1. Root words, prefixes and suffixes
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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 Kindly contributed to by Helen Holt, Lincoln College.

2. - Root words, prefixes and suffixes.
SfL LITERACY
- Root words, prefixes and suffixes.
Jan Kindly contributed to by Helen Holt, Lincoln College.
Helen Holt

3. 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 Kindly contributed to by Helen Holt, Lincoln College.
Helen Holt

4. 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

5. 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 Kindly contributed to by Helen Holt, Lincoln College.
The word has become its opposite meaning (antonym)
Helen Holt

6. 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

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

8. 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 Kindly contributed to by Helen Holt, Lincoln College.
Helen Holt

9. 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 Kindly contributed to by Helen Holt, Lincoln College.
Helen Holt

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

11. 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 Kindly contributed to by Helen Holt, Lincoln College.
Helen Holt

12. Any Questions? Helen Holt
Jan Kindly contributed to by Helen Holt, Lincoln College.
Helen Holt