Word parts

As you may have learned in an earlier grade, words are made of different parts, and each part can affect the word's meaning. The most important part of a word is called the word root.

All words have roots, but some words have other parts that can help you figure them out. Many words have prefixes, which come at the beginning, before the rest of the word's parts. In fact, the word prefix contains the prefix pre-, which means before.

Prefixes can help you define unfamiliar words--but only if you know what the prefix means. And the best way to memorize the meaning of common prefixes is to practice using them. In the activity below, use your knowledge of prefix meanings to drag each word to the box containing its definition. (If you need to, look back at the chart to remind yourself what each prefix means.)

WORD ROOT

Prefix- Arachno (Spiders)

​Word root- Phobia

​

​Prefix-Acro (Heights)

Word root- Phobia

Prefix-Claustro (small spaces)

Word root- Phobia

​

How It Ends

Word parts that come at the end of a word can also affect a word's meaning.

Suffixes are word parts that are found at the end of a word. Here's a chart of some common suffixes you might encounter in technical writing.

Suffixes