Vocabulary Building Techniques

Understanding words through

prefixes

NorthStar Learning Express

http://www.northstarelearning.com

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Not for copy or redistribution
This course will teach you…
• One of the English word affixes-
Prefix
• How to use it to understand words

Aim to help
elp you boost your
English vocabulary to over 10,000
in short time

Research shows that mastering of 20 common word

roots and 30 common prefixes unlocks the meaning of
10,000 words!

Confidential material @Copyright by NorthStar Learning Express

http://www.northstarelearning.com
Not for copy or redistribution
 Prefix
• A prefix is that which is added before
either simple roots (stems) or complex
bases
• All prefixes are derivational (to form a new
word).
• Although a prefix rarely change the part of
speech of a word, it alters the meaning of
the word.

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Not for copy or redistribution
 Prefix
• Some English prefixes can only be added to bases of
certain parts of speech:
re- “again, back” is only added to verb bases as in
rebuild, reclaim, reuse, resell, re-evaluate,
resettle.
un- “not” added to adjective and participle bases
such as in unhealthy
un- “reverse action” applied to either verb or
noun bases likes in undo

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 Examples
Examples:
 bi (two): monthly  bimonthly
monthly  every month
bi  two
bimonthly  every two months

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 Examples
Examples:
 bi (two): monthly  bimonthly
 auto (self, automatic): pilot  autopilot
auto  automatic
autopilot  automatic pilot
auto  self
automobile  a self-movable vehicle  a passenger car

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 Examples
Examples:
 bi (two): monthly  bimonthly
 auto (self): pilot  autopilot
 ab (away from): normal  abnormal
ab  away from
abnormal  away from normal
 not normal, deviating from a standard
For example: an abnormal amount of snow

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 Examples
Examples:
 bi (two): monthly  bimonthly
 auto (self): pilot  autopilot
 ab (away from): normal  abnormal
 counter (against): act  counteract
counter  against
counteract  to act against  to act in opposition to

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 Examples
Examples:
 bi (two): monthly  bimonthly
 auto (self): pilot  autopilot
 ab (away from): normal  abnormal
 counter (against): act  counteract
 de (from, down, away): compose  decompose
de  down, away, from
compose  to make or form by combining parts/things
decompose  away from compose
 to separate into components or basic parts

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Not for copy or redistribution
 Examples
Examples:
 bi (two): monthly  bimonthly
 auto (self): pilot  autopilot
 ab (away from): normal  abnormal
 counter (against): act  counteract
 de (from, down, away): compose  decompose
 inter (between, among): national  international
inter  between or among
international  between or among nations

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 Examples
Only three exceptions exist: the prefixes a-, en-, and be-.
 a- typically creates adjectives from noun and verb bases
blaze  ablaze
 be- means “to make; cause to become”. It creates transitive verbs
from noun bases
witch->bewitch
 en- is usually used as a transitive marker on verbs (to put into or
on), but can also be applied to adjectives and nouns to form
transitive verb (to cause to be, make, to restrict in completely)
 circle (verb) → encircle (verb) (to put into circle)
 rich (adj) → enrich (verb) (cause to be rich)
 large (adj) → enlarge (verb) (cause to be large)
 rapture (noun) → enrapture (verb) (make a rapture)
 slave (noun) → enslave(verb) (cause to be a slave)

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 The result you will see
By learning the prefixes, roots, and a few
suffixes you will be able to discern the
meaning of many new words almost
immediately.

Now you want to learn them, but…

Where to find the common word parts?

And the traditional method is boring!

We can help you.

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http://www.northstarelearning.com
Not for copy or redistribution
How to study them in a fun way?

Common prefix, suffix, and root lists

and fun practice are provided to you by
NorthStar Learning Express at
http://www.northstarelearning.com
to help you to master them.

Confidential material @Copyright by NorthStar Learning Express

http://www.northstarelearning.com
Not for copy or redistribution
 Master the prefix, suffix, and root
• Go to www.northstarelearning.com, sign up,
and login
• Click “Learning vocabulary” and “K12 Video Courses” of
“Video Courses” section order FREE packages: “review
common prefixes”; “review common roots”; “review
common suffixes.” and the video courses.
• Go to “K12 word training” of “My training” section to
practice them FREE in a fun way through the packages:
“practice common prefixes”, “practice common roots”, and
“practice on common suffixes.”

You will be able to master the common prefix, suffix, root in no time!
Enjoy and have fun!
Confidential material @Copyright by NorthStar Learning Express
http://www.northstarelearning.com
Not for copy or redistribution