Unit 23: Prefixes: when letters need changing
Page 5 of 9
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If we remove prefixes from a root word, often we are left with a word we recognise: |
| unlucky | rebuild | disagree | incorrect | submerge |
This is not always the case:
| predict | expect | interlude | refer | reject |
This can make it trickier to identify the prefix.
If we look at the origin (or the etymology) of words the reasons for this become clearer:
| Whole word | Prefix: origin and meaning |
Root word: origin and meaning |
| predict | prae - before (Latin) | dicere - say (Latin) |
| expect | ex - out of (Greek) | specere - see (Latin) |
| interlude | inter - between (Latin) | ludus - play (Latin) |
| refer | re - again, or back (Latin) | ferre - bring (Latin) |
| reject | re - again, or back (Latin) | jacere - throw (Latin) |
For more on this fascinating subject, see Unit 35: The History of the English Language.
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Some prefixes can be easily confused:
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Knowing what these prefixes mean can be helpful to us when deciding which to use: |
| pre per |
means before
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| anti ante |
means opposed to, opposite
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| Note: These words are sometimes spelled with a hyphen, for example:
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| These prefixes can be confused when de comes before a root word beginning with s. | |||||||||
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de
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The prefix
de has more than one meaning: 1. make the opposite of 2. down 3. completely Some examples:
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| Note: If you add the prefix dis to a root word beginning in s, you will have ss:
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You have not completed Learn the Words activities for each word list on this page.
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