Using Prefixes, Suffixes and Root Words to Improve College Level Vocabulary

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Using Prefixes, Suffixes and

Root Words to Improve

College Level Vocabulary

Steven Reid

6/15/2013

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Introduction ... 2

Overview... 3

Word Circle... 4

Prefixes Card Sort... 5

Suffixes... 6

Prefix, Suffix, and Root Worksheet... 7

Appendix A – Word Circles... 8

Appendix B – Card Sort... 12

Appendix C – Suffix Worksheet... 17

Appendix E – Prefix, Suffix, and Root Worksheet... 20

Appendix F – Prefixes ... 25

Appendix G – Root Words... 29

Appendix H – Suffixes ... 35

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Introduction

Often students approach vocabulary acquisition as a “Just Memorize It” type of exercise. Some student painstakingly waste time dragging out a dictionary when the word could easily be broken apart to discern its meaning, if only the student knew what the individual pieces of the word meant. In this unit, I will show students how to dissect words by exploring the meanings of the prefixes, suffixes and roots that were used to create the word. By taking their knowledge of the pieces, they will be able to gain the understanding of more complicated, college-‐level vocabulary simply by breaking it apart.

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One of the best methods for teaching the word construction method of vocabulary is through the use of analogies. By using words the students already know, they will be able to build on that knowledge to learn new words. With that in mind, the first part of the lesson will involve Word Circles. These are used to take the new affix or root and pair it with words already in the students’ vocabulary. The Word Circles can be used in discussion each time new affixes or roots are taught.

Prefixes are explored through the use of a Card Sort activity where the students will be asked to look at a set of prefixes and roots and then match them together. The suffix lesson uses matching to begin the process of suffix understanding and expands to look at acquiring meaning based on the root and the suffix combination. Finally, all three pieces are used to define new vocabulary.

These lessons may be expanded by following up with passages taken from literature to allow students to discover more vocabulary that can be dissected using their newfound skills with prefixes, suffixes and roots. Articles from journals, cuttings from novels, stories from newspapers or magazines could all be possible sources for additional work in this area.

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Word Circle

Objective: To help students see the connection between the affix or root when used in a word

they are familiar with and how it could be used to help define new vocabulary.

Materials: Copies of:

From Appendix A:

Word Circle (completed copy with root word “man”) handout Large Word Circle handout

Small Word Circle handout From Appendices F, G, and H:

Copies of Prefix List, Root List, Suffix List

Directions:

1. Discuss with students how to fill out the chart:

a. Start with the affix or root to be learned, place it in the center. b. Define the affix or root.

c. Fill in as many words as possible using the affix or root.

d. Complete the Circle by using a dictionary or the internet to find more words that use that affix or root.

2. Using the completed copy, discuss how each of the words in the Circle are related to the definition of the root “man” – “hand.

a. Manuscript – a handwritten copy b. Manacles – handcuffs

c. Manipulate – to move it by hand, etc.

3. Choose another affix or root and, using the large Word Circle, have the class as a whole complete the circle. Students can call out words that use that affix or root and then how it is related to the definition.

4. Next, you may want to provide you students with a few copies of the pages with 4 small circles on it. They can use these for their personal exploration, or you may want to assign them 4 (or more) affixes or roots and have them complete the Word Circles for each.

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Objective: To help students see the connection between a prefix and a word. This will help

students see which prefix can be attached to which word, and how it affects the meaning.

Materials: Copies of the Card Match pages (one set for each student/group) from Appendix B.

It will probably be best to copy these on card stock. This will allow for the cards to stand up to the wear-‐and-‐tear they will experience during multiple uses. Copies of Prefix List and Root List (from Appendices F and G).

Directions:

1. Have students working either alone or in small groups match the prefixes to words on the appropriate card. Students may discover that some prefixes can be attached to more than one card, or that a word may work with multiple prefixes.

2. Have students write down all of the new words they have created and the definition of the new words.

3. You may also have them group:

a. All the words that match a particular prefix,

b. All the prefixes that match a particular work, and/or c. All prefixes that have similar meaning.

