WORD ANALYSIS
To learn English words thoroughly we must spend some thought on the way
in which they are made up, on the language from which they have been
derived, and on the changes in meaning made by adding prefixes and
suffixes. Three important influences in building the English have been
the Anglo-Saxon, the Greek, and the Latin languages. The simplest words
in the language are Anglo-Saxon. The following exercises illustrate how
words have been multiplied by Anglo-Saxon prefixes and suffixes.
=Exercise 46=
Name as many words as you can that make use of each of the following
prefixes. Give only such as are recognizable English words without the
prefix.
_a_--aboard _mis_--misjudge
_be_--becalm _un_--unknown
_fore_--foretell _up_--uproot
Give the meaning of each of the prefixes used above.
What part of speech does each prefix make?
=Exercise 47=
Using the following Teutonic suffixes, form English words. Be careful
that the root taken alone is an English word.
_dom_--kingdom _ness_--goodness
_hood_--manhood _ship_--friendship
What does each suffix mean?
What part of speech does it make?
=Exercise 48=
As above, form words using the following suffixes:
_en_--darken _ful_--fearful
_en_--golden _ly_--smoothly
_ish_--sweetish _like_--childlike
_less_--fearless _some_--lonesome
Define each suffix.
What part of speech does it make?
=Exercise 49--Greek Roots=
Below is given a list of common Greek roots with the English meaning of
each. Form words using one or more of the roots for each word, and
define the words you make. For instance, give the meaning of
_telephone_, _telegraph_, and _monarch_.
_Greek_ _English_ _Greek_ _English_
_phon_--hear _chron_--time
_tele_--far _cycl_--circle
_graph_--write _geo_--earth
_scop_--see _polit_--government
_micro_--small _cra_--rule
_mono_--one _demo_--people
_arch_--chief _hydro_--water
_metr_--measure _poly_--many
_baro_--pressure, weight _pluto_--riches
How many names of modern inventions have you made?
=Exercise 50=
What words belonging to your vocabulary end in the following suffixes?
Choose only such as have an English word for the root.
Adjective Suffixes
1. _able_, _ible_--able to be, fit to be
_Readable_, fit to be read.
2. _al_, _eal_, _ial_--relating to, having to do with
3. _ant_, _ent_--being, inclined to
4. _ate_--having the quality of, inclined to
5. _ic_--like, relating to
6. _ive_--relating to, of the nature of, belonging to
7. _ory_, _ary_--relating to
8. _ous_--full of, abounding in
Verb Suffixes
1. _ate_--to make
2. _fy_, _ify_--to make
3. _ise_, _ize_--to make
Noun Suffixes
1. _age_--condition, act, collection of
2. _ance_, _ancy_, _ence_, _ency_--state of being
3. _ary_, _ory_--one who, place where, that which
4. _ant_, _ent_--one who
5. _ist_, _ite_--one who
6. _ion_, _sion_, _tion_--act of, state of being
7. _ity_, _ty_--quality of being
8. _ment_--that which, act or state of being
9. _or_, _er_, _ar_--one who
10. _try_--state of
11. _tude_, _itude_--condition of being
12. _ure_--condition of being, that which
=Exercise 51=
The following is a list of the more commonly used Latin prefixes:
1. _a_, _ab_--away from 16. _intro_--toward the inside
2. _ad_--toward 17. _mono_--one
3. _ante_--before 18. _non_--not
4. _anti_--against 19. _ob_--in the way of, against
5. _bi_--two, twice 20. _per_--through
6. _circum_--around 21. _pre_--before
7. _con_--together with, against 22. _post_--after
8. _contra_--against 23. _pro_--before
9. _de_--from, apart from, down from 24. _re_--again, back
10. _dis_--apart, not 25. _semi_--half, partly
11. _dia_--through 26. _se_--away from
12. _ex_--out of 27. _sub_--under, below
13. _in_, _en_--into 28. _super_--above, more than
_en_--to cause to be 29. _trans_--across
14. _in_, _un_--not 30. _uni_--one
15. _inter_--between
=Exercise 52=
Analyze the following words, telling prefix, root, suffix, part of
speech, and meaning:
business package truthfulness unsuccessful
useless anteroom workmanlike agreement
prefix monotone nervousness uniformity
beautify breakage disrespectful misguidance
semicircle pleasant perfection crystallize
kingship sameness progressive precaution
incase subway undeniable imaginary
enrich disown displeasure supernatural
pianist readmit endurance melodious
bicycle adjuster reaction interlineal
=Exercise 53=
When the prefixes _ad_, _con_, and _in_ are used to form English words,
the final consonant of each is often changed to the initial consonant of
the root to which it is joined.
