Roots, Prefixes & Suffixes — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The Latin root dict means "to say," so a dictionary is a book that tells you what words mean.
The Latin root dict means "to say," and a dictionary literally "says" what words mean by listing their definitions.
2. To predict means to say what will happen before it occurs, using the prefix pre- and the root dict.
Predict combines pre- (before) with dict (to say), so predicting literally means "saying before" — telling what will happen ahead of time.
3. The Latin root cred means "to believe," so something credible is believable and can be trusted.
The root cred means "to believe," so credible describes something believable — a credible witness, for example, is one people can trust.
4. If a story sounds incredible, it is so hard to believe that people doubt it is true.
Adding the prefix in- (not) to credible creates incredible, meaning "not believable" — the story is so amazing that people struggle to believe it.
5. The Latin root ject means "to throw," so to reject an idea means to throw it out or refuse it.
The root ject means "to throw," and the prefix re- means "back," so reject literally means to throw something back — to refuse or turn it down.
6. A projectile is an object thrown forward through the air, like a ball or a rocket.
Pro- means "forward" and ject means "to throw," so a projectile is any object thrown or launched forward through the air, such as a ball or arrow.
7. The Latin root tract means "to pull," so to attract means to pull something toward you.
The prefix at- (toward) combined with tract (to pull) gives attract — to pull something toward you, like a magnet pulling iron filings.
8. A tractor is a large machine that pulls farm equipment across a field.
Tractor comes from the root tract (to pull), because a tractor's main job is pulling plows, trailers, and other heavy farm equipment.
9. To extract a tooth means to pull it out, using the prefix ex- (out) and the root tract.
Ex- means "out" and tract means "to pull," so extract literally means to pull out — a dentist extracts a tooth by pulling it from the gum.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
dictate
→ to say words aloud for someone else to write down
belief or trust that someone will pay later
credit
→ belief or trust that someone will pay later
to throw medicine into the body with a needle
inject
→ to throw medicine into the body with a needle
to pull a number away from another in math
subtract
→ to pull a number away from another in math
to say words aloud for someone else to write down
Each word uses its Latin root: dictate uses dict (say) — saying words for someone to write; credit uses cred (believe) — trusting someone will pay later; inject uses ject (throw) — throwing medicine into the body with a needle; subtract uses tract (pull) — pulling one number away from another.