HomeSS 2English StudiesVocabulary Development: Prefixes.

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:

  1. A- (an-, ar-): not, without (e.g. apolitical, amoral)
  2. Anti-: against (e.g. anti-war, anti-inflammatory)
  3. Auto-: self (e.g. automobile, autobiography)
  4. Bi-: two (e.g. bicycle, binoculars)
  5. Co- (com-, con-): with, together (e.g. cooperate, community)
  6. De-: down, away from (e.g. descend, defrost)
  7. Dis-: not, opposite of (e.g. disagree, disconnect)
  8. En- (em-): in, into (e.g. enclose, embrace)
  9. Ex-: out of, from (e.g. exit, extract)
  10. In- (im-, il-, ir-): not, opposite of (e.g. incapable, illegal, irresponsible)
  11. Inter-: between, among (e.g. interact, international)
  12. Mis-: wrong, bad (e.g. misunderstand, misbehave)
  13. Non-: not (e.g. nonfiction, nonsense)
  14. Post-: after (e.g. postdate, postgraduate)
  15. Pre- (pr-): before (e.g. preheat, preview)
  16. Re-: again, back (e.g. repeat, return)
  17. Semi-: half (e.g. semicircle, semicolon)
  18. Sub-: under, below (e.g. submarine, substandard)
  19. Super-: above, over (e.g. superman, supernatural)
  20. 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-

  1. Which prefix means “not, without”? a) A- (an-, ar-) b) Anti- c) Non- d) Mis-

Answer: c) Non-

  1. Which prefix means “against”? a) A- (an-, ar-) b) Anti- c) Bi- d) Co- (com-, con-)

Answer: b) Anti-

  1. Which prefix means “self”? a) A- (an-, ar-) b) Auto- c) In- (im-, il-, ir-) d) Pre- (pr-)

Answer: b) Auto-

  1. Which prefix means “two”? a) Bi- b) Co- (com-, con-) c) De- d) Ex-

Answer: a) Bi-

  1. Which prefix means “down, away from”? a) De- b) En- (em-) c) In- (im-, il-, ir-) d) Sub-

Answer: a) De-

  1. Which prefix means “not, opposite of”? a) A- (an-, ar-) b) Bi- c) Dis- d) Semi-

Answer: c) Dis-

  1. Which prefix means “in, into”? a) En- (em-) b) Ex- c) Inter- d) Super-

Answer: a) En- (em-)

  1. Which prefix means “out of, from”? a) Co- (com-, con-) b) Ex- c) In- (im-, il-, ir-) d) Pre- (pr-)

Answer: b) Ex-

  1. Which prefix means “before”? a) Post- b) Pre- (pr-) c) Re- d) Super-

Answer: b) Pre- (pr-)

  1. Which prefix means “not”? a) A- (an-, ar-) b) In- (im-, il-, ir-) c) Mis- d) Un-

Answer: d) Un-

 

  1. What is a prefix, and what is its function in a word?
  2. Give an example of a word that contains the prefix “un-” and explain its meaning.
  3. Which prefix means “against”?
  4. What does the prefix “auto-” mean, and give an example of a word that contains this prefix.
  5. Which prefix means “two”?
  6. Give an example of a word that contains the prefix “dis-” and explain its meaning.
  7. Which prefix means “in, into”?
  8. What does the prefix “ex-” mean, and give an example of a word that contains this prefix.
  9. Which prefix means “before”?
  10. Give an example of a word that contains the prefix “super-” and explain its meaning
  11. The prefix “non-” means __________.
  12. The prefix “anti-” means __________.
  13. The prefix “auto-” means __________.
  14. The prefix “bi-” means __________.
  15. The prefix “de-” means __________.
  16. The prefix “dis-” means __________.
  17. The prefix “en-” (or “em-“) means __________.
  18. The prefix “ex-” means __________.
  19. The prefix “pre-” (or “pr-“) means __________.
  20. The prefix “un-” means __________

 

Homework

  1. What is the meaning of the prefix “mono-“? a) One b) Two c) Three d) Four

Answer: a) One

  1. Which prefix means “all” or “every”? a) Hemi- b) Omni- c) Sub- d) Tri-

Answer: b) Omni-

  1. Which prefix means “around” or “surrounding”? a) Circum- b) Anti- c) Micro- d) Post-

Answer: a) Circum-

  1. 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

  1. Which prefix means “half”? a) Bi- b) De- c) Semi- d) Tri-

Answer: c) Semi-

  1. What is the meaning of the prefix “micro-“? a) Small, minute b) Large, great c) Good, well d) Bad, ill

Answer: a) Small, minute

  1. Which prefix means “together” or “with”? a) Co- (com-, con-) b) Anti- c) Mono- d) Pre- (pr-)

Answer: a) Co- (com-, con-)

  1. What is the meaning of the prefix “inter-“? a) Between, among b) Against c) Self d) Without

Answer: a) Between, among

  1. Which prefix means “after” or “behind”? a) Ante- b) Post- c) Re- d) Trans-

Answer: b) Post-

  1. 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
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