Vocabulary Development: Prefixes.
Subject : English Grammar
Class : SS 2
Term : Third Term
Week :Week 3
TOPICS
Vocabulary Development: Prefixes
Objective: Students will be able to define and identify common prefixes, and understand how prefixes can be used to help them understand unfamiliar words.
Materials:
- Whiteboard and markers
- Handouts with prefix exercises
- Computers or tablets for online research
- Dictionary or online dictionary resources
Content
A prefix is a word part that is added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. It is a morpheme, which is the smallest unit of meaning in a language. Prefixes are used to create new words or modify the meaning of existing words.
For example, the prefix “un-” can be added to the word “happy” to create the word “unhappy,” which means not happy. Similarly, the prefix “re-” can be added to the word “write” to create the word “rewrite,” which means to write again.
Prefixes can be found in many different languages, and they can have a variety of meanings. Some common prefixes include “anti-” (against), “pre-” (before), “un-” (not), and “mis-” (wrong or bad). By understanding the meanings of different prefixes, you can better understand the meanings of many words in English and expand your vocabulary.
A prefix is a group of letters or syllable which is attached to the front of a root word to form another word which usually changes its meaning.
A prefix is a word part that comes before the root word and changes its meaning. Here are some common prefixes with their meanings:
- A- (an-, ar-): not, without (e.g. apolitical, amoral)
- Anti-: against (e.g. anti-war, anti-inflammatory)
- Auto-: self (e.g. automobile, autobiography)
- Bi-: two (e.g. bicycle, binoculars)
- Co- (com-, con-): with, together (e.g. cooperate, community)
- De-: down, away from (e.g. descend, defrost)
- Dis-: not, opposite of (e.g. disagree, disconnect)
- En- (em-): in, into (e.g. enclose, embrace)
- Ex-: out of, from (e.g. exit, extract)
- In- (im-, il-, ir-): not, opposite of (e.g. incapable, illegal, irresponsible)
- Inter-: between, among (e.g. interact, international)
- Mis-: wrong, bad (e.g. misunderstand, misbehave)
- Non-: not (e.g. nonfiction, nonsense)
- Post-: after (e.g. postdate, postgraduate)
- Pre- (pr-): before (e.g. preheat, preview)
- Re-: again, back (e.g. repeat, return)
- Semi-: half (e.g. semicircle, semicolon)
- Sub-: under, below (e.g. submarine, substandard)
- Super-: above, over (e.g. superman, supernatural)
- Un-: not (e.g. unhappy, unclear)
The following are examples with their meaning.
Prefix Meaning New Words/Derivative
un- not unhappy, untrue
dis- not discomfort, dislike
non- not nonsense, non-smoker
mis- wrong mismanage, mislead
mal- bad malfunction, maltreat
super- exceeding supernatural, superman
out- exceed outdo, outlive
sub- below substandard,subhuman
hyper- beyond hypertension, hyperactive
anti- against anti-social, antiviral
Prefix | Meaning | Example |
---|---|---|
A- (an-, ar-) | not, without | apolitical, amoral |
Anti- | against | anti-war, anti-inflammatory |
Auto- | self | automobile, autobiography |
Bi- | two | bicycle, binoculars |
Co- (com-, con-) | with, together | cooperate, community |
De- | down, away from | descend, defrost |
Dis- | not, opposite of | disagree, disconnect |
En- (em-) | in, into | enclose, embrace |
Ex- | out of, from | exit, extract |
In- (im-, il-, ir-) | not, opposite of | incapable, illegal, irresponsible |
Inter- | between, among | interact, international |
Mis- | wrong, bad | misunderstand, misbehave |
Non- | not | nonfiction, nonsense |
Post- | after | postdate, postgraduate |
Pre- (pr-) | before | preheat, preview |
Re- | again, back | repeat, return |
Semi- | half | semicircle, semicolon |
Sub- | under, below | submarine, substandard |
Super- | above, over | superman, supernatural |
Un- | not | unhappy, unclear |
EVALUATION
Form words with these prefixes: pro-, inter-, trans-, pre-, over-, under-
- Which prefix means “not, without”? a) A- (an-, ar-) b) Anti- c) Non- d) Mis-
Answer: c) Non-
- Which prefix means “against”? a) A- (an-, ar-) b) Anti- c) Bi- d) Co- (com-, con-)
Answer: b) Anti-
- Which prefix means “self”? a) A- (an-, ar-) b) Auto- c) In- (im-, il-, ir-) d) Pre- (pr-)
Answer: b) Auto-
- Which prefix means “two”? a) Bi- b) Co- (com-, con-) c) De- d) Ex-
Answer: a) Bi-
- Which prefix means “down, away from”? a) De- b) En- (em-) c) In- (im-, il-, ir-) d) Sub-
Answer: a) De-
- Which prefix means “not, opposite of”? a) A- (an-, ar-) b) Bi- c) Dis- d) Semi-
Answer: c) Dis-
- Which prefix means “in, into”? a) En- (em-) b) Ex- c) Inter- d) Super-
Answer: a) En- (em-)
- Which prefix means “out of, from”? a) Co- (com-, con-) b) Ex- c) In- (im-, il-, ir-) d) Pre- (pr-)
Answer: b) Ex-
- Which prefix means “before”? a) Post- b) Pre- (pr-) c) Re- d) Super-
Answer: b) Pre- (pr-)
- Which prefix means “not”? a) A- (an-, ar-) b) In- (im-, il-, ir-) c) Mis- d) Un-
Answer: d) Un-
- What is a prefix, and what is its function in a word?
