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Understanding New Words: Prefixes

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Understanding New Words: Prefixes

We can break down words into different parts to help us figure out new meanings of words. One way to understand the meaning of a word is to look at the prefixes.

Prefix

Prefix

  • A prefix is a word or group of letters at the start of the word which changes the meaning.
Examples

Examples

  • In unhappy, 'un' is a prefix meaning 'not'.
    • So unhappy means 'not happy'.
  • In preschool, 'pre' is a prefix meaning 'before'.
    • So preschool means 'before school'.
More examples

More examples

  • In automobile, 'auto' is a prefix meaning 'self, own'.
    • So automobile means 'a vehicle that moves by itself'.
  • In bicycle, 'bi' is a prefix meaning 'two'.
    • So bicycle means a cycle with 'two wheels'.
Jump to other topics
1

Reading

1.1

Reading

1.1.1Understanding New Words: Prefixes1.1.2Understanding New Words: Suffixes1.1.3Understanding New Words: Root Words1.1.4Exception Words
1.2

Prefixes

1.2.1Adding a Prefix with a Hyphen1.2.2End of Topic Test - Reading & Prefixes
1.3

Suffixes

1.3.1Words Ending in '-cious' or '–tious'1.3.2More Words Ending in '-cious' / '-tious'1.3.3Words Ending in '-cial' or '-tial'1.3.4Words Ending in '-ant' or '-ent'1.3.5Words Ending in '-ance' or '-ence'1.3.6Words Ending in '-ancy' or '-ency'1.3.7Words Ending in '-able' & '-ably' (1/2)1.3.8Words Ending in '-able' & '-ably' (2/2)1.3.9Words Ending in '-ible' & '-ibly'1.3.10Words Ending in '-fer'
1.4

Spelling Rules

1.4.1‘i' Before 'e' Except After 'c’1.4.2‘i' Before 'e' Except After 'c’: Exceptions1.4.3End of Topic Test - Suffixes & Spelling Rules
1.5

Reading Comprehension

1.5.1Retrieval1.5.2Answer Retrieval Questions1.5.3Retrieval Practice1.5.4Inference1.5.5Answering Inference Questions1.5.6Impressions1.5.7Inference Practice1.5.8Prediction1.5.9Predictions: Example1.5.10Prediction Practice1.5.11Summarising1.5.12Answering Summary Questions1.5.13Summarising Practice
1.6

Reading Comprehension: SAT Practise

1.6.1Reading Comprehension Practise 1 (SAT)1.6.2Reading Comprehension Practise 2 (SAT)1.6.3Reading Comprehension Practise 3 (SAT)1.6.4Reading Comprehension Practise 4 (SAT)1.6.5Reading Comprehension Practise 5 (SAT)1.6.6Reading Comprehension Practise 6 (SAT)1.6.7Reading Comprehension Practise 7 (SAT)1.6.8Reading Comprehension Practise 8 (SAT)
1.7

Word Meaning

1.7.1Word Meaning1.7.2Answering Questions About Word Meaning1.7.3Homonyms1.7.4End of Topic Test - Comprehension & Word Meaning
1.8

Fact vs. Opinion

1.8.1Fact & Opinion1.8.2Fact & Opinion - Questions
1.9

Justifying Views

1.9.1Justifying Your Views1.9.2End of Topic Test - Facts & Opinions
1.10

Figurative Language

1.10.1Figurative Language1.10.2Similes1.10.3Similes: Comprehension1.10.4Metaphors1.10.5Personification1.10.6Onomatopoeia1.10.7Alliteration1.10.8Hyperbole
1.11

Text Structure

1.11.1Structure in Poetry: Verses1.11.2Structure in Poetry: Rhyme1.11.3Structure in Non-Fiction (1/2)1.11.4Structure in Non-Fiction (2/2)1.11.5End of Topic Test - Fig. Language & Text Structure
2

Writing

2.1

Sounds in Words

2.1.1The 'ough' Sound (1/2)2.1.2The 'ough' Sound (2/2)2.1.3Silent Letters2.1.4Silent Letters: Examples2.1.5End of Topic Test - 'Ough' Sound & Silent Letters
2.2

