Welcome to our article on prefixes! If you’re learning English grammar, you’ve probably come across these little word bits before. But what exactly are prefixes, and how do they work? In this article, we’ll explore the basics of prefixes and give you some examples to help you understand how they can change the meaning of words.
What is A Prefix?
A prefix is a group of letters that we add to the beginning of a word to create a new word with a different meaning. Prefixes can change the meaning of a word, make it negative, or indicate relations of time, place, or manner.
For example, the prefix “un-” means “not.” When you add “un-” to the word “happy,” you get “unhappy,” which means “not happy.” Similarly, the prefix “pre-” means “before.” When you add “pre-” to the word “view,” you get “preview,” which means “a view before the main event.”
Prefixes can be one to three letters long. Some common prefixes include “anti-,” “dis-,” “in-,” “im-,” “re-,” and “un-.” Each of these prefixes has a different meaning and can change the meaning of a word in a specific way.
Types of Prefixes
In English grammar, prefixes are added to the beginning of a base word to modify its meaning. There are several types of prefixes, including negative, time and number, size and degree, and distance and direction prefixes.
Negative Prefixes
Negative prefixes are used to negate the meaning of a word. Some common negative prefixes include “un-” (e.g. unhappy), “dis-” (e.g. disagree), and “non-” (e.g. nonstop). These prefixes are often used to create antonyms, or words with opposite meanings.
Time and Number Prefixes
Time and number prefixes are used to indicate time or quantity. For example, the prefix “bi-” means “two” (e.g. bicycle), while the prefix “tri-” means “three” (e.g. tricycle). Other common time and number prefixes include “milli-” (e.g. millisecond), “centi-” (e.g. centimeter), and “mega-” (e.g. megabyte).
Size and Degree Prefixes
Size and degree prefixes are used to indicate size or degree. For example, the prefix “micro-” means “small” (e.g. microscope), while the prefix “macro-” means “large” (e.g. macroeconomics). Other common size and degree prefixes include “mini-” (e.g. miniskirt), “maxi-” (e.g. maxi dress), and “ultra-” (e.g. ultraviolet).
Distance and Direction Prefixes
Distance and direction prefixes are used to indicate distance or direction. For example, the prefix “tele-” means “far” (e.g. television), while the prefix “trans-” means “across” (e.g. transport). Other common distance and direction prefixes include “inter-” (e.g. international), “intra-” (e.g. intranet), and “sub-” (e.g. submarine).
List of Common Prefixes in English
a-, an-
- Meaning: without, lack of, not
- Example: amoral, acellular, abyss, achromatic, anhydrous
ante-
- Meaning: before, earlier, in front of
- Example: antecedent, antedate, antemeridian, anterior
anti-
- Meaning: against, opposite of
- Example: anticlimax. antiaircraft, antiseptic, antibody
auto-
- Meaning: self, same
- Example: autopilot, autobiography, automobile, autofocus
circum-
- Meaning: around, about
- Example: circumvent, circumnavigate, circumscribe
co-
- Meaning: with, together
- Example: co-pilot, co-worker, co-exist, co-author
com-, con-
- Meaning: together, with
- Example: companion, commingle, contact, concentrate
contra-, contro-
- Meaning: against, opposite
- Example: contradict, contrast, contrary, controversy
de-
- Meaning: down, off, away from
- Example: devalue, deactivate, debug, degrade, deduce
dis-
- Meaning: not, apart, away
- Example: disappear, disagreeable, disbar, dissect
em-, en-
- Meaning: put into, cover with
- Example: embrace, embed, enclose, entangle, enslave, encase
ex-
- Meaning: out of, from, former
- Example: extract, exhale, excavate, ex-president
extra-
- Meaning: beyond, outside, more than
- Example: extracurricular, extramarital, extravagant
hetero-
- Meaning: different, other
- Example: heterosexual, heterodox, heterogeneous
homo-, homeo-
- Meaning: same, alike
- Example: homonym, homophone, homeostasis, homosexual
hyper-
- Meaning: over, more, beyond
- Example: hyperactive, hypersensitive, hypercritical
il-, im-, in-, ir-
- Meaning: not, without
- Example: illegal, immoral, inconsiderate, irresponsible
inter-
- Meaning: between, among
- Example: intersect, interstellar, intervene, interpenetrate
intra-, intro-
- Meaning: within, inside
- Example: intravenous, intragalactic, introvert
macro-
- Meaning: large, prominent
- Example: macroeconomics, macrostructure, macrocosm
micro-
- Meaning: very small
- Example: microscope, microcosm, microbe
mono-
