4.4 Finding Meaning of Unfamiliar Words
4.4 Finding Meaning of Unfamiliar Words
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Use knowledge of prefixes and suffixes to read and understand unfamiliar words
Use knowledge of prefixes and suffixes to read and understand unfamiliar words
English is an exciting language with lots and lots of words to explore. Understanding the use of prefixes and suffixes can help you learn many new words in English, thereby expanding your vocabulary1.
In this lesson, we will use the knowledge of prefixes and suffixes to read and understand unfamiliar words.
A simple way to understand new words is by looking at their parts. Words have a central part known as the "base” or the “root.” The base/root words can stand independently, each having its meaning already. However, when we add a prefix or a suffix, the meaning of the base word changes2,3.
For instance:
A group of letters added to the beginning of a base word to change its meaning is referred to as a prefix1.
Some prefixes show opposites: im-, un-, non-, il-, dis-
Examples:
possible- impossible
healthy-unhealthy
sense- nonsense
logical- illogical
advantage- disadvantage
Some prefixes give a number clue: bi-, tri-
Examples: biannual, trilingual
A group of letters added to the end of a base word to change its meaning is referred to as a suffix1.
For instance:
Watch the given video to learn about Prefixes and Suffixes.
Vid 4.1: Base words, Prefixes and Suffixes
Engage in the interactive game given below to check your understanding about base words, prefixes and suffixes.
Now that you have understood what prefixes and suffixes are, you can use them to decode unfamiliar words.
By breaking down a word into its base form and identifying any prefixes or suffixes, we can infer its meaning.
You can use this list of prefixes and suffixes as a reference tool, to help you decode the meaning of various words.
Let us re-read the text ‘Fun Food Discoveries’ in order to identify the words with prefixes or suffixes to decode what they actually mean.
To understand words better: Learning prefixes and suffixes helps you understand the meaning of many words by breaking them into smaller parts.
To build vocabulary: It is like having a superpower for learning new words and expanding your vocabulary1.
To decode unfamiliar words: Prefixes and suffixes can help you figure out the meaning of words you have never seen before4.
To improve your writing: When you know how prefixes and suffixes work, you can use them to create more complex words in your writing1.
Glossary
Glossary
expanding: extending or growing
vocabulary: the collection of words you know that you use to communicate or express
decode: to figure out or understand the meaning of something
complex: something that is complicated or has many parts that might be tricky to understand
inference: making a guess or conclusion based on the information you have
Summary:
Summary:
A simple way to understand new words is by looking at their parts. Words have a main part called the "base," and we can add parts to it to change what it means.
A group of letters added to the beginning of the base word is called the prefix. Example: pregame, unheard.
Some prefixes show opposites: un-, im-, non-, il-, dis-
Some prefixes give a number clue: bi-, -tri
A group of letters added to the end of the base word is called the suffix. Example: -less, -ful, -able
Remember, sometimes the meaning can change depending on the situation.
Extension/Further Reading:
Extension/Further Reading:
To read more about prefixes and its use in sentences, read this short book.
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