WORD
KNOWLEDGE
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For information:
Fred W. Duckworth, Jr.
c/o Jewels Educational Services
1560 East Vernon Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90011-3839
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.trinitytutors.com
Copyright © 2008 by Fred Duckworth. All rights reserved. This publication is
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Word Origins - Lesson 1
Since language affects a culture in significant ways, well educated people should
know and understand their language. This includes knowing from where words
originally came. But, even after our having made this statement, you may want to
know, nonetheless, exactly why that is.
Well in part, if individuals develop their knowledge of word origins—for example,
learning the meanings of common roots and affixes derived from Greek and
Latin—they will then be able to apply that knowledge to figure out the meanings
of unfamiliar and complex words encountered while reading, such as words like:
international.
Many Latin words came into the English language directly when monks from
Rome brought religious vocabulary to England beginning in the sixth century, and
indirectly after England was conquered by France’s Duke of Normandy in 1066
(French was developed from Latin). Moreover, from the Middle Ages onward,
many scholarly, scientific, and legal terms were borrowed from Latin.
As a result, a large number of English words and “word parts” can be traced back
to Latin. Since breaking down complex words into meaningful parts can provide
clues to their definitions, and since knowing the meaning of at least part of a word
may be helpful in understanding how the word is being used in context, you
should make a point of developing a working knowledge of Latin, and to a lesser
extent, Greek, at least in terms of how they relate to modern English.
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Name: __________________________________________________________ Date: ______/______/______ Score: _______
READING COMPREHENSION
WORDSHOP ♦ Word Analysis / Word Structure ♦ Lesson 1
REVIEW
Directions: At Vernondale Christian Academy, it is expected that you will be at least somewhat
aware of exactly why it is you are being encouraged to learn the various required study topics.
To demonstrate such awareness with regard to word knowledge and word structure, please read
each of the following prompts and respond accordingly.
What are two ways the Latin was introduced into the English language?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Knowing Latin and Greek roots and affixes can be helpful in what way or ways?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
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ANSWER KEY
REVIEW
Directions: At Vernondale Christian Academy, it is expected that you will be at least somewhat
familiar with exactly why it is you are asked to learn about the various subjects you are required
to study. To demonstrate such awareness with regard to word knowledge and word structure,
please read each of the following prompts and respond accordingly.
What are two ways the Latin was introduced into the English language?
_____________________________________________________________________________
Many Latin words came into the English language directly when
_____________________________________________________________________________
Monks from Rome brought religious vocabulary to England
_____________________________________________________________________________
beginning in the sixth century, and indirectly after England was
_____________________________________________________________________________
conquered by France’s Duke of Normandy in 1066.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Knowing Latin and Greek roots and affixes can be helpful in what way or ways?
_____________________________________________________________________________
Knowing Greek and Latin roots and affixes can help in the
_____________________________________________________________________________
process of breaking complex words into meaningful parts when
_____________________________________________________________________________
looking for clues to the definitions of unfamiliar or unknown
_____________________________________________________________________________
words, and when trying to understand how such word are being
_____________________________________________________________________________
used in context.
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Word Knowledge - Lesson 2
Let’s begin by defining the term: root.
Note that we may also refer to a root as a root word, base word, or base. A root is
simply the main part (or basic structure) of a word. It is the part of a word that
contains its main or principle meaning. You might even say that a root word is a
word in its simplest form, without any other word parts added to it.
Stated more concisely:
A root word is the main part of a word, without any other word parts added to it,
and it contains the word’s principle meaning.
Of course, educated people do not speak in terms of “word parts.” Instead, they
use the term: affix.
An affix is a word part added to the beginning or ending of a word.
There are two types of affixes. A prefix is a word part that is added to the
beginning of a word. A suffix is a word part that is added to the end of a word.
When affixes are added to a word, they often change the meaning or use of that
word. For example, the words nervous, treacherous, dangerous, and marvelous,
all have a root plus the suffix -ous which is pronounced /ŭs/.
The root words (nerve, treachery, and danger) are all nouns. In each case, adding
the suffix -ous, which means “full of,” produces an adjective.
Remember: Adding -ous to the end of a word often changes a noun into an
adjective.
Also, make sure you don’t forget that the suffix -ous means “full of.”
Therefore, if you were to ever see a question such as, “What is the meaning of
the word ‘dangerous’?” during the administration of a test, the proper response
would be . . . “full of danger.”
Name: __________________________________________________________ Date: ______/______/______ Score: _______
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READING COMPREHENSION
WORDSHOP ♦ Word Analysis / Word Structure ♦ Lesson 1
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ANSWER KEY
REVIEW
Directions: You will be expected to use your knowledge of common roots and affixes derived
from Greek and Latin to analyze the meaning of complex words.
However, you cannot use knowledge that you do not possess. Therefore, make sure that you
have committed the following information to memory.
_______________
A root may also be referred to as a _______________
root _________________,
word
base
_________________,
or _________________.
word
base
The root is ____________________________________________________________________
the main part of a word, without any affixes added to it,
_____________________________________________________________________________
and it contains that principle meaning of the word.
_____________________________________________________________________________
An affix is ____________________________________________________________________
a word part.
_____________________________________________________________________________
The two types of affixes are ______________________
and ____________________.
prefixes
suffixes
What does an affixes do to the meanings of words to which they are added?
_____________________________________________________________________________
Affixes change the meanings of words to which they are added.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
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