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Getting Started – The Basics of Word Power
THINK.
SAY.
HEAR.
WRITE.
REINFORCE.
Practice, practice, practice!
Etymology = where English words come from (language of origin). Most English words derive
(come from) Greek and Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
Word
Meaning
root
Word part that contains the basic
meaning (definition) of a word.
Word part that attaches to the
front of a root (pre means
before). Prefixes change the
meaning (definition) of a word.
Word part that attaches to the
end of a root. Suffixes change
the meaning and function (part
of speech, or use) of a word.
prefix
suffix
Example
ped = foot, as in pedal,
pedestal, pedestrian, biped,
quadruped
bi = two (2)
biped, bicycle, bivalve, bilateral,
bicentennial
-ity, as in annuity (noun)
-al, as in annual (adjective)
-ate, as in annotate (verb)
Parts of Speech = how words function (are used) in a sentence.
Part of Speech
Abbr.
noun
n.
verb
v.
adjective
adverb
adj.
adv.
Definition
Person, place, thing, or idea. A
word that can be preceded by a,
an, the, or some.
Action words. A word that can be
used to finish this sentence: “Let
us _______.”
Describing words for nouns. Words
that can finish this sentence: “You
are very _______,” or “She is
very______,” or “It is very _____.”
Words that describe actions
(verbs). Formed by adding the
suffix –ly to a word. Often answers
the questions “How?” or How
much?”
Example
A biped (n.) has two feet.
An elephant (n.) is a quadruped.
Some people (n.) are working here.
Let us annihilate (v.) the competition.
Let us reject (v.) the applicant.
Let us resent (v.) her words.
You are very obsessed (adj.).
She is very weird (adj.).
Cancer is very evil (adj.)
He worked (v.) obsessively (adv.).
How did he work? Obsessively.
She listened (v.) poorly (adv.).
How did she listen? Poorly.
He betrayed (v.) her horribly (adv.)
How did he betray her? Horribly.
Suffixes = tell you the function of a word (how a word is used in a sentence). Use them to help you
figure out what part of speech a word is.
Suffix
-ity -ation, -bility, -ence, -er, -ian, -ic, -ion, -ism, ist, -ment, -ness, -or, -us, -y
-al, -ble, -ed, -ent, -ful, -ic, -ical, -ious
-ate
-ly
Part of Speech
noun
adjective
verb (if it is pronounced ATE)
adjective or noun (if it is pronounced EHT)
adverb