Homophones

2.2.1Advice & Advise2.2.2Aisle & Isle2.2.3Aloud & Allowed2.2.4Altar & Alter2.2.5Ascent & Assent2.2.6Bridal & Bridle2.2.7Cereal & Serial2.2.8Compliment & Complement2.2.9Descent & Dissent2.2.10Device & Devise2.2.11Licence & License2.2.12Practice & Practise2.2.13Farther & Father2.2.14Guessed & Guest2.2.15Heard & Herd2.2.16Morning & Mourning2.2.17Past & Passed2.2.18Desert & Dessert2.2.19Draft & Draught2.2.20Principal & Principle2.2.21Profit & Prophet2.2.22Stationary & Stationery2.2.23Steal & Steel2.2.24Wary & Weary2.2.25Who's & Whose2.2.26End of Topic Test - Homophones
2.3

Using a Dictionary

2.3.1Using a Dictionary2.3.2Using a Thesaurus
2.4

Writing Composition

2.4.1Reasons for Planning2.4.2Identifying Your Audience2.4.3Identifying Your Purpose2.4.4Noting Down Ideas2.4.5Considering Other Writing2.4.6Drafting: Grammar2.4.7Drafting a Narrative2.4.8Drafting: Precising2.4.9Making Your Writing Flow: Conjunctions2.4.10Making Your Writing Flow: Devices for Cohesion2.4.11Making Your Writing Flow: Synonyms2.4.12Drafting a Layout2.4.13Editing: What Is Editing?2.4.14Editing: Editing Your Tenses2.4.15Editing: Things to Check When Editing2.4.16Proof Reading: Steps2.4.17Proof Reading: Punctuation, Spelling & Grammar2.4.18End of Topic Test - Dictionary & Composition
2.5

The Subjunctive Mood

2.5.1Hopes & Wishes2.5.2Hopes & Wishes: Examples2.5.3Demands & Commands2.5.4Requests2.5.5Suggestions2.5.6End of Topic Test - The Subjunctive Mood
2.6

Modal Verbs

2.6.1What are Modal Verbs?2.6.2Can2.6.3Could2.6.4May2.6.5Might2.6.6Should2.6.7Shall2.6.8Will2.6.9Would2.6.10Must2.6.11Have to2.6.12End of Topic Test - Modal Verbs
2.7

Active & Passive Voice

2.7.1Active Voice2.7.2Passive Voice
2.8

Relative Clauses

2.8.1Relative Pronouns2.8.2Relative Clauses
2.9

Expanded Nouns

2.9.1Expanded Nouns2.9.2Expanded Nouns Phrases: Examples2.9.3End of Topic Test - Active, Passive, Relative...
2.10

Punctuation

2.10.1Commas for Meaning2.10.2Commas in Lists2.10.3Commas in Compound Sentences2.10.4Hyphens2.10.5Using Dashes for Parenthesis2.10.6Using Brackets for Parenthesis2.10.7Using Commas for Parenthesis2.10.8Clauses: Using Colons to Separate Clauses2.10.9Clauses: Using Semi-Colons to Separate Clauses2.10.10Clauses: Using Dashes to Separate Clauses2.10.11Colons2.10.12Bullet Points: Puctuation2.10.13Bullet Points: Capital Letters2.10.14Bullet Points: Consistency2.10.15End of Topic Test - Punctuation
2.11

SAT Spelling Practise

2.11.1Spelling Practise 1 (SAT)2.11.2Spelling Practise 2 (SAT)2.11.3Spelling Practise 3 (SAT)2.11.4Spelling Practise 4 (SAT)2.11.5Spelling Practise 5 (SAT)2.11.6Spelling Practise 6 (SAT)2.11.7Spelling Practise 7 (SAT)2.11.8Spelling Practise 8 (SAT)2.11.9Spelling Practise 9 (SAT)2.11.10Spelling Practise 10 (SAT)2.11.11Spelling Practise 11 (SAT)2.11.12Spelling Practise 12 (SAT)2.11.13Spelling Practise 13 (SAT)2.11.14Spelling Practise 14 (SAT)2.11.15Spelling Practise 15 (SAT)2.11.16Spelling Practise 16 (SAT)2.11.17Spelling Practise 17 (SAT)2.11.18Spelling Practise 18 (SAT)2.11.19Spelling Practise 19 (SAT)2.11.20Spelling Practise 20 (SAT)

Practice questions on Understanding New Words: Prefixes

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    How can we call the group of letters 'mis' in the word 'misinterpret'?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    What words use a prefix?True / false
  3. 3
    What word derived from 'hero' uses a prefix?Multiple choice
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Understanding New Words: Suffixes