If you take off the prefix from each of the above, you will be left with
a root word that you can recognize as a word in itself:
lucky
build
agree
correct
merge
This is not always the case. Sometimes it is not clear that a word has
a prefix because the root word is not a word in itself:
predict
expect
interlude
refer
reject
Looking at the origin of words can help to improve your spelling. The
table below gives some examples. For more on this subject, see Unit 35
- History of the English Language.
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)
These prefixes are sometimes confused:
pre and per
ante and anti
dis and de
To help you remember them:
pre
per
Use pre
for the meaning before, for example:
precook
prepare
preview
predict
Use per for the meaning by or through, for
example:
perchance
percolate
(L. colare - strain)
perforate
(L. forare - pierce)
It is easy to pick the right
prefix here if you take care to listen to the sound :
anti
ante
Use anti
for the meaning opposed to, opposite, for example:
anticlockwise
anticlimax
antidote
(Gk. doton - give)
Use ante for the meaning before for example:
anteroom
antenatal
antecedent
(L. cedere - go)
Note:
These words are sometimes spelled with a hyphen, for example:
anti-clockwise
ante-natal
These prefixes
can be confused when de comes before a root word beginning
with s.
de
dis
The prefix
de has more than one meaning:
1. make the opposite of
2. down
3. completely
Some examples:
despair (L. sperare
- hope)
descend (L. scandere
- climb)
describe (L. Scribere
- write)
destroy (L. struere
- build)
Use dis for the meaning not, or the opposite,
for example:
disarm
disqualify
disconnect
disobey
Note:
If you add the prefix dis to a root word beginning in s,
you will have ss:
