Common Mistakes with Word Parts
Learning about roots, prefixes, and suffixes is powerful, but there are some tricky situations to watch out for. Let's learn about common mistakes so you can avoid them!
Tricky Situations to Watch For
Not Every Letter Pattern is a Word Part!
Sometimes letters that LOOK like a prefix or suffix are actually just part of the base word. Always check if the remaining letters make a real word!
Mistake #1: Seeing Prefixes That Aren't There
The word "uncle" starts with "un-" but it's NOT "un + cle." There's no word "cle"!
Mistake #2: Confusing Similar-Looking Suffixes
"-ful" means "full of" but "-less" means "without." These are opposites! Careful vs. Careless mean very different things.
Mistake #3: Forgetting That Word Parts Can Look Different
Some roots change spelling slightly. "Vis" (see) can also appear as "vid" in "video."
Practice: Spot the Mistakes
Test your knowledge by identifying correct and incorrect uses of word parts!
1. A student says "the word 'under' has the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not.'" Is this correct?
A) Yes, "under" means "not der"
B) No, "under" is a complete word, not un + der
C) Yes, all words starting with "un" have the prefix
D) No, "un" always means "again"
Answer
B) - "Under" is a complete base word meaning "below." There is no word "der," so "un-" is not a prefix here.
2. Which word correctly uses the prefix "re-" meaning "again"?
A) Red (the color)
B) Rewrite (write again)
C) Rest (take a break)
D) Real (true)
Answer
B) - "Rewrite" = re (again) + write. The other words just happen to start with "re" but don't use it as a prefix.
3. "Careful" and "careless" are:
A) The same meaning
B) Opposite meanings
C) Both mean "without care"
D) Both mean "full of care"
Answer
B) - Careful (full of care) and careless (without care) have opposite meanings because "-ful" and "-less" are opposite suffixes.
4. A student thinks "telephone" means "phone again" because it starts with "tele." What's wrong?
A) Nothing, that's correct
B) "Tele" means "far," not "again"
C) "Phone" is not a real word
D) Telephone doesn't have word parts
Answer
B) - "Tele" means "far" (like in television = see far). "Re" means again. It's important to know what each prefix actually means!
5. The words "vision" and "video" both relate to:
A) Hearing
B) Writing
C) Seeing
D) Carrying
Answer
C) - Both contain the root "vis/vid" meaning "see." The spelling is slightly different, but the meaning is the same.
6. Is "butter" made of "but" + "ter" (one who buts)?
A) Yes, butter is one who buts
B) No, "butter" is just one word
C) Yes, "-er" always means "one who"
D) No, "ter" means something different
Answer
B) - "Butter" is a complete word for a food. There's no word "butt" that gets "-er" added. Not every "-er" ending is the suffix!
7. Which sentence shows correct understanding of "unhappy"?
A) The cat was unhappy means the cat was very happy
B) The cat was unhappy means the cat was not happy
C) The cat was unhappy means the cat was happy before
D) The cat was unhappy means the cat was happy again
Answer
B) - "Un-" means "not," so unhappy = not happy. This is the correct understanding of the prefix.
8. A student is unsure about "discover." Which is the best way to check?
A) Just guess based on "dis-"
B) Check if "cover" is a real word, then think about "dis-"
C) Assume all "dis-" words mean "not"
D) Skip the word
Answer
B) - First check if the remaining part is a real word ("cover" = yes!). Then think about the prefix meaning. "Discover" = remove the cover from = find something hidden.
9. "Pre-" means "before" and "re-" means "again." What's the difference between "preview" and "review"?
A) They mean the same thing
B) Preview = see before; review = see again
C) Preview = see again; review = see before
D) Neither word uses these prefixes correctly
Answer
B) - Preview = pre (before) + view = see before. Review = re (again) + view = look at again. Different prefixes, different meanings!
10. What should you do when you're not sure about a word's parts?
A) Always trust your first guess
B) Check if the parts make sense and if the remaining letters form real words
C) Assume every word has prefixes and suffixes
D) Skip all unfamiliar words
Answer
B) - The best strategy is to check your thinking! Make sure the remaining letters form a real word, and verify that your meaning makes sense in context.