Prefixes & Suffixes Building Vocabulary Through Prefixes, Roots & Suffixes Introduction re you looking for an element of English language study that is utilized in every aspect of language usage? Are you frustrated that vocabulary building in textbooks is limited to memorization of individual words? Would you like to systematize vocabulary building so that your students can continue to learn vocabulary once they are out of your class? If this is the case with you, I recommend the study of prefixes roots and suffixes. This is not a single class exercise, nor a single lesson plan. It is an introduction to the most utilized word parts that, in their many combinations, make up 50% of the English language. It requires perseverance, but is rewarded by students who are grateful that they have become comfortable with the ability to recognize words they are not immediately familiar with. And confidence with vocabulary goes a long way in reading, writing, listening, speaking, and with standardized test-taking. A Purpose nglish vocabulary is enormous and grows steadily with technological and cultural assimilations. The vast majority of the new words introduced, and a great percentage of the words used to express abstract ideas, are complex words that are made up of simple word parts (prefixes, roots, and suffixes) that have their own definitions and, when familiar to the student of English, can be understood in context without an exact definition. This is the foundation of the system which I present to my students. By slowly and steadily studying the most prominent prefixes, roots, and suffixes, students can acquire a vocabulary that is far greater than the sum of its parts. E Necessities he most crucial requirement in this system is a basic understanding of the most prominent prefixes, roots and suffixes in the English language. There are many resources for obtaining support information, on the Internet and in books, but below is a short list of some of the predominant prefixes, roots and suffixes: T Prefixes Roots Suffixes ab - away vis, vid - to see -tion, -ion, -sion - n. condition ad - to, toward ject - push -al - adj., relating to con, com, co - with, together press- press -e - makes a noun or verb de - down, from cis, cid - cut, kill -ive - adj., relating to ex, e - out of, from pend, pens - hang -able, -ible - able to, can in, im - in or not fac, fici, fec - make, do -ia - n. condition, disorder micro - small lat- carry -ly - adverb mono - one mit, mis- send, do -ology -study multi - many nav, naut - sail, boat -ary, -ory - place ob - to, toward ten,tend,tain - hold pre,pro - before, near ped, pod, pus - foot re - back, again cept, ceiv - take Page 1 Prefixes & Suffixes rupt - break he source I use is the dictionary The Structure of English Words, 4th ed., by Clarence Sloat and Sharon Taylor, Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, 1996, ISBN 0-7872-2248-8. I have never seen any book with a better collection of prefixes, roots and suffixes, as well as listings of the words that each word part is used in. Another book worth looking into is English Words from Latin-Greek Elements, by Donald Ayers and Thomas Worthen, University of Arizona Press, 1986. Check out these websites for more truncated, but still effective, lists: T • www.ccps.org/ccps/pvms/Challenge/Vocabbuild.html • www.lexfiles.info • www.southampton.liunet.edu Method t does not matter if you are teaching a reading, writing, or listening/speaking class. It does not matter what text is being used, or if there is any text at all. Any paragraph written in English will have at least a few words that are made up of prefixes, roots and suffixes, and this is where the method begins. This system should be introduced on the first day of class (to great incomprehension, no doubt), and should be dealt with in no more than 10 or 15 minutes per class. I fter reading a paragraph, the teacher should excerpt a few complex words, for example 'invisible' and 'decision.' The teacher then tells the students that these words are made up from word parts and that a great many words in English are as well, and that studying these parts increases vocabulary immensely. The teacher breaks the words down into their parts, writing on the board what each part means. Then, introduce other words that have the same roots in them, for 'vis,vid' television, video, and even view, for 'cis, cid' scissors, homicide, and suicide. Then define the prefixes and suffixes of those words. This will lead to a list of 8 or 10 words. This kind of brainstorming should be kept to a minimum in the first weeks and then indulged in more