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

2. 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.

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

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

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

6. 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?

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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