Reading for ResultsBUILDING

WORD POWERChapter 2 – Part 2

Roots, Prefixes, Suffixes

Connotations and Denotations

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Learning Roots, Prefixes, SuffixesIt’s up to YOU to learn and master the most

commonly used roots, prefixes, and suffixes!

There are 3 word parts to help us figure out what a word means.

ROOTS PREFIXES SUFFIXES

ROOTS Roots give words their

fixed meanings EXAMPLE

When a disease goes away and comes back over time, it is called chronic.

SOME ROOTS chron = time gam = marriage lat = side mob = move pel = force popul = people rect = straight,

straighten

PREFIXES Word parts that

appear at the beginning of words and modify the root meaning, as in include and exclude or invoke and revoke.

SOME PREFIXES bi = two im = not per = through poly = many

SUFFIXES Word parts that appear at

the end of many words. They are more likely to

reveal what part of speech a word is.

Words that end in ness are usually nouns.

Words that end in ly are usually adverbs.

SOME SUFFIXES ism = state, condition, or

quality ize = to cause to be, to

treat or affect onym = name, word

Suffixes change a word’s form Part of speech: beauty, beautiful, beautifully Tense: walk, walks, walked, walking Number: boy, boys

How to Use Word Analysis FIRST … look for the root. Sometimes a

letter or two may be missing:

postoperative

indefensible

immeasurable

If you do not recognize the root …

… then you probably won’t be able to figure out the word’s meaning. Instead, use context clues or the dictionary.

If you DID recognize the root …… for prefixes that change the words meaning.

introspective respective retrospective

unreasonable

antisocial

How to read a dictionary

man·i·fest (măn' ∂-fĕst') adj. Clearly apparent to the sight or understanding: obvious. See Synonyms at apparent. --manifest tr.v. -fest·ed, -fest·ing, -fests. 1. To show or demonstrate plainly; reveal. 2. To be evidence of; prove. 3. To record in a ship's manifest.--manifest n. 1. A list of cargo or passengers carried on a ship or plane. 2. An invoice of goods carried on a truck or train. 3. Business. A list of railroad cars according to owner and location. [Mid-dle East manifeste, < Old French, <L. manufestus, caught in the act, blatant, obvious.]

pronunciation

part of speech definition

synonym

etymologyspelling of word forms

Dictionary Guide Words Guide words appear at the top of each

page of your dictionary industrial/inexistence Would the word “infant” be found on this page? How about the word “inert”?

Connotations and Denotations Denotative language

Conveys direct, specific meaning, without implication or emotion

Is neutral or objective

Connotative (slanted) language Evokes a mood or emotional reaction Can be positive or negative

Which word is positive? negative? neutral?

1. The woman was (happy, silly, laughing).

2. The crowd was (fanatical, enthusiastic).

3. The worker was (slow, thorough).

4. Mike is (honest, blunt, rude).

5. The model is (skinny, slender, thin).

6. The movie was (strange, original, creative).

7. The car was (ancient, old, classic).

8. Susan is (old, mature, ageless).

Words are like bullets … Fire one into a mattress & you get a

predictable reaction … That’s DENOTATION

Fire one into a crowded auditorium & you can’t be sure what reaction you will get … That’s CONNOTATION It’s the added meaning that ignites a word &

makes it explode in several directions at once.

The End … or The Beginning!

Practice these concepts by doing the exercises in Reading for Results!