•Prefixes are letters
that are added to
the beginning of a
word.
For example
preschool
• The prefix is pre• The prefix pre means “before”
so the word preschool means
“before school”
A prefix
changes the
meaning of
a word.
Prefix
Root Word
New Word
im(not)
polite
impolite
(not polite)
in(not)
complete
incomplete
(not complete)
bi(two)
cycle
bicycle
(two wheels)
non(not)
stop
nonstop
(without stopping)
dis(not or opposite of)
agree
disagree
(not agreeing)
re(again)
use
reuse
(to use again)
•Suffixes are
letters added to
the end of a
word.
•A suffix also
changes the
meaning of a
word.
For example
careless
• The suffix is –less
• The suffix –less means
without so the word careless
means “without care”
Root Word
Suffix
New Word
home
-less
(without)
homeless
(without a home)
cheer
-ful
(full of)
cheerful
(full of cheer)
shyness
-ness
(state or quality)
shyness
(condition of being shy)
Root Word
Suffix
New Word
farm
-er
(someone who)
farmer
(someone who
farms)
act
-or
(someone who)
actor
(someone who
acts)
bend
-able
(can be)
bendable
(can be bent)
reverse
-ible
(can be)
reversible
(can be reversed)
Root Words
• A root word is a real word.
• We make new words
from root words by adding
prefixes and suffixes.
• Sometimes the root
word is also called
the base word
(That is a USEful piece
of information!!)
For example
• In the word unhappy
the root word is happy
• In the word eventful
the root word is event
What’s the root word?
• wildly
• beautiful
• sleepily
• uncomfortable
• incomplete
What’s the root word?
•
•
•
•
•
wildly
beautiful
sleepily
uncomfortable
incomplete
•
•
•
•
•
wild
beauty
sleepy
comfortable
complete
Can you think of
any words with
prefixes and
suffixes?
Practice Makes Perfect!!
•
•
•
•
•
http://www.funenglishgames.com/grammargames/prefixsuffix.html
http://www.fekids.com/kln/noflash.html
http://www.ezschool.com/Games/PrefixSuffix.html
http://www.tv411.org/lessons/cfm/vocabulary.cfm?
str=vocabulary&num=1&act=4&que=1
http://www.scholastic.com/kids/homework/spell_it_out.htm