A prefix is a beginning root that modifies the meaning of a word. Prefixes in English usually come from both Latin and Greek, so the same exact form can have the same meaning. The most commonly used prefixes are un- and re-. When you want to reverse the use of a word or push to an opposite word the use of un- can really get the job deal for you. When you need something repeated or done over again the use of re- is very handy. Remember the base word (word root) spelling never changes when we use these. Also be aware that double letter spellings happen often when you are using these word parts. At first the new spelling will look incorrect, but you will get the hang of them the more you use them. When you use a prefix with a proper noun or number, you will be required to use a hyphen to separate them. The best way to learn the proper usage of these is to practice. What are you waiting for scroll down the page to get at it.
The following collection of worksheets will help your students learn what different root and word addends mean in order to use them correctly. Activities include assigning words from a given list to specific words, giving them meaning, changing words into their opposites, and more. Answer keys are provided. Note: Similar-sounding prefixes don't always mean the same thing. "Ante-" is from Latin which means "before," while "anti-" is from Greek that means "against."