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Suffixes

Objective: To allow students to become more familiar with suffix usage, function, and

meaning.

Materials: Copies of Suffix Worksheet (Appendix C)

Copies of Suffix List (Appendix H) Copies of Root List (Appendix G)

Directions:

1. Discuss the function of Suffixes when used with roots, such as how words often change their parts of speech when a suffix is added. For example:

a. –ion, changes the verb “act” to the noun “action.”

b. –ible, changes the noun “vision” to the adjective “visible.” 2. Suffixes can also be used to modify a word in other ways:

a. –ette can be used to “make something smaller, as in “kitchen” to “kitchenette.” b. –ess can be used to show gender, “waiter” to “waitress.” (However, this is falling

out of favor as English moves toward more gender-‐neutral usage.)

3. If desired, the teacher may want to use the Word Circles (from Appendix A) to further explore the various suffixes from the List.

4. When the teacher feels the students are comfortable with suffix usage, all them to explore to words by using the Suffix Worksheet.

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Objective: To allow the students to use all the affix and root to find the meaning of college

level vocabulary.

Materials: Copies of the Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root lists

Copies of the “Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Word Worksheet” from Appendix E.

Directions:

1. As the culmination of their work with the word components, have the students use the worksheet to use their newfound skills to define previously unknown words.

2. First have the students deconstruct the word into its parts.

3. Then, but using these parts, have the students create a definition for the word. 4. Finally, using a dictionary, have the students check their created definition with the

actual definition of the word.

5. You may want to have the students work in teams or share their results with the group.

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Appendix A – Word Circles

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Root or

Affix

Meani

ng

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Root or

Affix

Mea

ning

Root or

Affix

Mea

ning

Root or

Affix

Mea

ning

Root or

Affix

Mea

ning

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Root or

Affix

Meani

ng

man

hand

m

a

n

u

s

c

ri

p

t

manacl

es

manipula

te

emancipa

te

m

a

n

u

a

l

managem

ent

m

a

n

u

f

a

c

t

u

r

e

m

a

n

e

u

v

e

r

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a

typical

di

section

dis

interest

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in

scribe

anti

freeze

non

sense

post

_pone

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possible

ex

hale

im

mono

tone

trans

_verse

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practice

ir

regular

un

_helpful

sub

liminal

mal

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Appendix C – Suffix Worksheet

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DIRECTIONS: Match the root word to the appropriate suffix.

DIRECTIONS: Identify the suffix in each word and use it to define the

word.

Suffix

Meaning of word

Bibliophile

Retirement

Respondent

Theocracy

Romanesque

Falsify

Negligence

Civil

Homicide

Edible

Root Word

Suffix

sequ

ile

bio

us

acid

ure

tact

ive

vent

logy

act

el

stat

ic

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DIRECTIONS: Identify the suffix in each word and use it to define the

word.

Suffix

Meaning of word

Bibliophile

-‐phile

Someone who loves books

Retirement

-‐ment

A state of being retired

Respondent

-‐ent

One who responds

Theocracy

-‐cracy

government of religion

Romanesque

-‐esque in the style of romance

Falsify

-‐ify

to make false

Negligence

-‐ence

the act of neglect

Civil

-‐il

like the citizens

Homicide

-‐cide

to kill a human

Edible

-‐ible

able to be eaten

Root Word

Suffix

sequ

ile

bio

us

acid

ure

tact

ive

vent

logy

act

el

stat

ic

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Prefix(es) Root(s) Suffix(es)

ambidextrous

My definition Dictionary definition

misogynist

immortal

photosynthesis

ambivalence

amorphous

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sanctimonious

nonsectarian

incontrovertible

demographic

heliocentric

pugilist

sesquicentennial

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exact definition.

ambidextrous

ambi-‐ both dexter-‐ right handed -‐ous full of My definition: Able to use both hands fully

Dictionary definition: able to use both hands equally well

misogynist

mis – wrong gyn – women ist – one who My definition: one who treats women badly

Dictionary definition: a person who hates women

immortal

im-‐ not death-‐ life al – have the quality My definition: does not have the quality of death

