SUPPLEMENTARY 3

ROOT WORDS, PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES

PREFIX (before)
mis

ROOT(core)

SUFFIX(after)

use

en

use

less/ ful

joy

ment/ ful

*Notes: We can change the meaning of a word by putting something before or after the root.
Prefixes may create new words: immigrate, preoccupied
Prefixes may create antonyms:

unfriendly dissatisfied

The following are commonly used prefixes that modify the words they precede
PREFIX

MEANING

USAGE

aero

air

aero plane aeronautical aerodynamic

ante

before

antenatal ante-nuptial contract

anti

against

anticlockwise anti-nuclear antisocial

aqua

water

aquarium aquamarine

auto

self

autobiography autograph automatic

bene

good

benefactor beneficial benefit

bi two,

twice

bicycle binocular bi-annual

circum

around

circumference circumnavigate

co with,

together

co-pilot co-operate collate

contra

against

contradict contravene

counter

against

counteract counterattack

de away,

down, remove

descend de-stress decompose

dis

not

disembark disengage disarray

out of

emit emigration

en

take in

engulf enjoy endear

ex

out of, previous, from

extract ex-President ex-New Yorker

fore

in front, before

foreground foresee forecast

hyper

extreme, exaggerated

hypersensitive hypermarket hyperbole

in, im, ir, il

not

insufficient improper irregular illiterate

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PREFIX

MEANING

USAGE

mid

middle

midway midrib midstream

mis

not, incorrect

misunderstood misusage

mono

one

monotonous monologue

multi

many

multiracial multimillionaire

non

not

non-toxic non-believer nonentity

poly

many

polygamy polyclinic

post

after

post war postpone

pre

before, in front

premeditated premature prefix

re

again

rewind reapply

semi/hemi

half

semi-circle semi-conscious hemisphere

sub

under

submarine subdivide sub-editor

tele

at a distance

telephone television telescope

trans

across

transport translate

tri

three

tricycle triangle trilogy

ultra

extreme

ultra-sensitive ultrasonic ;

un

not

uninspired unco-operative unconventional

SUFFIXES
Insert the right suffixes into the spaces provided.
1. A systems anal_____ studies organization_____ systems and

decides what act_____

needs to be taken to maxim_____ efficien_____.

2. A program____ designs, writes, and tests programmes for perform____ various tasks on
a comput____.
3. Laser print_____s are prefer_____ to other types of print_____ devices because of their
speed and quite_____
4. The microcomput_____ we have purchased does not have a FORTRAN compil____. It
is program_____ in BASIC only.
5. Spool____ is a way of stor____ data temporari ______on disk or tape until it can be

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process____ by another part of the system.

6. The number of ship____s will increase over the com____ months.
7. We decided to computer____ the entire planet to give each divis____ more
independ____.
8. We have found that operat_____s who have the freedom to take short breaks during
the day great____ improve their perform_____.
9. Turn____ your office into a paper____ environ____ may be expens____ at the
beginning, but can produce big sav____s in the long run.
10. Software develop ____s are produc____
applicat_____s for a grow____ glob____

increasing____ sophisticat____
market.

PREFIXES
Insert the right prefixes into the spaces provided
1. You will receive a ____-annual bonus (twice a year) if you get this job.
2. If a printer ____functions, you should check the ____face cable
3. Most people prefer a colour screen to a _____chrome screen.
4. ____proper installation of the ____glare shield will make it ____possible to read what is
on the screen
5. A ____byte equals approximately one million bytes.
6. You can ____mize your chances of finding a job if you are ____lingual or
even____lingual
7. ____pheral devices can be either ____put devices (such as keyboards) or ____put devices
(such as printers).

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8. Floppy disks are ____expensive and ____useable.

9. The introduction of _____conductor technology revolutionized the computer industry.
10. As the results are ____ regular, the programme will have to be _____ written

PREFIXES & SUFFIXES

Complete the table with the correct form of the word. If you are not sure of the correct
form, check your dictionary.

Noun
imagination

Verb

Adjective

Adverb

complete
convincing
excel
satisfactorily
excess
repeated
consideration
succeed
comparatively
separate
persuade
decisively
competitive

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