Prefixes and Suffixes
Objectives
• Use knowledge of root words as well as context
clues and glossaries to understand specialized
vocabulary in the content areas during reading.
• Use these words accurately in speaking and
writing.
• Describe the origins and meanings of common,
learned and foreign words used frequently in
English language writing and literature.
• Identify new words that have been added to the
English language over time using prefixes.
How many words are in the English
Language?
• The Second Edition of the Oxford English
Dictionary contains full entries for 171,476 words in
current use, and 47,156 obsolete words.
• To this may be added around 9,500 derivative
words included as subentries.
• Over half of these words are nouns, about a quarter
adjectives, and about a seventh verbs; the rest is
made up of interjections, conjunctions, prepositions,
suffixes, etc.
• These figures take no account of entries with senses
for different parts of speech (such as noun and
adjective).
Shrinking Vocabulary
 The average sixth grade student knows approximately
25,000 words.
 The average high school graduate knows
approximately 50,000 words.
 This means that average students learn roughly 20003,000 words a year (Graves, 2007).
 This translates to 8 words a day, 7 days a week, 52
weeks a year - including weekends or summers.
• Half of all “high-frequency words”
every day words,
• and two-thirds of all academic and technical
words are derived from Latin or Greek.
• So learn the meanings of roots, prefixes, and
suffixes and these basic elements make it easier
to learn new words.
Prefixes
• Number Prefixes
▫ These prefixes indicate number value in a word:
Bi- two —bicycle-two wheels
Tri- three —triangle—three angles
• Prefixes are added to the beginning of words to
change a words meaning. Cycle is something you
ride. Bicycle is something you ride with two
wheels.
You try
• Write a word that uses each prefix, then write a
definition for the word:
▫ Bi▫ Tri-
• Not Prefixes :These prefixes indicate the word
not:
▫
▫
▫
▫
▫
▫
il—illegal—not legal
Im—impossible—not possible
In—inactive—not active
Ir—irregular—not regular
Non—nonsense—no sense
Un—unable—not able
You Try
• Write a word that uses each prefix, then write a
definition for the word:
▫
▫
▫
▫
▫
▫
il—
Im—
In—
Ir—
Non—
Un—
• Direction Prefixes:
▫ De—lower—descend-move to a lower place
▫ Mid—middle—midway—middle of the way
▫ In—in/into—inhale—breath in Im—in/into—
import—bring into
▫ Re—back—re curve—a backwards bend
▫ Sub—under—submarine—underwater
▫ Super—above—superimpose—place above
You Try
• Write a word that uses each prefix, then write a
definition for the word:
▫
▫
▫
▫
▫
▫
▫
De—
Mid—
In—
Im—
Re—
Sub—
Super—
• Time Prefixes:
▫ Fore—ahead of time—forewarn—warn ahead of
time
▫ Pre—before—prefix—before the word
▫ Re—again—redo—do again
You Try
• Write a word that uses each prefix, then write a
definition for the word:
▫ Fore—
▫ Pre—
▫ Re—
• Behavior Prefixes:
▫ Mis—wrongly—misunderstand—wrongly
understand
▫ Mis—badly—misbehave—badly behave
You Try
• Write a word that uses each prefix, then write a
definition for the word:
▫ Mis—
▫ Mis—
• Combining Prefixes:
▫ Com—together—compact—packed together
▫ Con—with—contact—communicate with
You Try
• Write a word that uses each prefix, then write a
definition for the word:
▫ Com—
▫ Con—
Suffixes
• -ment action or process movement, bewilderment,
government
• -ness state of, condition of kindness, ruthlessness
• -able, -ible can be done comfortable, capable,
visible
• -ful full of, having some or much useful, hopeful
• -or -er -ar a person connected with (changes
verb to noun) actor, runner, beggar –
• ous -eous -ious possessing the quality of
courteous, delicious, religious