These exercises contain items that are (depending on the version of MS Word you are using) either highlighted in yellow are
enclosed in red brackets. When you move your mouse cursor over a yellow area or a red-bracketed area, a 'hidden text
message' will appear on the screen. Please, keep your cursor to the far right while you are reading the text material. When
you are ready to 'uncover' the hidden text, move your cursor to the yellow or red areas.
Let's practice this 'uncovering' procedure:
How much is one plus one?
a.
b.
c.
d.
zero
two
five
none of the above
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Word Parts
The Prefix 'un-'
A prefix comes at the beginning of a word. When you come across an unfamiliar word, there are two techniques that can
help you determine the new word's meaning:
- look at the word and see if you can get a basic understanding of its meaning by using your knowledge of word parts
- look for context clues by examining the sentence that contains the unfamiliar word, along with the sentence before and the
sentence after
ununabridged
The college student was not able to locate the term in an abridged dictionary, so he consulted the unabridged dictionary in
the college's library.
unaccompanied
The unaccompanied college student enjoyed the football game on Saturday night.
unaccountable
The auditor listed the unaccountable funds in her report to the manager.
unaccustomed
The prisoner was surprised by the unaccustomed behavior of her guards.
unadvised
Henry's unadvised action brought him to be charged with a criminal act.
unaffected
The driver's health condition was unaffected by the car crash.
unapproachable
The major was considered unapproachable by many voters; thus losing her reelection bid.
unappropriated
The US Congress is famous for passing unappropriated legislation.
unapt
Some college students are unapt in art classes.
unarmed
The police officer considered the burglar to be unarmed.
unasked
The instructor responded to an unasked question.
unassailable
The small island with it fortifications was considered by many to be unassailable.
unassuming
Her unassuming personality was one of her most attractive qualities.
unattached
Some students in college find it's a good place to find a mate since many classmates are unattached.
unattended
The ranch house had lost much of its value during the period it was unattended.
unavailable
When I called, her secretary informed me that she was unavailable at this time.
unavoidable
Following the loss of his job, bankruptcy seemed almost unavoidable.
unaware
Being unaware of the mugger hiding to his left, Juan continued walking across the parking lot.
unawares
Shara was caught unawares by the surprise office party.
unbalanced
After diagnosing her unbalanced mental condition, the psychiatrist wrote a prescription.
unbar
The military officer ordered the soldier to unbar the prisoner.
unbearable
Childbirth can sometimes be an almost unbearable situation because of intense pain and discomfort.
unbeatable
Their team was playing with such precision that some sports writers described them as unbeatable.
unbecoming
Her remarks were unbecoming of someone in such a high-level executive position.
unbelievable
Sue showed unbelievable progress with her English grammar skills.
unbend
The pre-schooler attempted to unbend the spring she was handed.
unbiased
The college instructor taught the topic of discussion in an unbiased manner.
unbind
The enemy soldier asked the guard to unbind him because of lack of circulation to the hands.
unbitted
The unbitted horse was allowed to roam the pasture.
unbolt
The sheriff instructed the jailor to unbolt the jail cell so that the prisoner could enter the interrogation room.
unborn
A very controversial issue in this country is how should our legal system define the unborn fetus.
unbridled
The youngster's unbridled behavior in the supermarket was noticed by many customers.
unbroken
The teams unbroken string of losses started some of the players to wonder when this horror would ever end.
unbuckle
The airline passenger was not able to unbuckle the safety restraint.
uncanny
The lawyer had the uncanny ability to know when a client was not being honest with her.
unceremonious
With unceremonious comments, the award was given to the top performer.
uncertainty
The uncertainty of the financial market has caused many investors to place their funds into cash-equivalent vehicles.
uncharitable
Several of the guests considered the host's remarks as uncharitable.
uncharted
Early sailors were quite brave to venture into uncharted waters.
uncivil
Harriet's uncivil comments to the judge won her no points with the jury.
uncomfortable
Due to the air conditioning system malfunction, the partygoers quickly became uncomfortable.
uncommon
Many professional sports figures possess quite uncommon athletic talents.
