Empty & Broken
English Language: KS3, topic 4.2.9
Vac - Empty
Words beginning with 'vac' generally mean being empty.
Vacate
- To vacate means to leave somewhere so that it becomes empty (of people).
- Example: When the fire alarm went off, the workers vacated the building immediately.
- Alternative: When the fire alarm went off, the workers cleared out of the building immediately.
Vacuum
- A vacuum is a space with no matter in it. A vacuum also means a lack of something.
- Example: Outer space is a vacuum.
- Alternative: There is no matter in outer space.
Vacuous
- Vacuous means empty. When used to talk about people, vacuous can mean unintelligent ('empty' headed).
- Example: My grandma had a vacuous expression on her face when I opened the door.
- Alternative: My grandma had an empty expression on her face when I opened the door.
Frac - Breaking
Words beginning with 'frac' or 'frag' generally refer to breaking.
Fracture
- To fracture is to crack or break. A fracture is a crack or break in a hard object.
- Example: Kenji fractured his clavicle playing rugby.
- Alternative: Kenji broke his collarbone playing rugby.
Fraction
- A fraction is a small portion of the whole. Think of a fraction like a broken off bit of a broken whole!
- In maths, a fraction is a broken up whole number.
- Example: She closed her eyes for a fraction of a second but still missed seeing the bird.
- Alternative: She closed her eyes for a split second but still missed seeing the bird.
- Example: is a fraction.
Fragment
- To fragment is to break something up into pieces.
- A fragment is a broken off piece of something.
- Example: The shop floor was covered in fragments of glass.
- Alternative: The shop floor was covered in pieces of glass.
Dur - Hard
Words beginning with 'dur' generally refer to something being hard or lasting.
Duration
- Duration is the length of time something lasts.
- Example: I slept for the duration of the maths class.
- Alternative: I slept for the length of the maths class.
During
- During either means from the start to finish of a specific time period (while a time period 'lasts') or at some point during a specific time period.
- Example: During Ramadan, most Muslims fast.
- Alternative: Throughout Ramadan, most Muslims fast.
- Example: The police officer was shot during the raid.
- Alternative: The police officer was shot at some point in the raid.
Durable
- Something that's durable can last a long time.
- Example: I'm glad I bought these boots - they're made of such durable leather!
- Alternative: I'm glad I bought these boots - they're made of such long-lasting leather!
Duress
- Duress are threats ('hard' actions) or other violent actions used to get people to do things against their will.
- Example: The robber committed the crime under duress.
- Alternative: The robber committed the crime under pressure.
Test yourself on Empty & Broken
What does the prefix 'vac' generally mean?
What do the prefixes 'frac' or 'frag' generally mean?
What two prefixes generally refer to breaking?
Which of these is NOT a meaning of the prefix 'dur'?