Learning Objectives
Identify prefixes in words in order to improve pronunciation
Prefixes-a word part that is placed in front of a base word to create a new word.
Prefix + Root Word=new word
Common Prefixes:
Prefix |
Meaning |
Words |
| anti- | against | anti-racist |
| de- | opposite | defrost |
| dis- | opposite | disagree |
| en- | cause to | encode |
| in-, im, il- | not | inappropriate, improper, illiterate |
| inter- | between | interact |
| mis- | wrongly | misunderstand |
| non- | not | nonsense |
| pre- | before | preview |
| re- | again | return |
| sub- | under | subordinate |
| trans- | across | transgender |
| un- | not | unfriendly |
Try It
In some cases, letters at the beginning of a word are not prefixes:
Examples:
real
uncle
pretty
interest
The spelling of the base word never changes. Add the prefix to the beginning of the base word.
Example: tri+cycle=tricycle
In some cases, double letters occur.
Example: un+natural=unnatural
A hyphen is needed in these cases:
-when a prefix is added to a proper noun or a numeral.
Example: Un-American
-when the prefix ex meaning former.
Example: ex-president
-after the prefix self.
Example: self-respect
-to separate two a’s, two i’s, two e’s or two o’s to improve readability
Example: co-owner, de-emphasize, re-elect
