Morphemes
Grammar & Language
Goal: I can use morphemes
to spell new words
1.I don’t know much about this topic.
2.I know a little about this topic.
3.I know a bit about this topic and
have used it.
4.I could explain this topic to my
peers and assist them.
GANAG
APK
• ‘I have who has’ game
• Before playing, write down your ‘I have’
word and identify the root word and
prefix or suffix. Write down the word that
you think will match your ‘who has’
question.
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What is a morpheme?
• A morpheme is a combination of sounds
that have meaning.
• A free morpheme can stand alone as a
word without another morpheme. Dog is
a free morpheme.
• A bound morpheme is a sound or
combination of sounds that cannot stand
alone as a word. The ly in friendly is a
bound morpheme as it does not have any
meaning without the free morpheme
friend.
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• An affix is a morpheme that comes at
the beginning (prefix) or ending (suffix)
of a base morpheme. An affix cannot
always stand alone as a word e.g. –ful,
-ly, -ness. Exceptions include able, less.
• A base is a morpheme that gives a
word its meaning. The word ‘cat’ gives
the word ‘cats’ its meaning.
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• An inflectional morpheme creates a
change in the function of the word and can
only be a suffix. For example, the d in
invited indicates past tense.
• A derivational morpheme changes the
words meaning or the part of speech or
both. Derivational morphemes often create
new words. For example, the prefix and
derivational morpheme un added to invited
changes the meaning.
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Application
Morpheme Machines:
1. Choose a root word
2. Find the dictionary definition
3. Identify another root word that has a similar
meaning (synonym) and a word that has an
opposite meaning (antonym).
4. Draw a picture to represent the meaning
5. Identify an example word
6. Write an example sentence
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Morpheme Machine Root Words
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Run
Cool
Exercise
Write
Close
Open
Kind
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•
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Possible
Cook
Fill
History
Able
Tell
Known
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Friend
Heat
Test
Create
Measure
Before
Think
Application
1. Make a list of 3 free morphemes.
In the following words, circle the base word as
well as underlining the morpheme.
1. Underline the bound morpheme in the words
colourful, happily, joker.
2. Underline the inflectional morpheme in the
words running, winner and fastest.
3. Underline the derivational morpheme in the
words unchanged, camper, hotter.
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Reflection
3 things I remember
2 things that I’ve learnt
1 question I still have
Goal: I can use morphemes
to spell new words
1. I don’t know much about this
topic.
2. I know a little about this topic.
3. I know a bit about this topic and
have used it.
4. I could explain this topic to my
peers and assist them.
GANAG