📖 ReadingGrade 3Lesson 2
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Learn Root Words, Prefixes, and Suffixes

Lesson preview: the Mini Lesson and Vocabulary are open to everyone. Guided practice, exercises, the parent checklist and the printable PDF worksheet come with full access (free 7-day trial or membership).

What you will learn

  • 1Identify the root word in a longer word
  • 2Recognize common prefixes and suffixes and explain what they mean
  • 3Use clues about roots, prefixes, and suffixes to solve a crossword
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Mini Lesson

Many English words are built from smaller parts. The root word is the base word that carries the main meaning. A prefix is added to the beginning of the root to change its meaning. A suffix is added to the end of the root to change its meaning or how it is used.

Root Words

A root word is a complete word that can stand on its own. For example, "play", "kind", "happy", and "read" are all root words. You can add parts to them to make new words.

Common Prefixes

  • un- = not (unhappy, unkind, unable)
  • re- = again (reread, rewrite, redo)
  • pre- = before (preview, prepay, preheat)
  • mis- = wrongly (mistake, misread, misplace)
  • dis- = not / opposite (disagree, disappear, dislike)

Common Suffixes

  • -ful = full of (careful, joyful, helpful)
  • -less = without (helpless, careless, fearless)
  • -ness = state of (kindness, sadness, darkness)
  • -er / -or = person who (baker, actor, farmer)
  • -ing = action happening now (reading, jumping, singing)

Words to know

Root word

The main part of a word that holds its meaning

e.g. "Play" is the root word in "playing".

Prefix

A word part added to the beginning of a root

e.g. "Un-" is a prefix that means "not".

Suffix

A word part added to the end of a root

e.g. "-ful" is a suffix meaning "full of".

Base word

A complete word that can stand alone

e.g. "Happy" is a base word in "unhappy".

Meaning

What a word stands for

e.g. The prefix "re-" changes the meaning to "again".

Word Parts — Prefix, Root, SuffixA word broken into prefix, root, and suffix sections with color coding.Parts of a Wordun-help-fulprefixrootsuffixnotassistfull ofunhelpful= not full of helpRemove prefix + suffix to find the root word.
Common Prefixes and SuffixesCommon prefixes on the left and suffixes on the right with their meanings.Prefixes vs SuffixesPrefixesun- = notre- = againpre- = beforemis- = wronglydis- = notSuffixes-ful = full of-less = without-ness = state-er = person-ing = now
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To find the root word: remove the prefix AND the suffix, and see what is left. That is your root.

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← Lesson 1: Use Context Clues for MeaningLesson 3: Build Word Families →