Curso First Certificate Exam

LOS CURSOS DE INGLES GRATIS PREFERIDOS POR LOS HISPANOHABLANTES

 

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Word formation

 

 

 

PREFIXES

New words can be made by putting prefixes in front of other words. Prefixes are often used to give adjectives a negative or an opposite meaning.

A familiarity with the meanings of prefixes is really important for reading comprehension and developing the skill of guessing unknown words. This is particularly useful for Spanish-speaking students. Some words are used with a hyphen (–); therefore, we definitively encourage you to check a dictionary if you are not sure.

Now, pay close attention to these five tips:

1

a) IN– becomes IM– before words beginning with B, M or P, e.g. IMBALANCE, IMMORAL, IMPOSSIBLE.

b)  IN– becomes IL– before L, e.g. ILLOGICAL.

c)  IN– becomes IR– before R, e.g. IRRELEVANT.

d) The prefix IN– (and its variations) does not always have a negative meaning and often it gives the idea of 'inside' or 'into', e.g. INTERNAL,  IMPORT, INSERT, INCOME.

 

2

CO– may also be:

a) CON– e.g. CONTEMPORARY.

b) COM– before B, M or P, e.g.. COMPATRIOT.

c) COR– before R, e.g.. CORRELATE.

d) COL– before L, e.g.. COLLABORATE.

 

3

It is important to point out that there is a difference between the negative prefixes UN– or IN– and NON–:

a) UN– or IN– suggests an opposite quality. e.g. INHUMAN (cruel treatment).

b) NON– suggests absence of quality, e.g. NONHUMAN (bones).

 

4

a) The prefixes UN– and DIS– can also form the opposites of verbs, e.g. TIE/ UNTIE, APPEAR/DISAPPEAR, etc.

b) These prefixes are used to reverse the action of the verb. Here are some more examples: UNDOUNDRESS, DISLIKE, DISAGREE.

 

5

a) Both SUB– and UNDER– have the meaning of underneath: SUBSOIL, SUBCONSCIOUS, UNDERCARPET, UNDERLINE, etc.

b) UNDER– also means 'lower in rank', e.g. UNDERSECRETARY, while SUB– means 'a small part of a larger thing', for example, in the noun SUBCOMMITTEE.

c) UNDER– can also mean 'insufficient', e.g. UNDERSPEND, while SUB– means 'inferior', e.g. SUBNORMAL.

Now, study carefully the examples in the following chart:

MEANING

PREFIX

EXAMPLES

opposite  /  not

in

incorrect

im

immature

il

illegal

ir

irresponsible

dis

disagree

non

non-smoking

un

undemanding

under

sub

submarine

under

underground

not enough

under

undercooked

badly / wrongly

mis

misunderstand

again / back

re

rewind

against

anti

antibiotic

in favour of

pro

proponent

together

co

cooperate

one, single

mono

monologue

two, twice

bi

bilingual

half

semi

semicircular

many

multi

multimedia

between

inter

international

before

pre

prepaid

former

ex

ex-smoker

middle

mid

midnight

across

trans

transatlantic

after

post

postgraduate

small

mini

minibus

very small

micro

microwave

false

pseudo

pseudonym

too much / above

over

oversleep

bigger than usual

super

supermarket

do better, faster

out

outlive

to  /  for oneself

self

self-study

of  /  by oneself

auto

autobiography

You will be able to practise this grammar about PREFIXES at the Exam Simulator in Lesson 44 of this unit.

 

 

MY USEFUL LINKS / MIS ENLACES UTILES

 

Una lista impresionante, Mr. Grammar. Pero, ¿cómo hacer para recordar todos estos prefijos?
En la próxima página retomarás la práctica de WRITING ...

 

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