Dictionary definition: one who is not subject to death

photosynthesis

photo-‐ light synth – to create My definition: creating with light

Dictionary definition: the process green plants use to create carbohydrates by using water, light and carbon dioxide

ambivalence

ambi-‐ val -‐ strength -‐ence state of My definition: not having any strength (in opinion or belief)

Dictionary definition: uncertainly or fluctuations, especially in beliefs

amorphous

a-‐ not morph-‐ shape -‐ous full of My definition: not having a shape

Dictionary definition: lacking a definite form

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sanctimonious

sanct-‐ holy -‐ous full of

My definition: being full of holiness

Dictionary definition: having a hypocritical showiness of righteousness

nonsectarian

non-‐not sect-‐religious

My definition: not involving religion

Dictionary definition: not affiliated with a specific religion

incontrovertible

in-‐ not, contro against vert-‐ to turn -‐ible able to My definition: not able to be turn against

Dictionary definition: not open to question or dispute

Root Root Suffix(es)

demographic

demo-‐people, graph-‐ to write -‐ic – pertaining to My definition: something written about a the people

Dictionary definition: social statistics of a human population

Root Root(s) Suffix(es)

heliocentric

helio-‐ sun cent-‐ center -‐ic – pertaining to My definition: pertaining to the sun being the center of the universe

Dictionary definition: having the sun as the center

pugilist

pug – to fight ist-‐ one who

My definition: someone who fights Dictionary definition: a boxer

sesquicentennial

sesqui-‐ 1.5 time cent – 100

My definition: 150 years

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Prefix Meaning Example Definition

a, ab, abs away from absent not present, away abscond to run away ad, a, ac, af to, toward adapt to fit to ag, an, ar, at adhere to stick to an annex to add or join anim life, spirit animate to bring to life ante before antebellum before the war

anti against antifreeze a substance that prevents freezing auc, aug increase augment to make greater, to increase aud, aur to hear audience a group of listeners

auto self automatic _{having
a
self-‐acting
or
self-‐} regulating mechanism ben, bon, eu good benefit _{something
that
promotes}

goodness, something helpful euphoric feeling of great happiness bi, bis two bicycle two wheel cycle

circum, cir around circumvent to go around com, con, co with, together combine to bring together contra,

counter against contraband items that are against the law to _{sell
or
own} de away from, down depart to go away from

the opposite of decline to go down dis, dif, di apart dislocate to dislodge

dys bad, abnormal dysfunction bad or abnormal function

ecto, exo outside exoskeleton an outside covering, or hard shell endo inside endocranial inside the skull

epi upon, on top of epicenter the place on the surface above the focus of an earthquake equ, equi equal equalize to make equal

ex, e, ef out, from exhale to breathe out eject to throw out extra beyond extraterrestrial beyond the earth

hetero other heterogeneous made up of different things homo same homogenize to make the same

hyper above hyperactive more active hypo under hypodermic below the skin in, il, ir, im en in, into ingest to take in

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in, il, ig, ir, im not inactive not active irrelevant not relevant

inter between, among interstate between the states intra within intracellular within a cell

mal, male bad, ill, wrong malfunction to fail to function properly macro large macroeconomics dealing with large-‐scale

economics,

such as within a whole country micro small microscopic _{too
small
to
be
seen
with
the}

naked eye

mis wrong, badly misspell to spell something incorrectly mono one, along, single monopoly one owner

neo new neolithic new stone age

non not, the reverse of nonprofit not for making a profit ob in front, against, in obstruct to block, to hide from sight front of, in the way of

omni everywhere omnipotent all powerful

per through perceive to become aware of through sight peri around perimeter _{the
outer
boundary,
the
distance}

around

poly many polygon many sided object post after postpone to do after

pre before preview to see before pro forward,

supporting proceed to go forward

promote to raise or move forward proto first prototype first or original model

pseudo false pseudonym _{false
name,
esp.
an
author's
pen-‐} name

re, retro again, back return to come back

retroactive _{operating
with
regards
to
a
past} event

rewrite to write something again se apart seclude to stay apart from others Re, retro half semicircle half a circle

