Prefixes
Year 7 Spelling Starters
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Contents
Common prefixes
Antonym prefixes
a- prefixes
Latin and Greek prefixes
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Prefixes – Common prefixes
Common prefixes
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Prefixes
Knowing about prefixes can help us to understand and
spell words.
Words are full of patterns and rules.
Prefixes help to create patterns in words.
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What is a prefix?
A prefix is a letter or group of letters that is fixed in front
of the root of a word. The prefix changes the meaning of
the word.
con
de
ob
construct
struct (build)
destruct
obstruct
Knowing what the prefixes mean can help our understanding
of unfamiliar words. In this example, the prefixes are:
con = with/together; de = undo; ob = in the way.
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Common prefixes
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Prefixes – Antonym prefixes
Antonym prefixes
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Antonym prefixes
Look at these words. The prefixes are in orange.
inaccurate
impolite
illegal
unhelpful
irregular
What is the effect of the prefix in
each case?
The prefixes in, im, il, un, and ir all
mean not. So by using these prefixes,
the meanings of the words change – to
the opposite meanings.
These are antonym prefixes. Antonym means ‘opposite’
and they make the original word into its opposite.
Can you think of other prefixes which do the same?
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Antonym prefixes
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Antonym prefixes
What is the effect of the prefix in each case?
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Prefixes – a- prefixes
a- prefixes
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a- prefixes
What do you think the prefix al means?
almighty
alright
altogether
The prefix al means all.
already
always
How many other words can you think of that begin al?
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a- prefixes
What do you think the prefix a- means?
aboard
= on board
afloat
= in a state of floating
aglitter
= in a state of glittering
awake
= in a state of waking
aground
= on ground
The a- prefix means on or in a state of.
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a- prefixes
What links the words below?
abandon
– They abandoned the ship.
abseil
– They abseiled down the cliff.
abscond
– He absconded from jail.
abdicate
– She abdicated her throne.
The prefix ab means away from.
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Prefix story
Write a short story using as many a prefixes as you can.
Choose one of these titles, or think of your own.
The Away
Game
The Robbery
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The King’s
Voyage
The Affair
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Prefixes – Latin and Greek prefixes
Latin and Greek prefixes
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Latin and Greek prefixes
How many words can you think of that begin with the prefix
auto, e.g. autobiography?
Press
play to
start the
timer.
Here are a few suggestions:
autograph
automobile
automatic
What do you think
auto means?
automaton
Auto means self.
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Latin and Greek prefixes
Can you think of any words that begin with the prefix bi,
e.g. bicycle?
Did you think of any of these
words?
biceps
Press
play to
start the
timer.
bilingual
What do you think the prefix bi
means?
biplane
Bi means two or twice.
biped
bifocals
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Latin and Greek prefixes
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Prefix quiz
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Mix and match prefixes
Match the
prefixes to the
root words.
How many new
words can you
make?
Prefixes
Root words
re
un
mis
sub
act
marine
dead
place
grow
live
Did you find any of
these words?
react
undead
regrow
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relive
misplace
submarine
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