Chapter 2:

Analyze Word Structure

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Chapter 2: Analyze Word Structure 2

The Skill: Analyze Word Structure

• Word structure analysis means using the structure (parts)of a word to figure out the word’s meaning.

• The three types of word parts are prefixes, roots, and suffixes.

• Like puzzle pieces, you can fit them together to get the overall “picture” (meaning).

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Chapter 2: Analyze Word Structure 3

Prefixes

• Prefixes are word parts that are added to the beginning of a base (root) word.

• They add their meaning to the meaning of the base word. Example: prefix pre- (before) + fix (attach) = a word part that is attached before the root word

• Prefixes can mean not, can indicate location or spatial relationships, number or amount, or have other meanings.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Chapter 2: Analyze Word Structure 4

Roots

• Roots are base words to which other word parts (prefixes and suffixes) are added.

• Each root has a specific meaning meaning. Examples: aud = to hear audible (can be heard)

auditory (pertaining to hearing)

• Knowing common roots can be the key to understanding entire “families” of related words. These groups of related words are called cognates.

• Common roots: bio, mis, dict, and spect.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Chapter 2: Analyze Word Structure 5

Suffixes

• Suffixes are word parts that are added at the end of a base word.

• Some suffixes have a specific meaning; others change the root word’s part of speech.

Examples: joyful = full of joy

calmness (noun), calmer (adjective), calmly (adverb)

• Common suffixes: -y, -ness, -ion, -er, -al, -able, and -ly.

• Suffixes are not as helpful as other word parts.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Chapter 2: Analyze Word Structure 6

Memory Peg

Prefixes come first, like the dinosaur’s head.

The root is like the body.

Suffixes, like the tail, come at the end.

suffix

root

prefix

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Chapter 2: Analyze Word Structure 7

The Technique

Use prefixes, roots, and suffixes to unlock word meanings.

Question to ask yourself:

“What clues do the parts of this word give me about the meaning of the word?”

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Chapter 2: Analyze Word Structure 8

A word can consist of

• a root only (scribe)

• a prefix and a root (prescribe)

• a prefix + root + suffix (prescription)

• a root and a suffix (scripted) Scribe, script =

to write

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Chapter 2: Analyze Word Structure 9

The Edge: Pointers

• Use word structure clues to confirm guesses based on context clues.

• Read the etymology at the end of a dictionary definition: It tells the word parts.

• Word structure analysis is especially helpful for scientific and technical words; it doesn’t work for every word, though.

• Prefixes and suffixes are usually separate syllables.