Lincoln College. The word has become its opposite meaning (antonym) Helen Holt

Here are some prefixes: Un (not) Dis Mis Co Ex Re (again) Unidentified Dislike Misbehave Co-operate Exclaim Refill Unwell Disorder Misread Co-star Exterior Replay Unhappy Disrespect Mistake Co-ordinate Explode Reappear Unhealthy Disagree Miscount Co-writer Ex-boyfriend Re-examine Undress Distress Misfortune Rewrite Untidy Disable Misconceive Rearrange Helen Holt

Prefixes using ‘Un’: un un finished un do un fit un pack un well un load Helen Holt

What Are Suffixes? A suffix is a word ending. It is a group of letters you can add to the end of a root word. e.g. walking, helpful, happily Adding suffixes to words can change or add to their meaning, but most importantly they show how a word will be used in a sentence and what part of speech (e.g. noun, verb, adjective) the word belongs to. Jan 2012. Kindly contributed to www.skillsworkshop.org by Helen Holt, Lincoln College. Helen Holt

Example: If you want to use the root word 'talk' in the following sentence: I was (talk) to Samina. You need to add the suffix 'ing' so that the word 'talk' makes better sense grammatically: "I was talking to Samina". Jan 2012. Kindly contributed to www.skillsworkshop.org by Helen Holt, Lincoln College. Helen Holt

Source: http://www.skillsworkshop.org/resources/root-word-clean Jan 2012. Kindly contributed to www.skillsworkshop.org by Helen Holt, Lincoln College. Source: http://www.skillsworkshop.org/resources/root-word-clean

Here are some suffixes: Example   ed walk + ed = walked ness happy + ness = happiness ing say + ing = saying al accident + al = accidental er tall + er = taller ary imagine + ary = imaginary tion educate + tion = education able accept + able = acceptable sion divide + sion = division ly love + ly = lovely cian music + cian = musician ment excite + ment = excitement fully hope + fully = hopefully ful help + ful + helpful est large + est = largest y ease + y = easy Jan 2012. Kindly contributed to www.skillsworkshop.org by Helen Holt, Lincoln College. Helen Holt

Any Questions? Helen Holt Jan 2012. Kindly contributed to www.skillsworkshop.org by Helen Holt, Lincoln College. Helen Holt