Prefixes
The letters that go at the start of a word, what the common ones mean, and the double-letter rule.
The answer
A prefix is a group of letters added to the start of a word to make a new word with a different meaning, such as un + kind = unkind.
Examples
The knot was so tight that we could not untie it.
My sister disappeared behind the curtain.
The supermarket was very busy.
I had to rewrite my story.
Re- means again.
We misheard the instructions.
Mis- means wrongly.
How to spot it
- Cover the first few letters. If what is left is a real word, and the start changes its meaning, it is a prefix: un + happy.
- Adding a prefix never changes the spelling of the root word: dis + satisfied = dissatisfied, mis + spell = misspell.
- Common meanings: un- and dis- often mean not, mis- means wrongly, re- means again, and super- means above or more than.
The common mistake
Dropping a letter where the prefix meets the word.
Unnecessary has two n’s because un + necessary. Dissatisfied has two s’s because dis + satisfied. Just add the prefix to the whole root word.
When it is taught
- First met
- Year 1
- On the pupil word list
- Year 3, as “prefix”
Year 1 learns how un- changes the meaning of verbs and adjectives (unkind, untie). Year 3 names prefix and forms nouns with super-, anti- and auto-. Year 5 adds verb prefixes such as dis-, de-, mis-, over- and re-.
Try a question
Add a prefix to make the sentence mean the opposite.
The instructions were ___clear.
Show the answer
Answer: unclear
Un- means not, so unclear is the opposite of clear.
Practise it
An interactive exercise where your child builds a word from a prefix, a root word and a suffix.
Related terms
- Practise the 11+ skill: Apply a prefix or suffix
More grammar terms
Questions parents ask
What is the difference between a prefix and a suffix?
A prefix goes at the start of a word (unhappy); a suffix goes at the end (happiness).
Does a prefix change the word class?
Usually not. Kind and unkind are both adjectives; appear and disappear are both verbs. Suffixes are the ones that often change word class.
When does a prefix need a hyphen?
Sometimes, to avoid confusion or two vowels meeting: re-cover (cover again) is different from recover, and co-own is easier to read than coown.
Grammar turns up in 11+ English too
Many 11+ English papers include grammar and punctuation questions alongside comprehension. The free diagnostic checks maths, English and both kinds of reasoning, and shows what to practise next. No card is required.