Roots, Prefixes & Suffixes — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. The word "invisible" contains the prefix in- (not) and the root vis (see). What does invisible most likely mean?
A) Very easy to find
B) Not able to be seen
C) Seen from far away
D) Looked at carefully
In- means not and vis means see, so invisible literally means not able to be seen. Building the meaning from the parts gives the most accurate definition.
2. If the root struct means "build" and the prefix de- means "undo," what does the word "destruct" most likely mean?
A) To build something new
B) To tear down or destroy
C) To build again from scratch
D) To study building methods
De- means undo and struct means build, so destruct means to undo something that was built, which is to tear it down or destroy it. The other choices either keep building or move away from the meaning of the prefix.
3. The word "transcontinental" combines trans- (across) and a root from "continent." What does transcontinental mean?
A) Under one continent
B) Near a continent
C) Crossing from one continent to another
D) Before continents existed
Trans- means across and continent refers to a continent, so transcontinental describes something crossing from one continent to another. The prefix points to motion across, not under or before.
4. If the root dict means "say" and the prefix pre- means "before," what does the word "predict" mean?
A) To say something again loudly
B) To speak clearly to an audience
C) To say what will happen before it occurs
D) To disagree with what someone said
Pre- means before and dict means say, so to predict is to say what will happen before it actually occurs. The other choices ignore the time meaning that pre- adds.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. The word "submarine" combines the prefix sub- (under) and the Latin root mare (sea), so it means a vessel that travels under the sea.
Sub- means under and mare means sea, so submarine describes a vessel that travels under the sea. The blank takes the meaning of the prefix sub-.
2. Knowing that the root aud means "hear," you can figure out that an audition is a tryout where someone listens to a performer.
Aud means hear, and an audition is a tryout where directors or judges listen to a performer. The hearing root tells you exactly what kind of tryout it is.
3. The word "transportation" combines the root port (carry) with the prefix trans- (across) and the suffix -ation, meaning the act of carrying something across a distance.
Trans- means across, port means carry, and -ation forms a noun for the action, so transportation is the act of carrying something across a distance. Carrying is the verb form that fits the meaning of the root port.
4. If graph means "write" and auto means "self," then an autobiography is a life story written by the person it is about.
Auto means self and graph means write, so an autobiography is a life story written by the person it is about. The blank takes the form of write that fits inside the sentence.
5. The prefix inter- means "between," so an international flight travels between two countries.
Inter- means between, so an international flight travels between two countries. The root nation refers to a country, and the prefix tells you the flight goes from one to another.