Unit 8
Vocabulary Instruction Component of a Comprehensive
Reading Program
Section
Structural Analysis
30
Handout 6:
Twenty Most Common English Prefixes and
Suffixes
Prefixes
-s, -es
un-
-ed
re-
-ing
in-, im-, ir-, il- (not)
-ly
dis-
-er, -or (one who)
en-, em-
-ion, -tion, -ation, -ition
non-
-ible, -able
in-, im- (in or into)
-al, -ial
over- (too much)
-y
mis-
-ness
sub-
-ity, -ty
pre-
-ment
inter-
-ic
fore-
-ous, -eous, -ious
de-
-en
trans-
-er (comparative)
super-
-ive, -ative, -itive
semi-
-ful
anti-
-less
mid-
-est
under- (too little)
H A ND O UT S
Suffixes
• The first four suffixes account for approximately 72 percent of suffixed words.
• The first seven prefixes account for 58 percent of prefixed words.
• The prefixes and suffixes contained in the chart above account for approximately 93
percent of suffixed words and 97 percent of prefixed words.
(Chart derived from White, Sowell, & Yanagihara, 1989; and Graves, 1992).
Calhoun, E.F. (2004). Using data to assess your reading program. Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development (ASCD).
© 2007 Iowa Department of Education
Every Child Reads: Excellence in Teaching and Learning
P_08.VOCAB.STAN_08.31.2007
Unit 8
Vocabulary Instruction Component of a Comprehensive
Reading Program
Section
Structural Analysis
31
Handout 7:
Common Affixes and Their Meanings
!refi&es
Prefixes are letter groups added before a base word or root. Prefixes generally add to or
change the meaning of a word.
Meaning
Example
Ab-
away from
absent, abnormal
Ad-
to, toward
advance, addition
After-
later, behind
aftermath, afterward
Anti-
against, opposed
antibiotic, antigravity
Auto-
self
automobile, autobiography
Be-
make
believe, belittle
Bi-
two
bicycle, biceps
Com, con, co-
with, together
commune, concrete
Contra-
against
contradict, contrary
De-
downward, undo
deflate, defect
Deci-
ten
decibels, decimal
Dis-
not
dislike, distrust
E, ex-
out of, prior to
explain, expense
En, em-
in, into, cover
engage, employ
Extra-
outside
extravagant, extraterrestrial
Im-
not
impose, imply
In-
into, not
include, incurable
Inter-
among
interact, internal
Macro-
large
macroeconomics, macrotiotic
Magni-
great
magnify, magnificent
Mega-
huge
megaphone, megabucks
Micro-
small
miscroscope, microbe
Mis-
wrongly
mistake, mislead
Non-
not
nonsense, nonviolent
Over-
above, beyond
overflow, overdue
Post-
after
postdate, postmark
Pre-
before, prior to
preheat, prehistoric
Pro-
in favor of
protest, protect
Re-
again
repeat, revise
Sub-
under, beneath
submarine, subject
Super-
above, beyond
superior, supernatural
Tele-
far
telescope, telephone
© 2007 Iowa Department of Education
Every Child Reads: Excellence in Teaching and Learning
P_08.VOCAB.STAN_08.31.2007
H A ND O UT S
Prefix
Unit 8
Vocabulary Instruction Component of a Comprehensive
Reading Program
Section
Structural Analysis
32
Handout 7 (continued)
Common Affixes and Their Meanings
Prefix
Meaning
Example
Trans-
across
transfer, transit
Tri-
three
tricycle, triangle
Un-
not
unknown, unjust
Ultra-
beyond
ultraviolet, ultrasuede
Under-
beneath, below
underneath, underline
Uni-
one, single
unicorn, uniform
(uffi&es
Suffixes are groups of letters added after a base word or root. The following is a sample
of the wide variety.
Meaning
Example
-ant
one who
assistant
-ar
one who
liar
-arium
place for
aquarium
-ble
inclined to
gullible
-ent
one who
resident
-er
one who
teacher
-er
more
brighter
-ery, ry
products
pottery
-ess
one who (female)
actress
-est
most
most*****
-ful
full of
mouthful
-ing
material
roofing
-ing
(present tense)
smiling
-less
without
motherless
-ling
small
fledgling
-ly
every
weekly
-ly
(adverb)
happily
-ness
state of being
happiness
-ology
study of
biology
-or
one who
doctor
-ous
full of
wondrous
-s, es
more than one
boxes
-y
state of
sunny
H A ND O UT S
Suffix
Pinnell, G.S., Fountas, I.C. (1998). Word matters: Teaching phonics and spelling in the reading/writing classroom.
