English Language Arts
Grade 5
15 min
Words with mis-
Words with mis-
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1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Define the prefix 'mis-' and explain its meaning.
Identify the prefix 'mis-' and the root word in various words.
Explain how the prefix 'mis-' changes the meaning of a root word.
Use words with the prefix 'mis-' correctly in their own sentences.
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words containing the prefix 'mis-'.
Distinguish between words that use 'mis-' as a prefix and words that simply start with the letters 'mis'.
Have you ever misunderstood the directions for a project or misread a question on a test? 🤔 That little prefix 'mis-' is the key to what went wrong!
In this lesson, we will explore the powerful prefix 'mis-'. You will learn that it means 'wrong...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
PrefixA group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning.In the word 'unhappy', 'un-' is the prefix.
Root WordThe main part of a word that contains the basic meaning. It's the word you have left when you remove a prefix or suffix.In the word 'unhappy', 'happy' is the root word.
mis-A prefix that means 'wrongly,' 'badly,' or 'not.'mis- + behave = misbehave (to behave badly).
misunderstandTo understand something incorrectly.He began to misunderstand the teacher's instructions and did the assignment the wrong way.
misfortuneBad luck or an unlucky event.It was a great misfortune that the team's bus broke down on the way to the championship game.
misleadTo guide som...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Meaning-Changer Rule
mis- + root word = 'wrongly' or 'badly' + [meaning of root word]
The prefix 'mis-' always adds a negative meaning to the root word. It tells you that the action of the root word was done incorrectly or poorly.
The No-Change Spelling Rule
mis- + [root word starting with 's'] = misspell
When you add 'mis-' to a root word, you do not change the spelling of the root word. If the root word starts with an 's', like 'spell' or 'step', the new word will have a double 's' (misspell, misstep).
The Look-Alike Alert
Not all words that start with 'mis' use the prefix.
Some words just happen to start with the letters m-i-s. To check, remove 'mis-'...
4 more steps in this tutorial
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Challenging
A student writes: 'I will mis the party because I misbehaved.' According to the tutorial, why is this sentence a good example of a common pitfall?
A.It incorrectly uses a double 's' in the word 'misbehaved'.
B.It uses the prefix 'mis-' when it should have used the separate word 'miss'.
C.It creates a fake word, 'misbehaved', which is not in the dictionary.
D.It uses a look-alike word from the 'Look-Alike Trap'.
Challenging
The words 'mission' and 'missile' start with 'mis' but do not use it as a prefix. What is the most likely reason for this?
A.The words are spelled with a double 's'.
B.The words have a positive meaning.
C.The parts 'sion' and 'sile' are not independent root words in English.
D.The words are too short to have a prefix.
Challenging
The 'Meaning-Changer Rule' helps define words. Which of the following situations best describes a 'misconception'?
A.student who correctly answers a difficult math problem.
B.group of friends planning a surprise party in secret.
C.scientist who discovers a new planet.
D.person who wrongly believes that all snakes are poisonous.
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