FUNDAMENTAL ENGLISH

WEB10302

WORD PARTS-PREFIX

WORD PARTS ARE LIKE PARTS OF A PUZZLE!

PREFIX ROOT SUFFIX

Prefixes go before the root

word; suffixes go after the
root word.

Break is the root of

this word

For example: un / break/ able

Un- is a prefix -able is a

meaning not suffix meaning
can

Prefixes generally alter the meaning of a word and suffixes change its parts of
speech.

Prefixes
Negative &
Size Location Time & Order Number
Positive
un- semi- inter- pre- mono-
non- mini- super- ante- bi-

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in- micro- trans- fore- hex-

dis- extra- peri- post- Hecto-
im- multi-

1. Negative & Positive Prefixes

Prefix Meaning Examples
un- not untruth
in- not incomplete
im- not impossible
il- not illegal
ir- not irregular, irrelevant
non- not connected with non-programmable
Negative mis- bad, wrong misdirect
mal- bad, wrong malfunction
dis- opposite feeling disagree
dis- opposite action disconnect
anti- against antiglare, antistatic
de- reduce, reverse deactivate, decode
under- too little underestimate
Positive re- do again reorganize
over- too much overload

2. Prefixes of Size
Prefix Meaning Examples
semi- half, partly semiconductor
mini- small minicomputer
micro- very small microcomputer, microscopic
macro- large, great macroeconomics
mega- large, great megabyte
super- over supersonic

3. Prefixes of location
Prefix Meaning Examples
inter- between, among intercity
trans- Across / beyond transform
sub- under subschema, submarine
infra- below infra-red

4. Prefixes of time & order

Prefix Meaning Examples
ante- before antenatal
pre- before Prepaid, premature
post- after postdated, post-natal
retro- backward retrograde, retroactive

5. Prefixes of numbers
Prefix Meaning Examples
semi- half Semicircle
mono- one Monochromatic

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tri- three Triangle

quad- four Quadrangle
penta- five Pentameter
hex- six hexadecimal
multi- many multiplexer, multicolored

6. Other prefixes
Prefix Meaning Examples
pro- before, in advance, forward Proactive, pro-democracy
auto- self Autopilot, auto-debit
co- together with coordinate, co-worker
cyber- Connected with electronic communication Cybercaf, cybercops
network
ex- former Ex-wife, ex-classmates
extra- beyond extraordinary

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Practice 1
Find as many words with prefixes and suffixes in the given article by highlighting or
underlining them.

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Practice 2

These prefixes can be used to give a negative or opposite meaning to a word:

de- dis- in- il- im- ir- non- un-

Use them to make words, which match these meanings:

1. not capable 4. not pleasant

2. not responsible irresponsible 5. not honest
3. not logical 6.opposite of existent

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7. not mature 16. flexible

8. not possible 17. able
9. fiction Non-fiction 18. literate
10. rational 19. satisfy
11.legal 20. please
12.centralize 21. grade
13. balance 22. smoking
14. organize 23. regular
15.sufficient 24. mortal

Practice 3
Some of the words below include one of the prefixes you just studied. Underline the prefix
that you can find in some of the words below. Put an X on the lines next to the words
without a prefix.

1. _____ incomplete 11. _____ ugly

2. _____ include 12. _____ imply

3. _____ important 13. _____ unfortunately

4. _____ uncommon 14. _____ inhabitants

5. _____ illegal 15. _____ illness

6. _____ inherited 16. _____ uncomfortable

7. _____ distance 17. _____ incompetent

8. _____ disagree 18. _____ industry

9. _____ non stop 19. _____ international

10. _____ impolite 20. _____ uneducated

Practice 4
Be careful of words, which do NOT begin with a prefix! Some of these words do, and some
dont. Find the ones that DO have prefixes and circle them.

1. un (not / opposite) understand / unable / undress / unite / undo

2. in- ( not / into) insensitive / intelligent / insect / input / incorrect
3. re- (again) realize / rewrite / regular / review / registration
4. mis- (wrong / opposite) misjudge/ mistress/ misbehave/ mistrust/mission

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Practice 5

In all the sentences below, one word or phrase has been underlined. From the four choices
given, choose the one word or phrase which could be substituted for the underlined word
or phrase without changing the meaning of the sentence. Circle your answers.

Example: It is not possible to work on the project on such a short given time.

a) inpossible c) impossible
b) irpossible d) unpossible

1. It has been concluded that most successful language learners are people who can study
on their own.

a) independently c) imdependently
b) irdependently d) undependently

2. I have been asked by my lecturer to take the machine apart.

a) assemble c) reassemble
b) disassemble d) inassemble

3. She is a stranger to the coffeeshop.

a) regular c) irregular
b) unregular d) disregular

4. The hotel restaurant is open to people who visit another country.

a) unresidents c) irresidents
b) disresidents d) non-residents

5. The cruel treatment of the prisoners has caused uproar in the international scene.
a) unhumane c) inhumane
b) dishumane d) non-humane

6. The competition within the department members to be promoted to the higher post has
caused many of the staff to be very tensed.
a) intradepartment c) interdepartment
b) ultradepartment d) bidepartment

Practice 6
Circle correct answers.

1. At our ________________ staff meetings we discuss problems that have occurred

during the two weeks since the last meeting. (biweekly, semiweekly)

2. Publishing a book is a _____________ process. The book must be written, edited,

typeset, proofread, printed, and bound. (multimedia, multistage)

3. Some magazines I receive are monthly magazines; others are _____________ -- they
come out only once every two months. (bimonthly, semimonthly)

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4. A ______________ agreement, ratified by representatives from each of the three

unions, was signed in City Hall. (trilateral, trilingual)

5. An apartment house is a ____________ dwelling.(multifamily, multilingual)