Use the meanings of words as clues to the meanings of Greek and Latin roots

Key Notes :

Understanding Roots:

• Roots are the base parts of words that hold the main meaning. Greek and Latin roots are commonly used in English to build a wide range of words.
• Knowing the meaning of common Greek and Latin roots can help you understand and guess the meanings of unfamiliar words.

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Common Greek Roots:

• “Bio” (life) – Examples: biology (study of life), biography (story of a person’s life).
• “Geo” (earth) – Examples: geography (study of the earth), geology (study of rocks and earth).

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Common Latin Roots:

• “Dict” (speak) – Examples: dictionary (a book that speaks about words), predict (to say what will happen in the future).
• “Script” (write) – Examples: manuscript (a written document), describe (to write about something).

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Using Clues:

• Identify the Root: Break down the unfamiliar word into its root and any prefixes or suffixes.
• Understand the Meaning: Look at the meaning of the root and use it to help figure out the meaning of the whole word.
  • Example: If you know “audi” means “hear,” you can guess that “audible” (able to be heard) relates to hearing.

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Prefixes and Suffixes:

• Prefixes (e.g., “un-“, “re-“) are added to the beginning of a root word to change its meaning.
• Suffixes (e.g., “-ing”, “-ed”) are added to the end of a root word to modify its form or meaning.
• Knowing these can help you understand how the root meaning changes.

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Practice Examples:

• Root: “tele” (far) – Examples: telephone (sound from far away), telegraph (writing from far away).
• Root: “port” (carry) – Examples: transport (carry across), portable (able to be carried).

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Contextual Clues:

• Use the context of the sentence or passage where the word appears to help determine its meaning.
• Example: “The archaeologist was fascinated by the ancient artifacts she found.” Knowing that “artifact” includes the root “art” can help you understand that it relates to objects made by humans.

let’s practice!