_Ad_ assumes the forms _ab_, _ac_, _af_, _ag_, _al_, _an_, _ap_, _ar_,
_as_, _at_, assimilating the _d_ with the first letter of the word to
which it is prefixed; as,
ab-breviate al-literation ar-rest
ac-cept al-lot as-sign
ac-cumulate an-nex as-sist
af-fect an-nounce at-tract
af-flict ap-position at-tribute
ag-gregate ap-prove at-tune
_Con_ assumes the forms _col_, _cor_, _com_, by assimilation; it takes
the form _com_ before _p_; and it drops the _n_ before a vowel; as,
col-lateral com-mercial com-pose
col-lect cor-relate co-operate
com-mission cor-respond co-ordinate
_In_ assumes the forms _il_, _im_, _ir_, by assimilation and takes the
form of _im_ before _p_.
il-lusion im-migrate ir-ruption im-port
=Exercise 54--Peculiar Adjective Endings=
The suffixes _able_ and _ible_ are sometimes troublesome because it is
difficult to know which ending to write. As a rule, if the new word was
made from another English word, the ending is _able_, as _blamable_. The
words ending in _ible_ are derived from the Latin, and, as a rule, the
ending cannot easily be separated from the root and still leave the
latter an English word. Examples are:
divisible intelligible digestible audible
visible permissible flexible incredible
possible terrible horrible indelible
The suffixes _ant_ and _ent_ must also be carefully noted. No rule can
be given for using one rather than the other. Whenever in doubt, consult
a dictionary. Note the following:
_ant_ _ent_
important independent
pleasant convalescent
triumphant competent
luxuriant convenient
stagnant confident
The endings _eous_ and _ious_, where _e_ and _i_ are often confused, are
illustrated in the following:
_eous_ _ious_
hideous delirious
miscellaneous impious
courteous studious
The endings _cious_ and _tious_ are shown in the following:
_cious_ _tious_
conscious fictitious
precious superstitious
delicious cautious
gracious ambitious
suspicious nutritious
The endings _gious_ and _geous_ are illustrated in the following:
_gious_ _geous_
religious courageous
=Exercise 55--Peculiar Noun and Verb Endings=
Nouns in _ance_ and _ence_:
_ance_ _ence_
acceptance intelligence
appearance reference
annoyance patience
acquaintance negligence
remittance diligence
ignorance residence
Nouns in _sion_, _cion_, and _tion_:
_sion_ _cion_ _tion_
exclusion coercion acquisition
aversion suspicion precaution
Verbs in _ise_, _yze_, and _ize_:
_ise_ _yze_ _ize_
advise analyze baptize
supervise paralyze recognize
Verbs in _ceed_, _sede_, and _cede_:
_ceed_ _sede_ _cede_
exceed supersede concede
proceed intercede
succeed precede
=Exercise 56=
What other words can you form from the following? Explain what prefixes
or suffixes you use in each case and what part of speech you form.
success consider real change
please doubt publish attend
occur apply regular satisfy
emphasize industry operate assess
second busy practice resist
expense distribute organ define
depend locate work sense
attract install desire preside
effect vital count sign
=Exercise 57=
There are many words the meanings of which are easily confused. The
spelling and the definitions of such must be mastered. Analysis in this
exercise and in the one following does not require separation into
prefix, root, and suffix, but it necessitates a careful study of the
words, first, to note the difference in spelling; second, to consult a
dictionary, if necessary, for the difference in meaning.
Define each word clearly.
Use each in a sentence to illustrate its meaning.
accept--except common--mutual
add--annex complementary--complimentary
advice--advise continual--continuous
affect--effect contraction--abbreviation
after--afterward contradiction--denial
ascend--assent currant--current
assure--promise defective--deficient
attain--obtain deprecate--depreciate
benefit--advantage effective--efficient
brief--concise eligible--illegible
center--middle eminent--prominent
claim--maintain expect--hope
combine--combination intelligent--intelligible
=Exercise 58=
As above, define each word carefully and use it in a sentence to
illustrate its meaning.
healthful--healthy proficient--efficient
inventory--invoice proscribe--prescribe
invite--invitation purpose--propose
last--latest quiet--quite
later--latter recommend--recommendation
liable--likely--apt refer--allude
loose--lose repair--fix
need--want requirement--requisite--requisition
perspective--prospective respectfully--respectively
positive--definite scarcely--hardly
practicable--practical stationary--stationery
precede--proceed therefore--accordingly
principal--principle
=500 SPELLING WORDS=
Lesson 1
business losing surprising height
receive loosely Saturday depth
believe across Wednesday eighth
wholly whether excellent daily
obliged describe exercise earnest
Lesson 2
attached decision probable seize
attacked buying usable siege
gentlemen studying salable friend
although relying desirable Messrs.
