Greek and Latin Roots — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Which pair of words shares the root meaning "to write"?
A) Telephone, telescope
B) Biography, paragraph
C) Transport, export
D) Construct, destruct
Biography (bio + graph) and paragraph (para + graph) both contain the root "graph" meaning to write.
2. If "aqua" means water, what does "aqueduct" (aqua + duct = lead) most likely mean?
A) A structure that leads water
B) A type of sea animal
C) A tool for writing underwater
D) A boat that carries itself
Aqua (water) + duct (lead/channel) = aqueduct, a structure that channels or leads water from one place to another.
3. The word "infrastructure" uses "infra" (below) and "struct" (build). It refers to:
A) A building on top of a hill
B) The underlying systems that support a community
C) A telescope used underground
D) A biography of a builder
Infra (below/underlying) + struct (build) = infrastructure, the underlying built systems (roads, bridges, pipes) that support society.
4. Which root would you find in a word about living things?
A) port
B) tele
C) bio
D) struct
Bio means life — words like biology, biography, and biome all relate to living things.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. The root "scrib" or "script" means to write , as in "manuscript."
Scrib/script means to write — manuscript (hand-written), describe (write down), scripture (written text).
2. Words with the root "auto" relate to doing something by oneself .
Auto (self) appears in words about self-operation: automobile (self-moving), autopilot (self-piloting), automatic (self-acting).
3. Combining the prefix "re-" with a root changes the meaning to doing it again .
Re- means again — reconstruct (build again), rewrite (write again), review (look again).
4. The root "vis" means to see, so "visible" means able to be seen .
Vis (see) + -ible (able to be) = visible, able to be seen by the eye.
5. Learning Greek and Latin roots is a powerful strategy for building vocabulary.
Understanding roots is one of the most effective vocabulary strategies because a single root unlocks the meaning of many words.