Roots and Affixes

Vocabulary Instruction

R1E

Understanding Roots and Affixes

Affixes include prefixes and suffixes and combined with root words and base words. They can quickly multiply the number of words you know.

It is more efficient to memorize the meaning of these word parts than to memorize definitions that you will end up forgetting in a few days anyway.

Word Roots (can’t stand on own)

A word’s root is the part of the word that carries the most meaning.

Latin and Greek roots are extremely important in unlocking vocabulary you never knew before.

For example if you know that there are two Latin words that mean “light”- luc and lum- you can at least begin to figure out the words on the following slide.

Luc and Lum practice

Luminous

Lucid

Translucent

Illuminate

Luminary

radiating or reflecting light

easily understood, clear perception or understanding

clear, easily understandable

To supply with light, to enlighten as with knowledge

a celestial body (sun or moon), a body or object that gives off light

Affixes: prefixes and suffixes

It might have helped you on some of these words to know some affixes for example:

-ous is a suffix that creates an adjective

Trans- means across or through

Il- means not

Prefixes

Prefixes can be added to the beginnings of many words to change the word’s meaning.

For example, the prefix un- gives the opposite meaning to any word it is added to.

Some prefixes have more than one meaning but having these memorized will enable your vocabulary to transcend its normal range.

Suffixes

A suffix is placed at the end of a word or part of a word.

When you add suffixes you often change the word’s function (part of speech) as well as its meaning.

Check out the example on the next slide.

Suffixes

WORD FUNCTION MEANING

Clamant Adjective Noisy

Clamorer Noun One who makes noise

Clamor Verb To make loud sounds

Claimant Noun A person who makes a claim

Exclaimed Verb Shouted suddenly

Exclamation Noun Noisy talk; outcry

Exclamatory Adjective Expressing emotion

Putting words together

Knowing your roots and affixes is good start to mastering the word parts and overcoming your lack of vocabulary, and here are some helpful tips to help.

LISTEN UP!

Most words in English are built from at least one root:

– Narrate

– Scribe

– Serve

– Mariner

– Lunar

– Vagrant

Words do not always have both a prefix and a suffix.

Words with neither– Sleep– Light– Plead– Eat– Mold

Words with one prefix– Promote– Retract– Consent

Words with one suffix– Signal– Creation– Mechanize

Words can have more than one root, prefix, or suffix

Words with 2 roots:– Anthropology– Barometer– Photograph– Psychology

Words with 2 prefixes:– Unenlightened– Intercontinental– Deconstruct

Words with 2 suffixes:– Anonymously– Mindlessly– brightened

Often the spelling of a base word changes with it is combined with a prefix or suffix

Brief

Move

Exclaim

Brevity

Mobile

Exclamation

Some more helpful tips:

1. Collect Roots and Related Words (I have attached and handed you a very comprehensive list to start with)

2. Play Word Games (here are some online sites)

1. Vocabulary.com2. Visual vocabulary3. Prefixes video4. Roots and Their Families Part I and Part II

3. Use the words

The End