Unlocking Words: Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes
A Grade 3 worksheet to help students determine the meaning of words by understanding common roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
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Unlocking Words: Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes
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Read each question carefully and follow the instructions to show what you know about prefixes, suffixes, and root words. This will help you understand new words!
Prefixes are word parts added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. For example, 're-' means 'again,' so 'redo' means 'do again.'
1. What does the prefix 'un-' mean?
before
not
again
after
2. If 'pre-' means 'before', what does 'prepay' mean?
Suffixes are word parts added to the end of a word to change its meaning. For example, '-ful' means 'full of,' so 'joyful' means 'full of joy.'
3. What does the suffix '-less' mean?
without
with
able to
full of
4. If '-able' means 'able to be', what does 'readable' mean?
The root word is the main part of a word. It carries the most meaning. For example, in 'unhappy,' 'happy' is the root word.
5. What is the root word in 'dislike'?
6. What is the root word in 'careful'?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word part to complete the sentence. Choose from 'un-', 're-', '-ful', or '-less'.
7. The brave knight was of fear. (full of)
8. Please write your name neatly. (write again)
9. It was kind to take his toy. (not kind)
10. The lost puppy was home . (without a home)
11. Choose one word from the worksheet (e.g., 'unhappy', 'careful', 'redo'). Break it down into its prefix, root word, and/or suffix. Then, explain how knowing these parts helps you understand the word's meaning.