Roots%20and%20Affixes

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Roots and Affixes

• How words are created

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Vocabulary

• (n.) Body of words used in a particular language
• English language consists of a almost 200,000
  words
• Words range in length from a to
  antidisestablishmentarianism

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Base Words

• Words that cannot be reduced down to smaller
  words
• Ex.) Speak, dog, happy
• Other words or word parts can be added to them to
  make longer words
• Ex.) Happiness
• Ex.) Speaker

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Word Parts

• There are two kinds of word parts roots and
  affixes.
• A root is a word part that comes from another
  language, such as Greek or Latin.
• An affix is a word part that can be attached to
  either a root or a base word to create a new
  word.

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AFFIXES can be divided into two categories

• 1. Prefixes
• (appear at the beginning of words)

• 2. Suffixes
• (appear at the end of words)

Common Prefixes Common Prefixes Common Suffixes Common Suffixes Common Suffixes
Bi- two -ist Person who does action Person who does action
Anti- against -less Without
Inter- between -ize Cause, treat, become Cause, treat, become
Pre- before -ism State or quality State or quality
Super- above -ship State or condition of State or condition of
Trans- across -ward Specifies direction Specifies direction
Dis- not -ular Relating to/resembling Relating to/resembling
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Many (not all) English words can be broken down
like this
Root
Affix
Prefix
Suffix
For example In-cred-ible Prefix Root Suffix
Without a root word, affixes have nothing the
change the meaning of.
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Meaning

• The meaning of a word is related to the meaning
  of its word parts.
• To unlock the meaning of an unfamiliar word,
  break the word down into its component parts
  then think about the meaning of the words
  affixes and root.

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Check it out
Roots Affixes
Latin Root tang, meaning touch Prefix in-, meaning not
Suffix -ible, meaing able to
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Apply

• For example one could analyze the word
  intangible, using the chart shown previously.
• First break the word into its parts
• PREFIX ROOT SUFFIX ENGLISH WORD
• In- tang -ible
  intangible
• Tang is a latin roots meaning touch
• In- is a prefix meaning not
• -ible is a suffix meaning able to

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Word Families

• A group of English words may be derived from the
  same word part of root. Such a group is called a
  word family.
• You can use this knowledge to help you determine
  the meaning of unknown words.

Example Sol Solitary, soloist, desolate,
solitaire, soliloquy
What might SOL mean? ALONE
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Word Family Practice Questions

• Word family ethnicity, ethnic, ethnographer
  Root ethn
  Meaning
• Ocean
• Nation
• Hesitation

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Word Family Practice Questions

• Word family maniac, maniacal
  Root mania
  Meaning
• Education
• Sanitation
• Madness

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Word Family Practice Questions

• Word family epidermis, dermatology
  Root derm
  Meaning
• Skin
• Body
• Mind

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Word Family Practice Questions

• Word Family laboratory, labor
  Root lab
  Meaning
• Work
• Good
• Weak

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Lets see what you know

• Divide and indivisible are members of the same
  word family. Which root so they share?
• A. vis- B. -visible-
  C. -div-
• What is the meaning of this root?
• A. separate B. shrink
  C. junk
• What is another member of the same word family?
• A. December B. dividend C.
  invisible

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Vocab Scattegories!

1. Individually, come up with as many root and affix
   c0mbinations as you can.
2. After time is up, you will share your list with
   the four people around you.
3. Then your group of four will share the words that
   they had that no one within the group had.

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Vocab Scattegories!

• Within groups of four share your lists.
• ALSO cross check the list on the handout to
  make sure no one used an example word.
• Have a list of your unique words ready to share
  to the class.

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Example)

• Consecutive
• Con secu ive
• Con With
• Secu(t) To Follow
• Ive Having the nature of