Many English words are built from three main parts: roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Learning their form (how they look) and meaning helps you understand new words more easily.
A root is the core part of a word. It carries the basic meaning.
| Root (Form) | Meaning | Example Words |
|---|---|---|
| act | do, act | action, active, react |
| bio | life | biology, biography |
| port | carry | transport, portable |
| dict | say, speak | predict, dictionary |
| scrib / script | write | describe, script |
A prefix comes before the root and changes the meaning of the word.
| Prefix (Form) | Meaning | Example Words |
|---|---|---|
| un- | not, opposite | unhappy, unsafe |
| re- | again | redo, return |
| pre- | before | preview, prepay |
| mis- | wrongly | misunderstand, misplace |
| over- | too much | overwork, overheat |
A suffix comes after the root and often changes the word’s grammar form.
| Suffix (Form) | Meaning / Use | Example Words |
|---|---|---|
| -er | person who does something | teacher, worker |
| -ness | state or quality (noun) | kindness, darkness |
| -ful | full of | helpful, careful |
| -less | without | careless, homeless |
| -tion | action or result (noun) | education, decision |