The Most Common Prefixes

Prefix
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35.
!!

Meaning
not, opposite of again, back not, opposite of not, opposite of cause to not, opposite of in or into too much, above bad or wrong, not under, lower before between, among before opposite of, down across above, beyond half against middle Too little, below, less than from or away two outside or beyond extremely before forward together to bad self both around not good with change out, away

Example
uncertain reapply indecisive imbalance irregular illegible discourage enjoy nonfiction inside overgrown misinform subterranean predetermined international foresee descent transatlantic super semicircle antisocial midyear underfed abnormal bicycle extraordinary ultraconservative prologue proceed coincide adapt malnourished autobiography amphibian amphitheater anonymous benefactor combine confident metamorphosis metaphor emigrate

un re in im ir il dis en em non in im over mis sub pre inter fore de trans super semi anti mid under ab bi extra ultra pro co ad mal auto amphi an bene com con meta e

Adapted from: The Reading Teachers Book of Lists (2006) Edward b. Fry, Ph.D. and Jacqueline E. Kress, ED.D

The Most Common Suffixes

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. Suffix s, es ed ing ly er, or ion, tion, ation, ition ible, able al, ial y ness ity, ty ment ic ous, eous, ious en er ive, ative, itive ful less est ade age ant ent cle let dom ship ical ify ish ist ism Meaning plurals past-tense verbs Verb form/present participle characteristic of resembling every person connected with one who act, process can be done having characteristics of suitable for characterized by state of, condition of state of action or process action or quality of product or quality of having characteristics of possessing the equalities of made of comparative a person who does something to be able to, having a particular quality full of without comparative action or process one who small state or quality of showing status connected with to produce a state or quality like something or rather, quite a state or process or one who practices doctrine of or state or quality of Example studies wanted playing friendly motherly daily donor impostor demonstration action likeable promotional reality stubbornness activity government amusement instrument comic serious porous enliven brighter painter Attentive demonstrative sorrowful hopeless biggest blockade marriage assistant resident particle booklet boredom freedom friendship mythical simplify childish feminist communism

The Most Common Root Words

Root
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. act aud cred dic graph loc man mot mob mov ped pop dem port sign spec spect spic tract vid volve cede ceed cess fin finis fac fact fect fic duc duce duct form gen genus mob mot mov put ten tain tin tinu vers vert

Meaning
do hear believe to say or tell write place hand move foot people carry mark to see, watch or observe pull, drag see roll to go, yield, or surrender end to make or do

Example
action, react audition, auditorium credit, credulous dictate, predict, verdict autograph, paragraph allocate, dislocate, location manual, manufacture, manipulate demote mobile countermove pedal, pedestrian population, populace democrat, epidemic transport, import, export, porter significant, signal, signature speculator inspect despicable attract, detract, subtract, traction evidence, video, provide, providence evolve, revolution, involve precede exceed process affinity finish facility faction imperfection officiate ducal induce abduct conform transform genocide ingenuous mobilize emotion movement dispute compute contentment retain continue adversary divert

20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.

to lead shape race, kind, or species; birth to move to think to hold

26.

to turn