Vocabulary · lesson 14 of 30 · free

Prefixes: un, re, dis, pre, mis — Vocabulary words for kids

A prefix is a small part added to the start of a word to change its meaning: happy → unhappy, write → rewrite. Five common prefixes are un- and dis- (not), re- (again), pre- (before) and mis- (wrongly).

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Word tip

Split and add the meanings — “split off the prefix, then add its meaning to the root word”

  1. un- and dis- mean “not”: unkind = not kind, disobey = not obey.
  2. re- means “again”: rewrite = write again. pre- means “before”: preheat = heat before.
  3. mis- means “wrongly”: misspell = spell wrongly. Split the word, then put the two meanings together.

Use it for: Working out new words while reading, word-building exercises, and spelling long words correctly.

Worked example: What does “rewrite” mean? → write again

  1. Split the word: re- + write. The prefix re- means “again”.
  2. rewrite = write again.

Check: “Please rewrite this page neatly” — write it again ✓

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🏁 Lesson 14 test

20 questions. Check each answer, then go to the next one. Get 16 or more right to pass.

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🖨️ Prefix Worksheet

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