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Affixes

Affixes are like train cars. The prefix is the engine. It comes at the beginning of the word. The rootword is the car in the middle that carries the most important cargo. The rootword has the most important meaning.The caboose signals the end of the train. A suffix is the end of the word that also sends important meanings.The prefix, like an engine, can change the meaning or direction of a word.
Prefixes
Suffixes

Prefix-Rootword-Suffix

Knowing These Prefixes Will Help You To Figure Out The Meaning of Harder Words.

Prefix
Meaning
Example
bi-
two, 
double
bicycle, 
bifocal
dis-
the opposite of, not
dislike, 
disappear
ex-
out of or from, 
 complete, 
done
exclude,
expel, 
exit
extra-
outside, beyond
extrasensory, extraordinary
il-, ir-
the opposite of, not
illegal, 
irregular
im-
not
impolite
improper
in-
not or lack of
indigestion
incomplete
insensitive
inter-
between, among
interact
intersection
multi-
many
multipurpose
multivitamin
multigrain
non-
not
the opposite of
without
nonliving
nonsense
nonfiction
over-
over or above
overrate
oversize
pre-
before
preset
precook
preheat
re-
again
repaint
redo
reread
tri-
three
tricycle
triangle
un-
the opposite of
not
unfriendly
unkind
unimportant
uni-
one
single
unicycle
uniform
unicorn

 
 
 Prefix Practice Flip Chart
 
 

Flip Chart Pg. 1

Flip chart pg 2


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Suffixes are added to the ends of rootwords.


Suffix
Meaning
Example
-able
able to be or become something;
worthy of being or becoming something
acceptable
lovable
reliable
-al
relating to
electrical
accidental
experiemental
-ance
action
state or quality
thing or object
clearance
performance
guidance
-en
to make or become
made from
wooden
lighten
broken
-ful
acting in a certain way
having a lot of something
thankful
joyful
beautiful
-ible
able to become something
worthy of being or becoming something
edible
responsible
-ic
like
in a certain way
made up of
by
heroic
artistic
angelic
-ish
belonging to a certain nation
like
in a certain way
somewhat
British
Jewish
childish
snobbish
-ity
quality of
state of
degree of
reality
purity
hilarity
-less
without or lacking something
waterless
pennyless
sleepless
-ly
in such a manner
occurring every so often
gently
beautifully
successfully
daily
-ness
the state of being something
happiness
redness
kindness
-ous
full of
having something
joyous
famous
nervous
-y
full of
having a lot of something
covered with
salty
scary
noisy

Fill in the following table with the correct root word and meaning of the affixed word.

Rootword
+ Suffix
=Affixed Word
Meaning of Affixed Word
 
-y
yearly
  
 
-able
crushable
  
 
-ness
prettiness
  
 
-less
hopeless
  
 
-ly
lovely
  
 
-ible
responsible
  
 
-ance
observance
  
 
-ic
heroic
  

Both Prefixes and Suffixes can be added to a word.


 
Prefix +
Root Word
+Suffix
=Affixed Word
Meaning of Affixed Word
un-
  
-able
unusuable
  
ir-
  
-ible+-ly
irresponsibly
  

Write the meaning of the following words.
Example: rewrite - to write again

1. Improper ________________        2. displeased ______________

3. unbroken ________________        4. misunderstood ___________

5. precooked _______________

Write a word using a suffix that means the same as each of the following phrases. Use the table above to help you.
Example: able to be washed -washable

1. make short _______________     2. full of help ________

3. the state of being sick ________    4. without worth ________

5. full of fear _____________        6. in a successful way ________

7. able to be relied on _________    8. acting like a devil  _________

9.able to be enjoyed _________      10. full of sun _______________