uncompromising
Her uncompromising stance caused some problems in the office.
unconcerned
The salesman made the mistake of being unconcerned with his client's affairs.
unconditional
The unconditional guarantee on the product was a big plus.
unconscionable
Jeanette's unconscionable behavior precipitated her dismissal from the corporation.
unconscious
The car-accident patient was found to be unconscious when he arrived at the emergency room.
unconstitutional
The court ruled that the law was unconstitutional because it violated a citizen's right to privacy.
unconventional
Jack took an unconventional approach when it came to managing his business.
uncouple
The train engineer proceeded to uncouple the last boxcar from the locomotive.
uncouth
John was reprimanded by his boss for the uncouth action at the Christmas party.
uncover
The newspaper reporter was pursuing a story that would uncover a political scandal in the governor's office.
uncut
The thief made off with 14 uncut diamonds valued in excess of $60,000.
undaunted
Following the unsuccessful contract negotiation, the undaunted saleslady prepared for her next presentation.
undecided
Warren was still undecided as to which university he would attend.
undeniable
The court prosecutor presented such a strong case against the defendant, the local newspaper described the charges as
undeniable.
undesirable
The undesirable appearance of the home's backyard caused the potential buyer to turn down the seller's offer.
undirected
The new employee told a friend that his undirected condition at the job site was making him consider looking for work
elsewhere.
undoing
The financial corruption of her company was the CEO's undoing.
undress
The examination nurse asked the patient to undress in preparation for the physical.
undue
The appellate court ruled that the trial court had imposed undue punishment in the case.
unearned
Several members of the staff were upset when they learned of the manager's unearned promotion.
unearthly
The movie viewers all screamed at the appearance of an unearthly monster on the screen.
uneasy
The supervisor was a bit uneasy with her most recent assignment.
unedited
The student offered the tutor the unedited transcript in hopes of some corrective suggestions.
unemployed
Recently unemployed, Canisha set about making several interview appointments and updating her resume.
unequal
The referee was criticized for giving unequal treatment during the sporting contest.
unerring
Betty proceeded to give an unerring speech on the topic of global overpopulation.
unessential
The aircraft crew dumped all unessential gear in order to keep the struggling plane from descending into the mountain.
uneven
The uneven texture of the painting gave it appearances of reality and depth.
uneventful
Thankfully the night was uneventful all along the perimeter since our ammunition supply was critically low.
unexpected
We wondered if our unexpected visit would cause problems with our relatives.
unfailing
A mother's unfailing love for her children is a God-given treasure.
unfair
The store's owner apologized for the manager's unfair treatment of the customer during the Christmas rush.
unfaithful
The divorce was precipitated by one spouse's unfaithful behavior.
unfamiliar
Many of the terms in college coursework will be unfamiliar to most students.
unfasten
The military guard was ordered to unfasten the restraints on the war criminal.
unfavorable
The unfavorable weather condition prevented the scheduled launch of the space shuttle.
unfeeling
Although an inaccurate perception, he sometimes came across as unfeeling during board meetings.
unfeigned
Her unfeigned appreciation for the birthday gift was noticed by all.
unfinished
The building crew headed home for some rest, but they promised to return the next morning to complete the unfinished
work.
unfit
Warren's blood disorder made him unfit for military service.
unflappable
Her unflappable attitude was very appreciated during the heated argument between the others present.
unfledged
The architect's unfledged drawings brought some anxiety to the client since the construction deadline was quickly
approaching.
unflinching
Even during heavy motor attacks, the command sergeant's demeanor remained unflinching.
unfold
The tension in the room became very intense as the master of ceremonies began to unfold the winning lottery number.
unforgettable
The wedding ceremony was described by all as unforgettable.
unformed
The astrophysicist named the unformed galaxy after her great aunt.
unfortunate
The suffering that the Enron employees have had to endure is quite unfortunate.
unfounded
The unfounded charges of bribery were quickly dropped by the district attorney.
unfrozen
When the power went out, we were thinking of how to prevent the food in the freezer from becoming unfrozen.
unfriendly
The unfriendly atmosphere of the grand opening was discussed openly.
