Prefixes and Suffixes — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
The prefix mis- in "misspell" means to spell again.
Corrected: The prefix mis- in "misspell" means to spell wrongly.
The corrected sentence is: "The prefix mis- in "misspell" means to spell wrongly." The error was wrong prefix definition: the original sentence "The prefix mis- in "misspell" means to spell again." needed to be fixed.
2. Fix the sentence:
The suffix -er in "teacher" means without teaching.
Corrected: The suffix -er in "teacher" means a person who teaches.
The corrected sentence is: "The suffix -er in "teacher" means a person who teaches." The error was wrong suffix definition: the original sentence "The suffix -er in "teacher" means without teaching." needed to be fixed.
3. Fix the sentence:
The word "unable" means to do something before.
Corrected: The word "unable" means not able.
The corrected sentence is: "The word "unable" means not able." The error was wrong prefix definition: the original sentence "The word "unable" means to do something before." needed to be fixed.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The prefix mis- means wrongly.
The prefix mis- means "wrongly" or "badly." For example, misspell means to spell a word wrongly.
2. Adding -er to "fast" makes the word faster.
The suffix -er is used to compare two things. Faster means more fast than something else.
3. The word "breakable" means able to break.
The suffix -able means "can be done." Breakable means something can be broken.
4. Adding -est to "tall" makes the word tallest.
The suffix -est means "the most." Tallest means the most tall out of a group.
Part C: True or False?
Read each statement. Circle True or False.
1. The prefix mis- in "misread" means to read incorrectly.
True False
True. The prefix mis- means "wrongly," so misread means to read something the wrong way.
2. The suffix -able means without, as in "washable."
True False
False. The suffix -able means "can be," not "without." Washable means something can be washed.
3. The word "tallest" uses the suffix -est to mean the most tall.
True False
True. The suffix -est compares three or more things, so tallest means the most tall in the group.