Unit 23: Prefixes: when letters need changing
Page 5 of 9
 |
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.
|
Some prefixes can be easily confused:
|
 |
Knowing what these prefixes mean can be helpful to us when deciding which to use: |
| pre per |
means before
|
|||||||
|
||||||||
| anti ante |
means opposed to, opposite
|
||||||
| Note: These words are sometimes spelled with a hyphen, for example:
|
|||||||
| These prefixes can be confused when de comes before a root word beginning with s. | |||||||||
|
de
|
The prefix
de has more than one meaning: 1. make the opposite of 2. down 3. completely Some examples:
|
||||||||
| Note: If you add the prefix dis to a root word beginning in s, you will have ss:
|
|||||||||
You have not completed Learn the Words activities for each word list on this page.
The Spellzone interactive course is intended to be used online and may not be printed.
"Spellzone is incredibly easy to access and caters for a wide range of abilities, which means you can use it throughout the school at a range of levels, making it fantastic value for money as a learning resource."
Anne Shisler, SENCO, City of London School for Girls
Connect with us at: 