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super over, above superimpose to put over something else

syn, sym together, with sympathize to share a feeling with someone tele far telescope seeing or viewing afar

trans across transcontinental across the continent

ultra beyond ultraviolet light beyond the violet range un, uni one, along, single unilateral having one side

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Root Meaning Example Definition

act, ag to do, to act agent one who acts as a representative activity an action

agri field agronomy field-‐crop production ambi, amphi both sides amphibian _{an
animal
that
lives
both
in}

water and on land

ambu to walk or move ambulance _{a
vehicle
that
moves
sick
or} injured people

anthro human anthropology _{the
study
of
human
and
their} works

apert open aperture an opening

bas low basement a room that is low

bellu, belli war bellicose prone to or eager to fight bio life biology the study of life

cap, capt, cip to take, to hold,

to captive one who is held

cardio heart cardiac pertaining to the heart carn flesh carnage slaughter of people cent hundred,

hundreth century one hundred years cept, ceive seize receive to take

ced, cede,

ceed to go, to give in precede to go before cess access means of going to chromo color chromatology the science of colors

clin to lean or bend inclination _{to
tendency
or
bent,
particularly} of the mind

clud, clus,

claus close claustrophobic fear of being closed in or of tight _places cred to believe incredible not believable

credit belief or trust curr, curs,

cours to run current now, in progress,

demo people democracy government of the people dent, don’t tooth dentist a doctor who specializes in

teeth

derma skin dermatologist _{doctor
who
specializes
in
skin} conditions

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between, across

dog, dox thought or idea dogma official beliefs of a religion orthodox customary ideas or practices dic, dict to say dictionary _{a
book
explaining
words}

(sayings)

indict to say or make an accusation duc, duct to lead induce to lead to action

conduct to lead or guide

dyna power dynamic _{characterized
by
power
and} energy

equ equal, even equality equal in social, political rights fac, fact, fic, to make, to do fiction something that is made up fect, fy factory a place to make things affect to make a change fer, ferr to carry, bring defer to carry away

referral bring a source of help

fiss break apart fissure _{a
narrow
opening
caused
by
a} separation of parts

flict to strike conflict a clash or collision

fort strength effort an earnest or strenuous attempt fract, frag, frai to break fragment broken pieces

geo earth geology study of the earth

gnos knowledge prognosis _{a
forecast
based
on
current} knowledge

grad, gress to go graduate to go out of school progress to go forward

graph write graphite a form of carbon used for writing

greg group, herd gregarious enjoying groups of people gyn women gynecology _{branch
of
medicine
dealing
with}

women's health

helio sun heliotrope a plant that turns toward the sun

hydro water hydraulics _{the
science
of
the
laws
of
water} and other liquids

hypno sleep hypnosis _{a
state
of
sleep
induced
by} suggestion

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Root Meaning Example Definition

loq, log, loc,

lix to talk elocution a person's style of speaking colloquial ordinary speech, not formal logo a symbol for a word or company luc, lum, lus light, clear illustrious glorious, highly distinguished luminous radiating light

magni great, big magnify to enlarge man hand manuscript written by hand

meta, mut to change metamorphosis to change form or shape mutate to change

mit, mis to send admit to send in

missile something sent through the air morph shape metamorphosis to change form or shape

narco sleep narcotics _{drugs
that
reduce
pain
or
induce} sleep

oper to work operate to work, perform, or function ortho straight orthodox right, true, straight opinion pac, plac peace, calm pacifier _{something
that
brings
or}

restores peace or calmness placate to appease or pacify

par equal parity equality

path feeling empathy to share feelings

phon sound phonetics _{the
science
or
study
of
speech} sound

plic to fold, to bend, complicate to fold together to turn implicate to fold in, to involve

pod foot podiatrist _{a
doctor
who
specializes
in
foot} problems

pon, pos,

posit, pose to place component a part placed together with _others transpose to place across

compose to put many parts in one place psycho mind psychology study of the mind

pug war, fight pugnacious inclined to quarrel or fight pyro fire pyrometer _{an
instrument
for
measuring}

temperature

rupt to break erupt to break out of a pent-‐up state sanct holy sanctuary a sacred or holy place

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wrong

scrib, script to write describe to write (or tell) about transcript a written copy

senti feeling sentimental _{expressing
tender
emotions
or} feelings

sequ, secu to follow sequence in following order consecutive one the follows another sesqui one and a half sesquialteral having a ratio of 1.5:1 somn, sop sleep insomniac a person who can't sleep son sound dissonance harsh sound

soph wise sophisticated _{altered
by
education
or} experience

spec, spect, to appear, to

look, specimen an example to look at spic to see aspect one way to see something sta, stat, sist, to stand, or make constant standing with

stit, sisto stand status social standing

_stable _steady

desist to stand away from

tact to touch contact to touch together ten, tent, tain to hold retentive holding

maintain to keep or hold up

tend, tens,

tent to stretch extend to stretch out tension stretched out term end, boundary terminal the end terr earth territory a tract of land theo god theology study of religion

thermo heat thermometer an instrument for measuring heat

tract to draw attract to draw together

contract an agreement that is drawn up val strength or worth valor full of worth

ven, vent to come convene to come together ver, vert, vers to turn avert to turn away revert to turn back reverse to turn around

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vid, vis to see video the visual part of a broadcast voc, voke to call evoke to call up or produce

xen stranger xenophobic _{fear
or
hatred
of
strangers
or} foreigners

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Suffixes are often used to change a word from one part of speech to another (i.e. changing a verb to a noun). That is including in the "Function" column.

Suffix Meaning Function Example Definition

able, ible capable of to adj. understandable able to be understood visible able to be seen acious,

cous, al like, having the quality of

to adj. nocturnal

vivacious of the night having the quality of being lively acy start or

quality to noun privacy the state of being private ance, ancy,

ence the act of, the state of being

to noun performance

truancy the act of performing the state of being truant ant, ent, er,

or one who to noun occupant teacher one who occupies one who teaches ar, ary connected

with, related to

to adj.

to noun ocular beneficiary related to the eye connected with one who receives benefits

ate, ify, efy,

ize, ise, make to verb customize to make changes that are specific for the user’s needs verify to make sure something is true cess, cede,

ceed, cease to go, yield to verb concede to yield to the opponent, to give in ancestor a person who goes (lives) before

someone else (the -‐or is what makes this example a noun) cide∗ to kill to noun insecticide a poison for killing insects

cis, cise,

cide* cut to noun or verb incision a cut made for operating

decide to cut out the other options and pick one

cracy government to noun democracy government by the people dom place or

state of being

to noun freedom state of being free en to become to verb enlighten becoming wiser ence quality of,

act of to noun existence the act of existing or being

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ful full of to adj fearful full of fear ic, ac, il, ile of, like,

pertaining to to adj cardiac infantile pertaining to the heart like an infant ish having the

quality of to adj fiendish like a fiend ism the practice

of, the support of

to noun patriotism supporting one's country ist a person

who does or makes

to noun dentist

artist a person who works on teeth a person who makes art ity, ty, y the state of,

the

character of

to noun unity the state of being one ive have the

nature of to adj active having the nature of acting or moving less lacking,

without to adj meaningless without meaning logy, ology study to noun biology the study of life ment the act of,

the state of to noun retirement the state of being retired ness the quality

of to adj eagerness the quality of being eager ory having the

nature of, a place of thing for

to noun laboratory a place where work (labor) is done

ous, ose full of to adj venomous full of venom phile one who

loves to noun thermophile an organism that thrives in high temperatures phobe one who

hates or fears

to noun xenophobe one who hates strangers or foreigners

ship the art or skill of, the ability to

to noun leadership the ability to lead sion, tion the act or

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Suffix Meaning Function Example Definition

tude the state of quality of, the ability to

to noun aptitude the ability to do y full of,

somewhat, somewhat like

to adj musty chilly willowy

having a stale odor somewhat cold like a willow