Words Bring a Sense of Wonder

Dr. Wendy Ghiora – Posting #35 – October 31, 2009


When children have learned how to dissect words into their parts and to create new words by putting the parts together, they will be in awe of their own utter brilliance! This wonderful skill is also known as: morphological problem solving.


Most words used in the English language today were not originally English. These words were borrowed (taken) from other languages. Many English words have Latin or Greek origins. An English word can consist of three parts: the root, a prefix and a suffix. The root is the part of the word that contains the basic meaning (definition) of the word. The root is the base element of the word. A prefix is a word element that is placed in front of a root. A prefix changes the word's meaning or makes a new word. A suffix is a word element that is placed after the root. The suffix changes the word's meaning as well as its function (use). Prefixes and suffixes are also called affixes because they are attached to a root.


A suggested lesson would be to teach students what a prefix is. Then gradually introduce several prefixes that all have the same or similar meanings. Here is an example:

Prefixes that make opposites

Each of the following prefixes, when added in front of the root word, makes the root word have the opposite meaning, or means something like “not” plus the root word.

For example, ask the students to place the prefix “un” in front of the root word “happy.”
Then have them tell their partner what the new word “unhappy” now means.

Prefixes: Root words
Un- happy, lucky

Im- possible, polite

Ir- regular, responsible

You can also teach the meanings of commonly used prefixes such as : “re,” “un,” and “pre.” Then write these words on the board: rewrite, undo, and preview, and ask students to say the words. Ask them how the addition of the prefixes changed the meaning of the words.

Next, introduce some commonly used suffixes:


Suffix - Meaning
able- able to be

ful - full of

ity - quality or degree

ive have or tend to be

ize - become

less - without or lacking

ment - act of

ness - state of

or - person that does something

ward - in the direction of


Students can now compose new words and understand their meanings as they do so. By using all three word parts, they can create words such as:
Unmanageable and impossibility.

Sample of words using roots, prefixes and suffixes:
Root- Meaning- Word(s)

bio- life, biography, biology, antibiotic

terr- earth, subterranean, extraterrestrial

More Word Identification Activities
Have students work in groups of three or four. Tell them to appoint a recorder and a reporter. Ask them to look in one of their textbooks (or in newspapers or magazines) for words with prefixes and suffixes. Group members find the words and tell the recorder which words to write. The recorder should also draw a circle around the root word, draw one line under a prefix, and two lines under a suffix. When the groups have completed their lists, each reporter should share the results with the entire class, writing the words on the board and circling and underlining prefixes and suffixes. Group members can take turns explaining how they analyzed the word parts to find the meaning of the whole word.

In no time at all, your students will be able to dissect words that may initially look big and difficult, but with their new knowledge of the anatomy of a word, sit back and watch your young sleuths go to work. Students will really get into this; with large spoonfuls of “aha!” moments topped with a real sense of wonder at how much smarter they are with this awesome newly acquired skill. As an additional bonus, students’ vocabulary levels and reading levels will also improve dramatically.