Suffixes and Prefixes

Suffixes and Prefixes

It’s helpful to have a good understanding of what prefixes and suffixes are. Knowing their meanings and when they are generally used helps you to decode words, so that you can figure out the likely meaning of an unknown word, and also learn new vocabulary words with greater ease. If you need to review what these are, or learn their meanings, online practice can be very helpful.

A prefix comes before a root word and changes the meaning of the word. For example, if you take the root word and add a prefix, it becomes something different.

pregame- before the game

postgame- after the game

It’s helpful to know the meaning of a prefix to help you figure out a word. Take a look at the following prefixes and the root words they’re attached to.

un-means not: unhappy, untied

over- means excessive or completely: overconfident, overjoyed

hemi- means half: hemisphere

A suffix goes at the end of a root word. It can tell you when something happened by changing the tense of a verb, modify the root word, or change the meaning.

run- running

strong- strongest

care- careless

Learning prefixes and suffixes takes practice. Be sure to use learning tools, like dictionaries and books that you read every day. Kids will enjoy online games as a fun way to practice and become more familiar with the meanings of suffixes and prefixes. The multisensory nature of online games helps all students learn, especially English language learners (ELL) and students with special needs, such as children with autism.