thoroughly occasion honorable nickel
Lesson 3
disappoint knew acquittal stopped
disappear design occurrence referred
disapprove forty compelling planned
disagree fourth beginning swimming
anxious purpose permitted submitted
Lesson 4
all right persuade Norwegian variety
already pursued possession prairie
tongue prepared accumulate neighbor
separate repaired dissatisfy soldier
crystal necessary dissolve shoulder
Lesson 5
their awkward opportunity scheme
advise mucilage development schedule
advice familiar statistics accurately
laboratory peculiar accidental efficient
until similar competent Spaniard
Lesson 6
policy patient merchandise conscious
rough ancient mercantile precious
disease partial scarcity suspicion
balance facial indebted physician
decease ambitious estimate caution
Lesson 7
ascend noticeable vengeance emergency
assent serviceable address compliance
minute manageable salary reference
conceal exchangeable currency apparel
immense advantageous withhold typical
Lesson 8
edition especially appreciate imitate
addition pamphlet essential initial
identify illustrate eligible official
illegal February legible curtain
nuisance punctual illegible adjacent
Lesson 9
later crystallize lieutenant lenient
latter neutralize anthracite naphtha
weighed conceit bituminous liquid
destroy catarrh rheumatism gauge
indelible colonel influential sieve
Lesson 10
duly interfered analyze attorneys
durable transferred analysis specialty
mutual reconcile paralyze sympathy
bargain accidental banana campaign
misspell irregular molasses mattress
Lesson 11
ached designate vicinity recognize
social available guardian technical
forfeit adequately celebrate hygiene
opposite subordinate porcelain angel
parallel sufficient poultice angle
Lesson 12
society associate rumored remittance
sirloin definitely courtesy remuneration
laborer spherical obstinacy restaurant
visitor commercial financial government
souvenir permissible sapphire acquaintance
Lesson 13
quite appropriate convenient knowledge
least distinguish exaggerate principal, _a_
written mysterious confidential stationary, _a_
among appearance endeavoring judgment
psalm conference immediately implement
Lesson 14
assure greatly embarrassment auxiliary
expect grateful organization conciliate
prompt deserve advertisement principle, _n_
eliminate bureau assessment stationery, _n_
illuminate deficient accommodate parenthesis
Lesson 15
coupon indispensable measure proprietor
length innumerable condemn transient
vehicle investigate security persistent
customer incandescent liniment signature
costumer effervescent mosquito mischievous
Lesson 16
canal company's repetition sulphur
channel real estate abbreviated benefited
liquid equivalent unabridged unanimous
recent assignment assurance itemize
trough extravagant pneumatic calcimine
Lesson 17
precede freight authority leisure
proceed achieve mortgage neuralgia
procession between specimen dyspepsia
precision imagine solicitor substantial
extinguish autumn coöperates passenger
Lesson 18
merely mechanical preliminary omitted
cashier permanent miscellaneous omission
urgent prominent subscription committee
hesitate precaution incredible commission
anchored interval anticipation precisely
Lesson 19
specify preparation athletics deceit
equity coincidence excursion receipt
accrue irresolute suggestion obstacle
concrete vaccination courageous promissory
summary glycerine concession compulsory
Lesson 20
deficit sceptical anniversary rhythm
mansion conscience presumption rhubarb
mention interruption guaranteed fatigue
reckoned approximately prejudice synopsis
license avoirdupois privilege emphatic
Lesson 21
scholar Elkhart industrious collision
scissors Memphis hideous delusion
career Niagara artificial oxygen
sincere Raleigh cantaloupe martyr
chiffonier Oregon unscrupulous apology
Lesson 22
receipt Cincinnati sovereign chemical
welfare Des Moines committee frontier
feigned Decatur ingredients fulfilled
chord Dubuque counterfeit facsimile
scythe Alleghany responsible identical
Lesson 23
exceed Paducah foreign Cheyenne
succeed Eau Claire solemnity metallic
secede Peoria assassinate nauseated
immigrant Savannah pneumonia invariably
emigrant Manila diphtheria injurious
Lesson 24
adoption Minneapolis fraudulent mahogany
scientific Indianapolis negligence corduroy
guidance Syracuse diligence Schenectady
syllable Milwaukee ridiculous duplicate
Fort Wayne Valparaiso comparative reënforce
Lesson 25
Duluth Massachusetts preferable periodical
Missouri Connecticut preferred insertion
Wisconsin enthusiastic publicity excursion
luxurious acknowledgment prevailing plateau
twelfth professional damageable tragedy