Exploring Language

Lesson 3.1 Breaking Up Words

downloadablew worksheet

 

We use our knowledge of pieces of words all the time. You know that the -s of cats makes it plural. When we begin to break up larger, more complex words into their parts, we then can extend that to new words. You’ll be able to easily figure out the meaning of new vocabulary in context easier without having to look up the words.

 

Prefixes attach to the beginning of a word:

 

re + wash = rewash            re = prefix

 

What does re- mean?

What are some other words have the prefix re-?

What kind of word (part of speech) does re- attach to?

What is the resulting part of speech?

What are some other prefixes that attach to verbs?

 

Suffixes attach to the end of a word:

 

read + able = readable            able = suffix

 

          What does -able mean when it is a suffix?

What are some other words have the suffix -able?

What kind of word (part of speech) does -able attach to?

What is the resulting part of speech?

What are some other suffixes that attach to verbs?

 

The part of a word that a prefix or suffix attaches to is called a root:

 

rewash            readable             

 

Look through a text to find at least five words with prefixes and five with suffixes. Write them down and underline the prefixes, the suffixes, and the roots.

 

[Teacher notes. There are lots of ways to go from here – into analysis of different parts of speech and their affixes, more exploration of Greek and Latin roots, analysis of certain vocabulary connected to your particular class content and curriculum. The overarching goal is to encourage students to always try to break complex words into their smallest meaningful parts, and to use their knowledge of how those pieces work in other words in order to discover the meanings.]

 

Refer to lessons on TeachLing, “Finding Parts of Words” and “Latin and Greek Morphemes”.

 

key words: prefixes, suffixes, meaning, vocabulary

 

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.4b Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known affix is added to a known word (e.g., agreeable/disagreeable, comfortable/uncomfortable, care/careless, heat/preheat). 

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.4c Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root (e.g., company, companion).  

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.4b Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., telegraph, photograph, autograph).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.4b Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., photograph, photosynthesis). 

 

Here is this lesson as a pdf.