🎓 Mini-Lesson: Understanding Prefixes
What is a Prefix?
A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. Prefixes help us create new words!
How Prefixes Work:
un
+
happy
=
unhappy
The prefix "un" means "not", so unhappy means "not happy"
un- / im- / in- / il- / ir-
Meaning: NOT or OPPOSITE
unhappy = not happy
unfair = not fair
impossible = not possible
incomplete = not complete
illegal = not legal
irregular = not regular
re-
Meaning: AGAIN or BACK
rewrite = write again
redo = do again
return = turn back
replay = play again
dis-
Meaning: NOT or OPPOSITE
disagree = not agree
disappear = opposite of appear
dislike = not like
disobey = not obey
mis-
Meaning: BADLY or WRONGLY
misspell = spell wrongly
misbehave = behave badly
misunderstand = understand wrongly
misuse = use wrongly
pre-
Meaning: BEFORE
preview = view before
preheat = heat before
preschool = before school
prefix = fix before
sub-
Meaning: UNDER or BELOW
submarine = under the sea
subway = way under
submerge = go under water
subtitle = title below
💡 Remember: The prefix changes the meaning, but the root word stays the same!
✏️ Practice Questions
Add the correct prefix to make a new word with the given meaning!