freely as the students gain in confidence. The students will be confused at first. Just remind them that this is a process that gets easier with repetition. The next week, quiz the students on how to break down last week's words into prefixes, roots and suffixes, and what each word part means. I usually chose 5 words and the quiz is worth 10 points, one point for identifying the correct prefix, root, and suffix, and one point for correct definitions of each word part. (If the word is broken down incorrectly, for example 'inv- in, -isi- to see, -ble- able to,' one point is taken off. If one part is defined incorrectly, '- vis- to scare', one point is taken off.) After the quiz, or during the reading time in class, I introduce half a dozen new words and word parts for the following week. A here are complications, for example 'in' in invisible become 'im' in impossible, and 'ob' in obvious becomes 'op' in opposite. There are 'stem extenders' which mean nothing but help with pronunciation, like '-ac-' in tenacity, which is a noun related to holding. But these exceptions dwindle in significance as the presentation of new word parts and words and the repetition of quizzes occurs over a period of weeks. In my classes, students' scores begin at the 2s and 3s, and increase to 8s, 9s, and 10s over a few weeks. T Page 2 Prefixes & Suffixes Conclusion n a matter of weeks, students will not only be comfortable identifying complex words in their own reading and writing, but also of breaking those words (and others with which they are not familiar) down and attempting to understand their meaning by the meanings of their parts. They will know the most popular prefixes and suffixes (ad-, de-, ex-, in-, and –tion, -ate, -al) because they will have seen them and heard them repeated many times over. I reward students who utilize complex words in their writing or speaking with extra credit points. This system is daunting at first, but over time and with repetition, students naturally become more confident, and learn how to teach themselves the language. Their growing confidence is easy to see in their increasing quiz scores. I generally finish the term presenting the students with a list of the words that they have encountered – students are astonished at just how many words they have seen and can handle. The ultimate reward any ESL teacher can attain is to see the students learn a difficult task and apply their learning to their everyday lives. To my mind, there is no aspect of language that is more important than vocabulary building and comprehension. Using this system, I have been rewarded over and over again by grateful students. With patience and perseverance, I am sure you will have the same experience. I Preparation for an American University Program Vocabulary Workshop Prefixes refixes and suffixes were originally words themselves but they are now groups of letters added to words or to roots to create new words. Prefixes [pre (before) + fix (fasten) = fasten before] are groups of letters placed before words or roots. Prefixes modify or extend the meanings of words and roots. Following is a list of commonly used prefixes and sample vocabulary. P INDEX: A B C D E I M N O P R S T U Back to Vocabulary Workshop Page 3 Prefixes & Suffixes • a-, ac-, ad-, af-, ag-, al-, an-, ap-, as-, at- to, toward, near, in addition to o aside (adverb): to or toward the side  a + side o accompany (verb): to go with someone as a companion  ac + com + pan + y o adjust (verb): to correct, to move closer to a correct position  ad + just o affix (verb): to attach to something, to fasten  af + fix o aggression (noun): hostile behavior towards someone or something  ag + gress + ion o allocate (verb): to distribute to specific people or for specific purposes  al + loc + ate o annihilate (verb): to destroy  an + nihil + ate o associate (verb): to join with  as + soci + ate o attend (verb): to look after, to go to  at + tend • a-, an- not, without o apolitical (adjective): without interest in politics  a + polit + ic + al o anemia (noun): the condition (disease) of not having enough red blood cells  an + em + ia • ab-, abs- away from, off o abrupt (adjective): unexpected change  ab + rupt o absolve (verb): to be set free from one's actions or obligations  ab + solve • ante- before o anterior (adjective): before or near the front  ante + rior • anti- against o antipathy (noun): dislike, opposite feeling  anti + path + y • auto- self o automotive (adjective): related to self-propelled machines  auto + mot + ive Page 4 Prefixes & Suffixes • bi- two o biped (noun): a two-footed animal  bi + ped o