(Prefixes and Suffixes)

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Root Words and Affixes

• (Prefixes and Suffixes)

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Root Word

• The main part of a word hidden inside the longer
  word
• The root is the biggest clue to a words meaning.
• Often, you can figure out a difficult word by
  finding its root.
• EXAMPLE
• Read the following word
• misunderstand
• Within this word, you can find the word
  understand.
• You know that understand means to comprehend.
  You just made it easier to figure out the meaning
  of the longer word above.

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Question 1

• Answer the following question.
• Identify the meaning of the root word underlined
  within the following word description
• A. mix
• B. move
• C. write
• D. close

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Answer C

• The root word SCRIPT means a system of writing
  (noun) or to write (verb).

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Affixes Prefixes and Suffixes

• Prefix A group of letters that comes before a
  root word
• Look at the chart of examples below.

Prefix Meaning Examples
Dis- not dislike
Fore- before foresee, foreshadow
In- not insecure, incomplete
Mis- wrong, badly mislead, misinform
Multi- more than one multi-task
Non- not nonsense, nonfiction
Post- after posttest, postgame
Semi- partly, half semicircle, semisweet
Un- not unimportant, undone
Uni- single, one unicycle
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• Suffix A group of letters that comes after a
  root word
• Look at the chart of examples below.

Suffix Meaning Examples
-able worthy or capable of desirable, fixable
-an person musician, mathematician
-dom place, state of being wisdom, kingdom
-less lacking careless, meaningless
-ly attributes a quality happily, excitedly
-ness state, condition happiness, hardness
-ous full of marvelous, humorous
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Question 2

•  Using your knowledge of prefixes, suffixes, and
  root words, answer the question.We sat in a
  semicircle and watched the instructor at the
  front of the room.
• What does the word semicircle mean in the
  sentence above? A. full circle
• B. two circles
• C. small circle
• D. half circle

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Answer D

• Semi- is a Latin prefix meaning "half."
• A semicircle is half of a circle.

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Question 3

• Civilizations of people lived before historical
  records were written down.
• What word describes this time period?
• A. prehistoric
• B. posthistoric
• C. unhistoric
• D. antihistoric

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Answer A

• The prefix pre- means before.
• In this case, prehistoric means the time period
  before historical records were taken.

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Question 4

• Using your knowledge of prefixes, suffixes, and
  word roots, answer the question.Cara could
  easily recognize her grandfather in the old
  family portrait by the famous Dutch painter. She
  said it was a good likeness of him.
• What does the word likeness mean in the sentence
  above?
• A. sanctuary
• B. similarity
• C. skill
• D. guard

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Answer B

• The Anglo-Saxon root word "lik-" means
  "similar."
• The Anglo-Saxon suffix "-ness" means "state of."
  
• Therefore, likeness is the state of being
  similar.