Prefixes Suffixes

Prefixes Suffixes

Middle School

What Are Prefixes and Suffixes?

• Prefixes and suffixes are groups of letters added to words.
• These letters are added to a main word, called a root word.
• A prefix is a word part attached to a word's beginning.
• A suffix is a word part attached to a word's end.
• Adding them creates a new word with a different meaning.

Learning Objectives

• Identify prefixes and suffixes and how they change a word's meaning.
• Break down new words into smaller parts to figure out their meaning.
• Use prefixes and suffixes to build new words and improve your vocabulary.

Introduction to Prefixes and Suffixes

• Prefixes and suffixes are like a secret code to unlock a word's meaning.
• A prefix is a word part that is added to the beginning of a word.
• A suffix is a word part that is added to the end of a word.
• The main part of the word is called the root word, like 'help' in unhelpful.
• In 'unhelpful,' the prefix 'un-' means 'not,' and the suffix '-ful' means 'full of.'
• This skill helps you understand new words and become a better writer.

Let's Learn with an Example

• Let's decode the word 'disagreement' by breaking it down into smaller parts.
• The root word is 'agree,' which means to share the same opinion as someone.
• The prefix 'dis-' at the beginning of the word means 'not' or 'the opposite of.'
• The suffix '-ment' at the end turns the action word into a noun.
• When we put all the parts together, we can understand the full meaning.
• A 'disagreement' is the state or result of not having the same opinion.

Lets Practice Together

Multiple Choice

The word 'reread' means to read something again. Which part of the word is the prefix that means 'again'?

• re-

• read

• -ad

• rere

Lets give it
a Try

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Multiple Choice

The suffix '-ful' means 'full of.' Which word below means 'full of beauty'?

• beautiful

• beauty

• beautify

• beautiless

Multiple Choice

The prefix 'mis-' means 'wrongly' or 'badly,' and the root word 'behave' means 'to act in a certain way.' What is the meaning of the word 'misbehave'?

• To act wrongly

• To act again

• Not able to act

• Someone who acts

Summary

• A prefix is a word part added to the beginning of a word.
• A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word.
• They change a root word’s meaning or its grammatical function.
• Knowing them helps you figure out the meaning of new words.
• This skill makes you a more confident reader and writer.