biennial (adjective): happening every two years bi + enni + al • cat-, cata-, cath- down, with o category (noun): a class or set to which a thing belongs  cate + gor + y o catalogue (noun): a book or pamphlet that lists and describes  cata + log + ue o catheter (noun): a medical device used to tranfer fluids cath +eter • circum- around o circumvent (verb): to manage to get around a situation  circum + vent • co-, cog-, col-, com-, con-, cor together, with o cohesiveness (noun): the ability to stick together  co + hes + ive + ness o cognate (adjective): related, similar in nature  cog + nate o collaborate (verb): to work together  col + lab + or + ate o commitment (noun): to entrust, to put into a place  com + mit + ment o convenient (adjective): handy, nearby  con + veni + ent o correct (verb): to set right, to be right  cor + rect • contra- against, opposite o contradict (verb) to state the opposite Page 5 Prefixes & Suffixes  contra + dict • de- to do the opposite, to take away from o decrease (verb): to grow smaller, to become less  de + cre + ase • di-, dif-, dis- apart, separate, two, opposite, not o divide (verb): to separate into two or more parts  di + vide o differ (verb): to be unlike  dif + fer • dis- not, opposite of, exclude o distrust (verb): to have no confidence or trust  dis + trust • e-, ex- out, out of, from o emit (verb) to send out  e + mit o expel (verb): to force out ex + pel • en-, em- put into o enamor (verb): to cause to love, to "put" someone "into" love  en + am + + or o empower (verb): to give power, to put into power em + pow + er • epi-, upon, beside, over o epilogue (noun): the concluding section of a play or literary work  epi + logue • extra- beyond o extraordinary (adjective): going beyond normal  extra + ordin + ary Page 6 Prefixes & Suffixes • il-, im-, in-, ir, not, in o illegible (adjective): cannot be read  il + leg + ible o imposter (noun): someone who poses as someone else  im + post + er o inaction (noun): lack of motion, idle  in + act + ion o irresolute (adjective): uncertain about hot to act, undecided, not having a solution  ir + re + solute • in-, im-, il- in, into o instead (adverb): in place of, an alternative  in + stead o import (verb): to bring into a country from another country  im + port • inter- between, among o interject (verb): to throw something (usually a comment) between other things  inter + ject • intro- into o introspection (noun): to look into one's own thoughts and feelings  intro + spect + ion • mal- bad o malfunction (noun): when something does not work properly  mal + funct + ion • mis- wrong o misconduct (noun): wrong doing, bad behavior  mis + con + duct Page 7 Prefixes & Suffixes • mono- one o monologue (noun): a dramatic performance or speech given by one actor  mono + logue • multi- many o multiply (verb): to increase in number  multi + ply • non- not, no o nonsense (noun): something that has no meaning or makes no sense  non + sense • ob-, oc-, of-, op- toward, against, in the way o obtain (verb): to gain or get, to get a hold of  ob + tain o occur (verb): to happen, to come to mind  oc + cur o offer (verb): to attempt to give, to propose, to try to hand out  of + fer o oppose (verb): to be against, to stand in the way of something  op + pose • over- excessive, above o overwork (verb): to have too much work  over + work Page 8 Prefixes & Suffixes • para- beside o paradox (noun): a statement that seems true and contradictory at the same time  para + dox • per- through o persecute (verb): to go after, to pursue  per + secute • post- after o postpone (verb): to put off to a later time, to delay  post + pone • pre- before o precede (verb): to go before, to come in front of  pre + cede • pro- for, foward o propel (verb): to push forward  pro + pel • re- back, again o readmit (verb): to allow in again  re + ad + mit • retro- backward o retrospect (noun) to look back at past events  retro + spect Page 9 Prefixes & Suffixes • se- apart, move away from o secede (verb): to withdraw from an organization  se + cede • semi- half o semiannual (adjective): occurring twice a year  semi + annu + al • sub-, suc-, suf-, sup-, sur-, sus under, beneath, near, from below, secretly, above, up o submarine (adjective): underwater  sub + mar + ine o succeed (verb): to do well, to come after  suc + ceed o suffice (verb): to be enough  suf + fice o support (verb): to hold up, too keep up  sup + port o survive (verb): to live, to live through something, to exist  sur + vive o sustain (verb): to keep up, to hold up,  sus + tain • super- over, above o superimpose (verb): to place something on top of something else  super + im + pose • syn-, sym- together, at the same time o synchronous (adjective): happening at the same time  syn + chron + ous o sympathy (noun): sharing another person's feelings, compassion  sym + path + y • trans- across, beyond, change o transform (verb): to change shape Page 10 [...]