unfruitful
Although the married couple desperately desired to start a family, their attempts had thus far proven unfruitful.
ungainly
Following the hip surgery, his walking was understandably a bit ungainly.
ungenerous
The child's mother reminded her that ungenerous children have trouble making friends.
unglued
It was impressive how the professional ball player did not become unglued after being hit in the leg with a soda bottle.
ungodly
The newscaster had trouble reading the report about the ungodly act a criminal had performed on a small child.
ungovernable
The police chief judged the situation ungovernable and ordered his officers to pull back two blocks.
ungracious
His ungracious behavior spoiled the entire evening.
unguarded
The bank's lobby was left unguarded just before the robber entered with the shotgun.
unhappy
We all go through times when we are unhappy.
unhealthy
The dietician helped the patient correct his unhealthy diet.
unheard-of
The newly-discovered automobile engine was designed using an unheard-of energy system.
unhinge
The carpenter said that she must unhinge the door in order to have room for the large sofa.
unhitch
The cowboy proceeded to unhitch the mules from the two wagons.
unholy
The evil practitioners practiced their unholy ceremony for the upcoming meeting.
unhook
The fisherman showed the young lad how to unhook the fish that the boy had just caught.
unhurried
His unhurried demeanor tended to calm those who were very anxious about the emergency.
unimpeachable
Juanitta's expert testimony was so precise, so enlightening, the jury members considered her unimpeachable.
unimproved
The house's unimproved condition brought the selling price down noticeably.
uninhibited
At the party, Jose's uninhibited behavior upset a few of the guests.
unintelligible
Because she had consumed too much alcohol at the seminar, a couple of parts of Sharon's speech came across as
unintelligible.
unintentional
The unintentional bump brought an immediate apology.
uninterested
Although the college student was uninterested in physics, she new it was important to earn at least a 'B' in the course in
order to keep a high overall GPA.
unjust
The defendant's lawyer asked the judge to end the unjust incarceration of her client.
unkempt
Her unkempt appearance made the manager immediately concerned for Dolli's welfare.
unkind
The unkind remarks were not appropriate, especially at a formal event.
unknown
The cause of the airline crash is unknown at this time.
unlawful
The crook's unlawful escape from the county jail was quickly broadcast over all media outlets in the immediate vicinity.
unleaded
A majority of automobile gasoline sold today is of the unleaded variety.
unlettered
Many unlettered employment applicants find it difficult to find work in a tight economy.
unlike
Unlike her older brother, Shelly preferred to play baseball.
unlimited
The computer company advertised its unlimited service.
unlisted
For safety, many phone customers have unlisted numbers.
unload
The tractor-trailer pulled up to the terminal in order to unload the merchandise.
unlock
The apartment renter removed his key in order to unlock the front door.
unlucky
Molly told her best friend that she was not going to play the lottery any longer because she was unlucky.
unmanned
The unmanned spacecraft left Earth on its journey to Mars.
unmannerly
Her unmannerly behavior caused much distress during the committee session.
unmask
During the movie scene, the heroine attempted to unmask the villainous desperado.
unmerciful
The trial judge was unmerciful when she pronounced punishment for the criminal defendant.
unmuzzle
After the dog settled down in the veterinarian's office, the assistant was able to unmuzzle the canine.
unnatural
The unnatural character of the object made the researcher quite curious.
unnecessary
The retail customer believed the shipping charges on his bill were totally unnecessary.
unoccupied
Fortunately for the travelers, the motel clerk was able to locate an unoccupied room for rent.
unorganized
The store manager worked with the clerk so that the unorganized condition of their inventory could be corrected.
unpack
We decided to unpack the suitcases before going to lunch.
unparalleled
Joan's unparalleled performance with the corporation caused the CEO to promote her to Vice-President.
unpleasant
The unpleasant experience convinced the shopper to never return to that store.
unpopular
The mayoral candidate was so unpopular that a successful election was out of the question.
unprecedented
The quick drop in the nation's economy was characterized as unprecedented.
unprincipled
Harriet's unprincipled action precipitated the Board of Reagents to dismiss her from the contractual agreement.