- Meaning: one, single, alone
- Example: monocle, monologue, monogamy, monotony
non-
- Meaning: not, without
- Example: nonentity, nonaggressive, nonessential, nonfiction
omni-
- Meaning: all, every
- Example: omniscient, omnivorous, omniscient, omnidirectional
post-
- Meaning: after, behind
- Example: postmortem, posterior, postscript, postoperative
pre-, pro-
- Meaning: before, forward
- Example: precede, predict, project, prologue
sub-
- Meaning: under, lower
- Example: submarine, subsidiary, substandard
sym-, syn-
- Meaning: same time, together
- Example: symmetry, symposium, synchronize, synapse
tele-
- Meaning: from or over a distance
- Example: telecommunications, telemedicine, television, telephone
trans-
- Meaning: across, beyond, through
- Example: transmit, transaction, translation, transfer
tri-
- Meaning: three, every third
- Example: tricycle, trimester, triangle, triathlon
un-
- Meaning: not, lacking, opposite of
- Example: unfinished, unskilled, ungraceful, unfriendly
uni-
- Meaning: one, single
- Example: unicorn, unicellular, unicycle, unilateral
up-
- Meaning: to the top or north, higher/better
- Example: upbeat, updo, upgrade, upload, uphill, upstage, upscale, up-tempo
Prefix Usage in Sentences
Prefixes are an essential part of English grammar, and they play a crucial role in the formation of words. In this section, we will discuss the usage of prefixes in sentences. We will cover the usage of prefixes in nouns, verbs, and adjectives.
Prefixes in Nouns
Prefixes can be used to form new nouns. For example, the prefix “un-” can be used to form the noun “uncertainty,” which means the state of being uncertain. Similarly, the prefix “re-” can be used to form the noun “recovery,” which means the act of recovering.
Prefixes in Verbs
Prefixes can also be used to form new verbs. For example, the prefix “pre-” can be used to form the verb “preview,” which means to see or show something in advance. Similarly, the prefix “re-” can be used to form the verb “rethink,” which means to think again.
Prefixes in Adjectives
Prefixes can also be used to form new adjectives. For example, the prefix “un-” can be used to form the adjective “unhappy,” which means not happy. Similarly, the prefix “dis-” can be used to form the adjective “disagreeable,” which means unpleasant.
Prefix Exercises with Answers
Learning prefixes is an essential part of mastering English grammar. To help you practice, we have compiled a list of prefix exercises with answers. These exercises will help you test your knowledge and improve your understanding of prefixes.
Prefix Matching
In this exercise, you will be given a list of prefixes and a list of words. Your task is to match the correct prefix with the corresponding word. Here are a few examples:
Prefix | Word |
---|---|
Un- | Agree |
Dis- | Possible |
Im- | Happy |
Answers: Unhappy, Disagree, Impossible
Fill in the Blanks
In this exercise, you will be given a sentence with a missing prefix. Your task is to fill in the blank with the correct prefix. Here are a few examples:
- The _____legal activity was reported to the authorities.
- I _____agree with your point of view.
- She _____believed his story.
Answers: 1. Il-, 2. Dis-, 3. Mis-
Multiple Choice Questions
In this exercise, you will be given a sentence with a prefix and a missing word. Your task is to choose the correct word that completes the sentence. Here are a few examples:
- The _____legal activity was reported to the authorities. a. Legal b. Illegal c. Unlegal
- I _____agree with your point of view. a. Agree b. Disagree c. Misagree
- She _____believed his story. a. Believed b. Unbelieved c. Misbelieved
Answers: 1. B, 2. B, 3. C
By practicing these exercises, you will improve your understanding of prefixes and be able to use them correctly in your writing and speaking. Keep practicing and you’ll see the results!
Common Prefixes | Infographic
Related:
- Linking Verbs: Definition, Form, Usage and Examples - August 30, 2024
- Compound Adjectives: Definition, Types and Examples - August 30, 2024
- Interrogative Adjectives: Definition, Usage, and Examples - August 29, 2024
Patri
Tuesday 29th of November 2022
Really useful. Thanks!!
sl boy sihas vimuthu
Thursday 7th of October 2021
this is good of my school work out thanks for this prefixes
yeetboy
Tuesday 5th of January 2021
where is mal- ?
Brandon Neil Howells
Sunday 11th of September 2022
"Bad" in French. Usually used to correspond with badly or not e.g., "maladjusted"
Anurag
Tuesday 3rd of November 2020
[spoiler title=""] [/spoiler]
Candace
Friday 30th of October 2020
How do we print these charts?