Word Roots and Prefixes

Why not spend some time in the roots of English?

Word roots are the prefixes, suffixes and other useful bits on which a written language is based.

For example, in English the root abs- is used in words like absent and absolve, and suffixes like -ness are used in words like kindness and happiness.

Knowing word roots is a great way to expand your vocabulary - and maybe to make links with your own language! No language is completely alone in the world. The roots of languages meet and intertwine!

For a big reference chart on word roots see PrefixSuffix.com. For a chart of Prefixes only see here.

Negative Prefixes
Look out for the negative prefixes like im-, in- and il- in words like:
* impractical, impatient, impossible (not unpractical etc)
* inefficient, inactive, instability (not unefficient etc)
* illegal, illiterate, illogical (not unlegal etc)
For practice in this tricky area, see exercises here and here. There are some rules, but practice in this area makes perfect.