Expanding your vocabulary is a crucial aspect of preparing for the IELTS exam. A rich vocabulary not only improves your comprehension skills but also enhances your ability to express complex ideas. One effective way to expand your vocabulary is by learning about prefixes, suffixes, and root words.

This article explores these linguistic tools, their origins, and provides examples from the Academic Word List (AWL) to illustrate how they can help you build a more versatile vocabulary.

Understanding the Root of a Word

The root of a word is its basic form, carrying the fundamental meaning. By recognising roots, you can often deduce the meanings of unfamiliar words, especially when they are combined with various prefixes and suffixes. For example, the root “act” can lead to related words such as “actor,” “action,” and “activate.”

Most Common Prefixes and Suffixes and Their Origins

Prefixes

Prefixes are added to the beginning of a word to modify its meaning. Here are some commonly used prefixes, their origins, and examples:

• Un- (Origin: Old English, from Germanic languages)
  
  
  
  • Meaning: Not, opposite of
  
  
  • Example: “Unlikely” (not likely), “Uninformed” (not informed)
  
  
  
  


• Pre- (Origin: Latin)
  
  
  
  • Meaning: Before
  
  
  • Example: “Preconceive” (to form an opinion before knowing all the facts), “Pretest” (a test taken before learning a subject)
  
  
  
  


• De- (Origin: Latin)
  
  
  
  • Meaning: Opposite, down, away
  
  
  • Example: “Deconstruct” (to break down into parts), “Deregulate” (to remove regulations)
  
  
  
  


• Re- (Origin: Latin)
  
  
  
  • Meaning: Again, back
  
  
  • Example: “Rebuild” (to build again), “Reevaluate” (to evaluate again)
  
  
  
  


• In- / Im- / Il- / Ir- (Origin: Latin)
  
  
  
  • Meaning: Not, opposite of
  
  
  • Example: “Inaccurate” (not accurate), “Immobile” (not mobile), “Illogical” (not logical), “Irrelevant” (not relevant)
  
  
  
  

Suffixes

Suffixes are added to the end of a word to change its grammatical form or meaning. Here are some common suffixes:

• -tion / -sion (Origin: Latin)
  
  
  
  • Meaning: State, quality, act
  
  
  • Example: “Innovation” (the act of innovating), “Discussion” (the act of discussing)
  
  
  
  


• -able / -ible (Origin: Latin)
  
  
  
  • Meaning: Capable of, worthy of
  
  
  • Example: “Readable” (able to be read), “Comprehensible” (able to be understood)
  
  
  
  


• -ly (Origin: Old English)
  
  
  
  • Meaning: In the manner of (forms adverbs)
  
  
  • Example: “Quickly” (in a quick manner), “Precisely” (in a precise manner)
  
  
  
  


• -ness (Origin: Old English)
  
  
  
  • Meaning: State, condition
  
  
  • Example: “Happiness” (state of being happy), “Darkness” (state of being dark)
  
  
  
  


• -ful (Origin: Old English)
  
  
  
  • Meaning: Full of
  
  
  • Example: “Joyful” (full of joy), “Hopeful” (full of hope)
  
  
  
  

Reusing Words in Other Forms

Knowing how to transform a word into different grammatical forms can significantly increase your vocabulary. Here are the common forms:

• Noun: Represents a person, place, thing, or idea.


• Verb: Describes an action or state.


• Adjective: Describes or modifies a noun.


• Adverb: Modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverbs.

10 Examples from the Academic Word List

Here are ten examples from the AWL, with their roots, prefixes, suffixes, and various forms:

1. Assume

• Root: Assume


• Prefix/Suffix: Assumption (noun), Unassumed (adjective), Reassume (verb)


• Variations: Assume (verb), Assumable (adjective), Assumingly (adverb)

2. Benefit

• Root: Benefit


• Prefix/Suffix: Beneficial (adjective), Beneficiary (noun), Benefiting (verb)


• Variations: Benefit (noun/verb), Benefited (verb, past tense), Beneficially (adverb)

3. Conclude

• Root: Conclude


• Prefix/Suffix: Conclusion (noun), Conclusive (adjective), Inconclusive (adjective)


• Variations: Conclude (verb), Conclusively (adverb), Concludable (adjective)

4. Consistent

• Root: Consist


• Prefix/Suffix: Consistency (noun), Inconsistent (adjective)


• Variations: Consistent (adjective), Consistently (adverb), Inconsistently (adverb)

5. Contribute

• Root: Contribute


• Prefix/Suffix: Contribution (noun), Contributor (noun), Contributive (adjective)


• Variations: Contribute (verb), Contributing (verb, participle), Contributory (adjective)

6. Differ

• Root: Differ


• Prefix/Suffix: Difference (noun), Different (adjective), Indifferent (adjective)


• Variations: Differ (verb), Differently (adverb), Indifference (noun)

7. Establish

• Root: Establish


• Prefix/Suffix: Establishment (noun), Established (adjective), Disestablish (verb)


• Variations: Establish (verb), Reestablish (verb), Disestablishment (noun)

8. Justify

• Root: Just


• Prefix/Suffix: Justification (noun), Unjustified (adjective), Justifiable (adjective)


• Variations: Justify (verb), Justifiably (adverb), Unjust (adjective)

9. Maintain

• Root: Maintain


• Prefix/Suffix: Maintenance (noun), Maintained (adjective), Unmaintained (adjective)


• Variations: Maintain (verb), Maintaining (verb, participle), Unmaintained (adjective)

10. Vary

• Root: Vary


• Prefix/Suffix: Variable (noun/adjective), Invariable (adjective), Variability (noun)


• Variations: Vary (verb), Variation (noun), Varied (adjective), Invariably (adverb)

Conclusion

By mastering prefixes, suffixes, and root words, you can significantly expand your vocabulary. This not only helps you in understanding and using a wide range of academic terms but also enhances your ability to communicate more precisely and effectively. Practise identifying these components in new words, and your vocabulary will naturally grow, aiding your performance in the IELTS and beyond.

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