Skill 14
Know Root Words

A lot of words in the English language are made up of a base word with either a prefix (Skill 15) or a suffix (Skill 16) added to it. The base word has a meaning, and its meaning is changed in some way by adding a prefix or a suffix.

The words prefix and suffix are really good examples of this. In the word prefix, fix is the base word, and it means “to fasten or attach.” The letter group pre- (which is a prefix) means “before.” So when pre- is attached to the base word fix, the resulting word prefix means “a word part that is attached before [a root word].” The letter group suf- means “below or behind,” so when suf- is attached to the root word fix, the resulting word suffix means “a word part that is attached behind [a root word].”

By learning root words, you will able to understand the meaning of many other words in which root words are combined with prefixes or suffixes.

Here are some examples.

Test Yourself!

For the following items, see if you can list at least one word that includes the root word given. Write your words on the lines provided.

There are hundreds of root words that are commonly used in the English language; only a few are presented in this chapter. Reading as much as you can will help you build your vocabulary. As you read, try to identify the root word and see if you can think of other words that are similar.