Prefixes: in- & im-

​🚫 “Not or Opposite! Learning the Prefixes in- and im-”

Prefixes change the meaning of words by showing the opposite or “not.”

What Is a Prefix?

A prefix is a word part added to the beginning of a word.

It changes the meaning of the base word.

Example:

• happy → unhappy (not happy)

• possible → impossible (not possible)

Prefix in-

Definition:
in- usually means “not” or “opposite of.”

Examples:

• incorrect → not correct

• invisible → not visible

• incomplete → not complete

Sentence examples:

• The answer was incorrect, so I fixed it.

• The magician made the rabbit invisible.

Prefix im-

Definition:
im- also means “not” or “opposite of.”

Examples:

• impossible → not possible

• immature → not mature

• impatient → not patient

Sentence examples:

• Climbing the mountain alone was impossible.

• The child was impatient while waiting in line.

Tip:
We use im- before words that start with m, p, or b.

Compare in- and im-

Prefix	Meaning	Example	Sentence
in-	not/opposite	incorrect	My answer was incorrect.
im-	not/opposite	impossible	Climbing the wall was impossible.

Sorting Activity – in- or im-

Words: incomplete, impossible, inactive, immature, invisible, impatient

in- Words	im- Words
incomplete	impossible
inactive	immature
invisible	impatient

Match

Match the word with its meaning:

• invisible

• impossible

• incomplete

• impatient

• incorrect

cannot be seen

cannot be done

not finished

not patient

not correct

• cannot be seen

• cannot be done

• not finished

• not patient

• not correct

Multiple Choice

Which word means “not finished”?

• incomplete

• impossible

• immature

• impatient

Multiple Choice

Which word means “cannot be done”?

• invisible

• impossible

• incorrect

• inactive

Multiple Choice

Which word means “not correct”?

• incomplete

• impossible

• incorrect

• immature

Multiple Choice

Which word means “cannot be seen”?

• invisible

• impatient

• incomplete

• impossible

Multiple Choice

Which word means “not mature”?

• impatient

• immature

• incorrect

• inactive

Multiple Choice

Read the sentence: Ella was ___ when she had to wait for her turn.

• incomplete

• impatient

• impossible

• invisible

Multiple Choice

Which prefix do we usually use before “m, p, b”?

• in-

• im-

• un-

• re-

Multiple Choice

Which word means “not active”?

• impossible

• inactive

• incorrect

• impatient