Word Structure Basics Quiz

Word Structure Basics

• Root: The core part of a word that conveys its primary meaning; cannot function independently.
• Prefix: An affix added to the beginning of a word to alter its meaning or create a new word.
• Suffix: An affix added to the end of a word to modify its meaning or grammatical function.

Common Prefixes and Their Meanings

• un-: Indicates negation, opposition, or lack; transforms meaning to its opposite (e.g., unhappy).
• pre-: Signifies "before" or "earlier in time"; used to denote preceding time or position (e.g., prehistoric).
• en-: Means "in," "into," or "within"; indicates a state or condition of inner involvement (e.g., enrich).
• anti-: Suggests a position against or opposite to something; often used in contexts of contrast (e.g., antibiotic).
• intra-: Implies "within" or "inside"; frequently used in discussing internal structures or relationships (e.g., intramural).

Common Suffixes and Their Meanings

• -phobia: Refers to a strong fear of something; used to identify various specific fears (e.g., arachnophobia).

Metric Prefix

• centi-: Denotes one hundred or one-hundredth; a common prefix in the metric system to indicate a fractional measure (e.g., centimeter).