... Inward Clockwise Playwright Sunny Common Suffix Examples & List of Common Suffixes Word Ending List of Suffixes Page 29 Prefixes & Suffixes Vocabulary List The following is a list of vocabulary words that often appear on the TOEFL* test The underlined sections of a word provide links to definitions of that word's respective roots, prefixes and suffixes It is recommended that students using this workshop... ent + ly -ly -ward o Page 26 Adverb: in a direction or manner Prefixes & Suffixes  • homeward : toward home  home + ward -wise o Adverb: in the manner of, with regard to  timewise : with regard to time  time + wise List of Suffixes The following information provides a List of Suffixes which are common to the English language List of Suffixes Common Suffix Word Ending -able -ad -ade -age -agogy... images or pictures  de + pict + ing Verb: cause -ize Page 21 Prefixes & Suffixes   • fantasize : to dream about something, to create images in the mind  fant + as + ize Verb: conjecture : to come to a conclusion by supposition or guesswork  con + ject + ure -ure o act Back to Vocabulary Workshop Home Page, vocabulary, prefixes, or suffixes ADJECTIVES Adjectives describe or modify nouns Adjectives... -cide -city -cy -cycle Page 27 Examples & List of Common Suffixes Comfortable Triad Blockade Garage Pedagogy Focal Appraisal Sexuality Urban Annoyance Vacancy Relevant Assistant Linear Liar Wizard Military Dictionary Monarch Anarchy Fortunate Certificate Concentrate Decathlon Concentration Lucrative Laboratory Outbound Suicide Atrocity Diplomacy Hydrocycle Prefixes & Suffixes -dom -ectomy -ed -ee -eer -eme... characterized by being difficult or troublesome  fract + ious • -y o Page 25 Adjective: marked by, having  hungry : having hunger, marked by a desire  hungr + y Prefixes & Suffixes Back to Vocabulary Workshop Home Page, vocabulary, prefixes, or suffixes ADVERBS Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives and other adverbs INDEX: F L W • -fold o o • • Adverb: in a manner of, marked by  fourfold : being four times... submarine, subsoil underdeveloped trans- ultra- un- under- S Suffixes uffixes are groups of letters attached to the ends of roots, words, and word groups Suffixes serve a grammatical function A suffix can indicate what part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, adverb) to which the word belongs Suffixes can also modify and extend meaning The following suffixes are grouped beneath the grammatical function they... "combining forms", not prefixes Prefix atheist, anaemic aside, aback a-hunting, aglow of anew completely a- not, without in the process of, in a particular state also an- Examples to, towards a- Meaning abashed aab- also abs- away, from abdicate, abstract ad- also a-, ac-, af-, ag- movement to, change into, advance, adulterate, adjunct, ascend, affiliate, affirm, Page 11 Prefixes & Suffixes al-, an-, ap-,...  wis + dom -er, -or o Page 16 Noun: person or thing that does something  porter : a person who carries things  port + er  collector: a person who collects or gathers things  col + lect + or Prefixes & Suffixes • -ful o Noun: an amount or quanity that fills  mouthful : an amount that fills the mouth  mouth + ful • -ian, an o Noun: related to, one that is  pedestrian : a person who walks  ped... deals with non-negative numbers  arithm + et + ic  economics: the social science related to studying business  eco + nom + ics Noun: act  malice : the desire to do evil  mal + ice -ice Page 17 Prefixes & Suffixes • -ing o • -ion o • Noun: material made for, activity, result of an activity  flooring : a material made for floors  floor + ing  swimming: the activity of swimming or moving through... thinking  luc + id + ity  novelty: something new or unusual  nov + el + ty Noun: condition  native : a person born in a specific place  nat + ive -ive -ment o Page 18 Noun: condition or result Prefixes & Suffixes  • document : an official paper usually showinf proof or evidence of something  docu + ment -ness o o • • Noun: state, condition, quality  kindness : the quality of being kind or nice . example 'in' in invisible become 'im' in impossible, and 'ob' in obvious becomes 'op' in opposite. There are 'stem. does not include elements like "auto-" or " bio-", because these are "combining forms", not prefixes. A Prefix Meaning Examples