unprofessional
The lawyer was disbarred for his unprofessional behavior.
unpublished
Although her movie script was unpublished, Mary felt confident that her work would soon be on the big screen.
unqualified
The job applicant was told that she was currently unqualified for the position.
unquestionable
Juan's character was described as unquestionable during the entire incident.
unravel
The young girl proceeded to unravel the large ball of string.
unrealistic
The unrealistic economic projection by the company was soon shown to be false.
unreasonable
The unreasonable response made us think that he had lost touch with reality.
unrelenting
Her unrelenting pursuit of the college degree was very impressive to watch.
unreserved
His unreserved behavior often brought disappointment.
unrighteous
The unrighteous legislation caused riots in the city.
unrivaled
Pearl's unrivaled stage performance brought the city a huge amount of positive publicity.
unruffled
The really great politicians are truly unruffled when the criticisms are coming from all directions.
unruly
The unruly actions of the crowd of people cause some alarm amongst the law enforcement officers on duty that night.
unsavory
The unsavory comment made at the ceremonial setting left some of the spectators quite disappointed.
unschooled
There is a great concerned in this country that we have too many citizens who are unschooled.
unscramble
The young child tried her best to unscramble the dozens of pieces of paper on the floor.
unscrupulous
The city counsel was harshly criticized by the community groups for the unscrupulous curfew ordinance.
unseasonable
The unseasonable December weather allowed the children to shed their heavy coats for light sweaters while playing
outside.
unsecured
The unsecured front door was how the bandit entered the residence.
unseemly
An unseemly remark at a party can bring the entire evening to a quick halt.
unseen
The criminal, having spotted the police officer at the end of the block, tried her best to remain unseen.
unselfish
June's unselfish personality was the first thing her friends thought of when asked to describe her.
unsettled
At the sporting event, the security force was alerted immediately when the crowd of spectators became unsettled.
unshackle
The prison guard was ordered to unshackle the inmate so that he could be given medical treatment.
unskilled
The unskilled laborer received a very low hourly pay for her work.
unsocial
Her unsocial personality prevented her from being promoted in the company.
unsophisticated
Those who are unsophisticated are often shunned by the aristocracy.
unsound
His suggestion as to how to prevent a second burglary from occurring was unsound.
unspeakable
The unspeakable behavior of the criminal was examined by the jury during the courtroom testimony.
unstable
The unstable condition of the space probe caused NASA managers to delay the programmed launch.
unsteady
After being hit during the enemy assault, the soldier was unsteady on her feet.
unsuitable
The company board decided that the accountant's proposal was unsuitable.
unsuspected
The unsuspected neighbor later turned out to be the perpetrator of the crime.
untangle
The children attempted to untangle the ball of string so that they could fly their kite.
untenable
The employee's untenable situation caused her to resign.
unthankful
His unthankful attitude was not well received by the party guests.
unthinkable
During the heat of the battle, the brave soldiers viewed retreat as unthinkable.
untidy
The dad informed his wife of the untidy nature of their son's bedroom.
untie
The boat's captain proceeded to untie the boat so that she could go sailing for the afternoon.
untimely
The untimely appearance of the enemy troops caused chaos in the region.
untold
The cave's mysterious information remained untold for centuries.
untoward
Her untoward remark was the centerpiece of conversation at work the following day.
untried
The physicist proposed an untried theory in hopes of solving the technical problem.
untrue
The statement was quickly judged by the supervisor as untrue.
unused
At the discount store the customer purchased an unused item at a very low price!
unusual
The lady's suggestion was so unusual that the manager had to stop for a moment and give it strong consideration before
responding.
unveiling
The audience was so excited to be present at the unveiling.
unwholesome
His unwholesome lifestyle caused problems later in life.
unwieldy
The huge cabinet was so unwieldy that the movers had to dismantle it in order to place it in the living room.
unwilling
The child was unwilling to listen to his mother.
unwise
The unwise decision would bring misery to her for several years to come.
unworthy
The award winner told the admiring audience that she was unworthy of such an honor.
unwritten
There was the unwritten rule in the region that only one leader could be the ruler of the land.