Word Meanings from Roots and Affixes

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Objective

I can use common roots and affixes to determine the meanings of words.

Part 1 of 3

Key concepts

3 concepts

  1. 1

    Many English words are built from smaller pieces called roots and affixes, which helps us understand their meaning.

  2. 2

    A root is the main part of a word that carries its core meaning, such as 'port' meaning 'carry' or 'bio' meaning 'life'.

  3. 3

    Affixes are word parts added to roots, with prefixes at the beginning and suffixes at the end.

Part 2 of 3

Practice

7 questions

1

What is the main difference between a root and an affix in a word?

2

If the prefix 'un-' means 'not', what does the word 'unfold' mean?

Part 3 of 3

Exit ticket

Quick comprehension check

Using the information from the reading passage, break down the word 'unreadable' into its word parts (prefix, root/base word, suffix) and explain how each part contributes to the word's meaning to determine the full meaning of 'unreadable'.

Sample answer included in the free materials

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