English Language Arts
Grade 9
15 min
Prefixes and suffixes: review
Prefixes and suffixes: review
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1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Analyze how common Greek and Latin prefixes and suffixes alter the meaning and grammatical function of a root word.
Deconstruct unfamiliar, multi-syllabic words from literary and informational texts to determine their meaning.
Apply knowledge of prefixes and suffixes to enhance vocabulary and improve reading comprehension of complex, grade-level texts.
Utilize varied and precise vocabulary by correctly forming new words with prefixes and suffixes in their own analytical writing.
Identify and correct common spelling errors that occur when adding suffixes to root words (e.g., dropping the 'e', doubling the consonant).
Infer the tone or connotation of a word based on its affixes (e.g., 'mal-' vs. 'bene-').
Ever wonder how a sing...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Root WordThe core, foundational part of a word that carries its primary meaning. It cannot be broken down further.In the word 'transportable', the root word is 'port', which means 'to carry'.
AffixA morpheme (a meaningful unit) that is attached to a root word to form a new word or to alter its grammatical function. Prefixes and suffixes are both types of affixes.The 'un-' and '-able' in 'unbreakable' are affixes.
PrefixAn affix placed at the beginning of a root word to modify its meaning.The prefix 'pre-' in 'preview' means 'before', changing the meaning to 'viewing something before'.
SuffixAn affix placed at the end of a root word. Suffixes often change the word'...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Suffix Spelling Rule: Doubling Consonants
For a one-syllable root word ending in a single vowel followed by a single consonant, double the final consonant before adding a suffix that begins with a vowel.
Use this rule to maintain the short vowel sound of the root word. For example, 'run' + '-ing' becomes 'running' (not 'runing'). This applies to words like 'hop', 'sit', and 'plan'.
The Suffix Spelling Rule: Dropping the Silent 'e'
When a root word ends in a silent 'e', drop the 'e' before adding a suffix that begins with a vowel.
This is a common spelling convention. For example, 'hope' + '-ing' becomes 'hoping'. However, keep the 'e'...
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Challenging
You are writing a thesis statement arguing that a poem's structure intentionally disorients the reader. Which of the following words, created using affixes, would be most effective and precise to describe this quality?
A.Antistructural
B.Nonsequential
C.Post-linear
D.Misaligned
Challenging
Critique the following sentence from a peer's literary analysis: 'The protagonist's reclusive nature made him unsociable, and his actions were often dislogical.' Which word is formed incorrectly, and why?
A.'Dislogical' is incorrect; the proper prefix to mean 'not logical' is 'il-', forming 'illogical'.
B.'Reclusive' is incorrect; the prefix 're-' does not fit the meaning of living apart from society.
C.'Unsociable' is incorrect; the prefix 'un-' cannot be applied to the root 'social'.
D.All words are formed correctly and used appropriately.
Challenging
In a futuristic novel, a character is described as having 'transhuman' abilities. Based on your knowledge of morphemes, what is the most probable meaning of this neologism (newly coined word)?
A.person who can change their human form at will.
B.person who is against the progress of humanity.
C.being who is beyond or has surpassed the limits of a normal human.
D.human who travels across different dimensions.
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