Lesson 1: Understanding Morphology

Question 1

What is a morpheme?

Answer 1

The smallest unit of meaning in a word.

Question 2

True or False: Every syllable is a morpheme.

Answer 2

False. Some syllables don’t carry meaning.

Question 3

What are the four types of morphemes?

Answer 3

Base words
Root words
Prefixes
Suffixes.

Question 4

What is a prefix?

Answer 4

A morpheme added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning.

Question 5

What is a suffix?

Answer 5

A morpheme added to the end of a word to change its meaning.

Question 6

What is a base word?

Answer 6

A word that can stand alone and has meaning.

Question 7

What is a root word?

Answer 7

A word part (often Latin or Greek) that carries meaning but usually can’t stand alone.

Question 8

How does morphology help with spelling?

Answer 8

Recognizing morphemes makes spelling predictable and easier.

Question 9

How does morphology help with vocabulary?

Answer 9

It helps you figure out unknown words by breaking them into parts.

Question 10

What does the prefix “un-“ mean like in unhappy?

Answer 10

Not / Opposite of (unhappy = not happy).

Question 11

What does the prefix “re-“ mean like in redo?

Answer 11

Again (redo = do again).

Question 12

What does the prefix “pre-“ mean like in preview?

Answer 12

Before (preview = view before).

Question 13

What does the prefix “dis-“ mean like in dislike?

Answer 13

Opposite of (dislike = not like).

Question 14

What does the prefix “mis-“ mean like in misunderstand?

Answer 14

Wrong or badly (misunderstand = understand incorrectly).

Question 15

What does the prefix “sub-“ mean like in submarine?

Answer 15

Under or below (submarine = under the sea).

Question 16

What does the prefix “over-“ mean like in overeat?

Answer 16

Too much (overeat = eat too much).

Question 17

What does the prefix “inter-“ mean like in international?

Answer 17

Between or among (international = between nations).

Question 18

What does the prefix “auto-“ mean like in autograph?

Answer 18

Self (autograph = self-written signature).

Question 19

What does the prefix “non-“ mean like in nonsense?

Answer 19

Not (nonsense = not making sense).

Question 20

What does the suffix “-s” or “-es” mean like in cats or boxes?

Answer 20

Plural (more than one cat, more than one box).

Question 21

What does the suffix “-ed” mean like in jumped?

Answer 21

Past tense (jumped = happened in the past).

Question 22

What does the suffix “-ing” mean like in running?

Answer 22

Happening now (running = running now).

Question 23

What does the suffix “-er” mean like in faster?

Answer 23

More than (faster = more fast).

Question 24

What does the suffix “-est” mean like in biggest?

Answer 24

The most (biggest = the most big).

Question 25

What does the suffix "-ful" mean like in joyful?

Answer 25

Full of (joyful = full of joy).

Question 26

What does the suffix "-less" mean like in hopeless?

Answer 26

Without (hopeless = without hope).

Question 27

What does the suffix "-able" mean like in readable?

Answer 27

Can be done (readable = can be read).

Question 28

What does the suffix "-ment" mean like in enjoyment?

Answer 28

The act of (enjoyment = the act of enjoying).

Question 29

What does the suffix "-tion" mean like in education?

Answer 29

A state or action (education = the process of being educated).

Question 30

Can you think of a prefix or suffix to add to the word play?

Answer 30

Possible answers: Replay, playful, playing.

Question 31

Can you think of a prefix or suffix to add to the word help?

Answer 31

Possible answers: Helpful, helpless, helping, unhelpful.

Question 32

Can you think of a prefix or suffix to add to the word read?

Answer 32

Possible answers: Reread, reading, readable, unreadable

Question 33

Can you think of a prefix or suffix to add to the word run?

Answer 33

Possible answers: Running, rerun, runner.

Question 34

Can you think of a prefix or suffix to add to the word move?

Answer 34

Possible answers: Movement, moving, remove.

Question 35

Can you think of a prefix or suffix to add to the word light?

Answer 35

Possible answers: Lighter, lightness, enlighten, lighting

Question 36

Can you think of a prefix or suffix to add to the word kind?

Answer 36

Possible answers: Kindness, unkind, kindly.

Question 37

Can you think of a prefix or suffix to add to the word write?

Answer 37

Possible answers: Writer, rewrite, writing.

Question 38

Can you think of a prefix or suffix to add to the word speak?

Answer 38

Possible answers: Speaker, speaking, unspeakable.

Question 39

Can you think of a prefix or suffix to add to the word act?

Answer 39

Possible answers: Actor, action, react, acting

Question 40

AQTrue or False: Every word has at least one morpheme.

Answer 40

True.

Question 41

Multiple Choice: Which of these is NOT a morpheme? A) Un- B) Play C) -ing D) Re-

Answer 41

B) Play (It’s a base word, but not a morpheme that attaches to others).

Question 42

What is the difference between a prefix and a suffix?

Answer 42

A prefix is added before a word, while a suffix is added after.

Question 43

Break apart the word transportation into its morphemes.

Answer 43

Trans- (across) + port (carry) + -ation (act of).

Question 44

Break apart the word disagreeable into its morphemes.

Answer 44

Dis- (opposite) + agree + -able (can be).

Question 45

What do you call a word part that comes from Latin or Greek and carries meaning?

Answer 45

A root word.

Question 46

What is the base word in unhappiness?

Answer 46

Happy.

Question 47

What is the prefix in preheat?

Answer 47

Pre- (before).

Question 48

What is the suffix in hopeless?

Answer 48

-less (without).

Question 49

What happens when you remove the prefix from replay?

Answer 49

You get the base word play.