- Give an example of a word that contains the prefix “un-” and explain its meaning.
- Which prefix means “against”?
- What does the prefix “auto-” mean, and give an example of a word that contains this prefix.
- Which prefix means “two”?
- Give an example of a word that contains the prefix “dis-” and explain its meaning.
- Which prefix means “in, into”?
- What does the prefix “ex-” mean, and give an example of a word that contains this prefix.
- Which prefix means “before”?
- Give an example of a word that contains the prefix “super-” and explain its meaning
- The prefix “non-” means __________.
- The prefix “anti-” means __________.
- The prefix “auto-” means __________.
- The prefix “bi-” means __________.
- The prefix “de-” means __________.
- The prefix “dis-” means __________.
- The prefix “en-” (or “em-“) means __________.
- The prefix “ex-” means __________.
- The prefix “pre-” (or “pr-“) means __________.
- The prefix “un-” means __________
Homework
- What is the meaning of the prefix “mono-“? a) One b) Two c) Three d) Four
Answer: a) One
- Which prefix means “all” or “every”? a) Hemi- b) Omni- c) Sub- d) Tri-
Answer: b) Omni-
- Which prefix means “around” or “surrounding”? a) Circum- b) Anti- c) Micro- d) Post-
Answer: a) Circum-
- What is the meaning of the prefix “hyper-“? a) Above, excessive, beyond b) Under, below, insufficient c) Backwards, again, anew d) Across, through, beyond
Answer: a) Above, excessive, beyond
- Which prefix means “half”? a) Bi- b) De- c) Semi- d) Tri-
Answer: c) Semi-
- What is the meaning of the prefix “micro-“? a) Small, minute b) Large, great c) Good, well d) Bad, ill
Answer: a) Small, minute
- Which prefix means “together” or “with”? a) Co- (com-, con-) b) Anti- c) Mono- d) Pre- (pr-)
Answer: a) Co- (com-, con-)
- What is the meaning of the prefix “inter-“? a) Between, among b) Against c) Self d) Without
Answer: a) Between, among
- Which prefix means “after” or “behind”? a) Ante- b) Post- c) Re- d) Trans-
Answer: b) Post-
- What is the meaning of the prefix “poly-“? a) Many b) Few c) One d) None
Answer: a) Many
Lesson Title: Understanding Prefixes: Building Vocabulary
Previous Lesson
Instruction:
- Write a list of common prefixes on the whiteboard (e.g., un-, dis-, in-, re-, pre-, post-, bi-, tri-, poly-, auto-, inter-, hyper-).
- Explain the meanings of each prefix, and provide examples of words that contain those prefixes.
- Have students work in pairs or small groups to research additional words that contain those prefixes.
- Review the students’ findings as a class and discuss the meanings of the new words.
Guided Practice:
- Distribute handouts with exercises that require students to identify the correct prefix for a given word or write the meaning of a word with a specific prefix.
- Work through the exercises as a class, encouraging students to discuss their answers with a partner before sharing with the class.
Independent Practice:
- Assign students to complete an online vocabulary-building activity that involves identifying and defining words with specific prefixes.
- Alternatively, assign students to write short paragraphs using a minimum of five words with prefixes to demonstrate their understanding of how prefixes can be used to build vocabulary.
Conclusion:
- Review the prefixes covered in the lesson and discuss how students can use their knowledge of prefixes to understand unfamiliar words they encounter in their reading and writing.
- Encourage students to continue building their vocabulary by paying attention to the prefixes in new words they encounter