Plymouth, NH: Heinemann.
© 2007 Iowa Department of Education
Every Child Reads: Excellence in Teaching and Learning
P_08.VOCAB.STAN_08.31.2007
Unit 8
Vocabulary Instruction Component of a Comprehensive
Reading Program
Section
Structural Analysis
33
Handout 8:
Common Root Words for Math, Science, and
Social Studies
*ath
Meaning
Example
Definition
circum
around
circumscribe
to draw a line around; to
encircle
centi
hundred
centimeter
1/100 of a meter
equi
equal
equivalent
of equal measure
hemi
half
hemisphere
half a sphere
milli
thousand
millisecond
1/1000 of a second
poly
many
polygon
a figure with many sides
uni, mono
one
unilateral
one sided
bi, di, duo
two
biweekly
twice per week
tri
three
triangle
a figure with three sides and
three angles
quad, tetra
four
quadrilateral
a figure with four sides
qunit,pent
five
pentagon
a figure with five sides
sex, hex
six
hexagon
a figure with six sides
sept, hept
seven
heptagon
a figure with seven sides
oct
eight
octagon
a figure with eight sides
nov
nine
dec
ten
decimeter
1/10 of a meter
lat
side
lateral
relating to the side
© 2007 Iowa Department of Education
Every Child Reads: Excellence in Teaching and Learning
P_08.VOCAB.STAN_08.31.2007
H A ND O UT S
Root
Unit 8
Vocabulary Instruction Component of a Comprehensive
Reading Program
Section
Structural Analysis
34
Handout 8 (continued)
Common Root Words for Math, Science, and Social Studies
(cience
Meaning
field
Example
agronomy
anthropo
astro
man
star
anthropology
astronaut
bio
cardio
cede
chromo
derma
dyna
life
heart
go
color
skin
power
biology
cardiac
precede
chromatology
epidermis
dynamic
geo
helio
earth
sun
geology
heliotrope
hydro
water
hydroponics
hypno
sleep
hypnosis
ject
magni
mono
ortho
pod
psycho
throw
great, big
one
straight
foot
mind
eject
magnify
monoplane
orthodox
pseudo pod
psychology
pyro
fire
pyrometer
terra
thermo
zoo
earth
heat
animal
terrace
thermometer
zoology
© 2007 Iowa Department of Education
Definition
field-crop production and soil
management
the study of man
one who travels in interplanetary
space
the study of life
pertaining to the heart
to go before
the science of colors
the outer layer of skin
characterized by power and
energy
the study of the earth
any plant that turns toward the
sun
growing of plants in water
reinforced with nutrients
a state of sleep induced by
suggestion
to throw out
to make larger
airplane with one wing
right, true, straight opinion
false foot
study of the mind in any of its
aspects
an instrument for measuring
temperatures
a raised platform of earth
instrument for measuring heat
the study of animals
Every Child Reads: Excellence in Teaching and Learning
P_08.VOCAB.STAN_08.31.2007
H A ND O UT S
Root
agri
Unit 8
Vocabulary Instruction Component of a Comprehensive
Reading Program
Section
Structural Analysis
35
Handout 8 (continued)
Common Root Words for Math, Science, and Social Studies
(ocial (tudies
Meaning
Example
Definition
agri
field
agronomy
field-crop production and soil
management
ante
before
antebellum
before the war
anthropo
man
anthropology
the study of man
auto
self
autocrat
a person who rules with absolute
authority
bene
good
benefit
an act of kindness; a gift
contra
against
contradict
to speak against
demos
people
democracy
government by the people
endo
within
endogamy
marriage within the tribe
ex
out
excavate
to dig out
fac, fact
to make or do
factory
a building where goods are
made
man(u)
hand
manuscript
written by hand
mis, mit
to send
transmit
to send out
neo
new
Neolithic
new stone age
pan
all
pantheon
a temple dedicated to all gods
pre
before
precede
to go before
port
to carry
export
carry goods out of the country
pro
for
proponent
a supporter
proto
first
prototype
first or original model
retro
backward
retrospect
a looking back on things
spect
to look
inspect
to look closely
trans
across
transatlantic
across the Atlantic
ven, vent
to come
convention
a gathering of people who come
together for a common purpose
© 2007 Iowa Department of Education
Every Child Reads: Excellence in Teaching and Learning
P_08.VOCAB.STAN_08.31.2007
H A ND O UT S
Root