ROOTS & AFFIXES
(PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES)
English I
ROOT WORDS
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Base Words
Many derived from Greek, Latin, and Old English
Learning common root words can help you to
understand unknown vocabulary.
Root of a word?
 Remove
any prefixes or suffixes
Meaning & Examples COMMON ROOTS
ROOT
MEANING
astro
EXAMPLES
astrodome, astronomy
aud
bio
chron
demo
geo
phono
spect
look at
tele
far off
topo(s)
place
topography, topology
vert
turn
introvert, revert
photo
ROOTS
ROOT
MEANING
EXAMPLES
astro
star
astrodome, astronomy
aud
to hear
auditory, audible, audiobook
bio
life
biology, biodegradable
chron
time
chronological, chronic
demo
people
democracy, demography
geo
earth
geology, geothermal
phono
sound
phonics, telephone
spect
look at
retrospect, spectacle
tele
far off
telecommute, television
topo(s)
place
topography, topology
vert
turn
introvert, revert
photo
light
photon, photography
Example
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“An aspiring actress, Elisa auditioned for every role
she could.”
The root of the word “audition” tells you that an
audition involves the sense of
a. hearing
b. sight
c. taste
d. smell
Affix
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Syllables added to roots to create new words
Syllables added to the beginning of root words to
make new words are PREFIXES
Syllables added to the end of root words to make
new words are SUFFIXES
PREFIX
MEANING
EXAMPLE
anti-
against
Antiwar-against the war
de-
reverse, remove
Decode-to remove code
dis-
not
ex-
former
in-
not
inter-
between
mal-
bad, wrong
mis-
wrong
mono-
one, single
non-
not
post-
after
pre-
before
pro-
in favor of
re-
again
sub-
below, under
un-
not
uni-
one, single
PREFIX
MEANING
EXAMPLE
anti-
against
Antiwar-against the war
de-
reverse, remove
Decode-to remove code
dis-
not
Distasteful-not tasteful
ex-
former
Expel-cast out
in-
not
Inefficient-not efficient
inter-
between
Intervene- come between
mal-
bad, wrong
Maladapted-badly adapted
mis-
wrong
Misstated-stated incorrectly
mono-
one, single
Monochrome-of one color
non-
not
Nonissue-not an issue
post-
after
Postnatal-after birth
pre-
before
Preview-to show beforehand
pro-
in favor of
Pro-education – in favor of education
re-
again
Restart- to start again
sub-
below, under
Submarine- under the sea
un-
not
Uninventive-not inventive
uni-
one, single
Unilateral-one-sided
SUFFIX
MEANING
-able
Worthy or capable of
-ation
Forms nouns from verbs
-ence
Process or state
-ful
Having or being
-ible
Worthy or capable of
-ism
Act, state or condition
-ist
One who does something
-ive
Being
-less
Lacking
-ly
Attributes a quality
-ness
State of something
-ology
Study of
-ous
Full of
-ward
In a specific direction
EXAMPLE
i
SUFFIX
MEANING
EXAMPLE
-able
Worthy or capable of
Manageable
-ation
Forms nouns from verbs
Compilation
-ence
Process or state
Emergence
-ful
Having or being
Meaningful
-ible
Worthy or capable of
Sensible
-ism
Act, state or condition
Criticism
-ist
One who does something
Zoologist
-ive
Being
Intensive
-less
Lacking
Useless
-ly
Attributes a quality
Angrily
-ness
State of something
Carelessness
-ology
Study of
Geology
-ous
Full of
Joyous
-ward
In a specific direction
inward
Using suffixes, make the following verbs nouns
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Fix
Create
Demolish
Arrange
Assist
Defer
Refuse
cover