Words with un-, dis-, in-, im- and non-

Understanding Prefixes

• Prefix: A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning.

Prefixes and Their Meanings

• un-: Means “not” or “opposite of.”
  • Examples: unhappy (not happy), unkind (not kind)
• dis-: Means “not” or “opposite of.”
  • Examples: dislike (not like), disobey (not obey)
• in-: Means “not” or “into.”
  • Examples: incorrect (not correct), inside (into)
• im-: Means “not” (usually used before words starting with ‘m’ or ‘p’).
  • Examples: impossible (not possible), impolite (not polite)
• non-: Means “not” or “without.”
  • Examples: nonfat (without fat), nonverbal (not using words)

Examples:

• Discuss various examples of words with each prefix, emphasizing how the prefix changes the meaning of the base word (e.g., possible vs. impossible).

Word Formation:

• Show how adding these prefixes to different base words changes their meanings (e.g., secure → insecure, sense → nonsense).

Usage and Context:

• Explore how these prefixes are used in everyday language and how understanding them can help in reading and understanding new words.

Application:

• Discuss why understanding these prefixes is important for building vocabulary and improving comprehension of written and spoken language.

Let’s practice!