Download as doc, pdf, or txt
Download as doc, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 46

Preparation for an American University Program

Vocabulary Workshop
http://www.southampton.liunet.edu/academic/pau/course/webroot.htm

Vocabulary List

The following is a list of vocabulary words that often appear on the TOEFL* test. The
underlined sections of a word provide links to definitions of that word's respective roots,
prefixes and suffixes. It is recommended that students using this workshop frequently
refer to the definitions. Sentences are provided as examples of usage.

act, ag

• react (verb): to act in response to something


o re + act
o How did he react when he heard the news?

• agent (noun): something which acts or acts upon something else

ag + ent

o The travel agent helped her purchase the tickets.

• active (adjective): involving movement, moving about


o act + ive
o Joan is an active child.

• agitate (verb): to excite, to disturb, to stir up


o agit + ate
o The washing machine agitates the load of laundry.

aud, audit, aur

• audible ( adjective): can be heard


o aud + ible
o Your voice is barely audible over the sound of the train whistle.

• auditorium (noun): a place where one goes to hear something


o audit+ orium
o The band played in the school auditorium

• auricular
o aur + ic + ul + ar
o The auricular ability of the cat is well-known.

1
am, ami

• amorous (adjective): loving


o amor + ous
o The actor played an amorous role.

• amiable (adjective) friendly, agreeable


o ami + able
o He seems to be an amiable man.

• amicable (adjective): friendly


o amic + able
o The two neighbors came to an amicable decision about the fence.

anim

• animal (noun): a living creature


o anim + al
o A dog is an animal.

• animate (verb): to give spirit or support, to supply movement


o anim + ate
o The artist animated the cartoon.

• animosity (noun): hostility, ill will


o animos + ity
o There isn't any animosity between us.

ann, annu, enni

• annals (noun): record of events, historical records


o ann + al + s
o The annals of the organization are kept in notebooks.

• annual (adjective): yearly


o annu + al
o She is planning on going to the company's annual meeting.

• annuity (noun): money payable yearly


o annu + ity
o Joan is going to invest her annuity in the stock market.

• anniversary (noun): the yearly celebration of an event


o anni + vers + ary
o John's parents will celebrate their wedding anniversary in April.

2
• perrenial (adjective): enduring, persisting for several years
o per + enn + ial
o I would like to buy some perrenial plants.

auc, aug, aut

• author (noun): one that originates or creates, a writer


o auth + or
o Susan met the author of this book.

• augment (verb): to increase, to add to


o aug + ment
o He had to augment his salary by taking another job.

• auction (noun): a sale of goods to the highest bidder


o auct + ion
o I bought this car at the auction.

bene

• benevolent (adjective): marked by goodwill


o bene + vol + ent
o The "Salvation Army" is known as a benevolent society for its acts of
charity.

• benign (adjective): harmless, mild, gentle


o ben + ign
o The doctor removed a benign tumor from my neck and I went home the
same day.

biblio

• bibliography (noun): a list of written works


o biblio + graph + y
o Olaf listed a brief bibliography at the end of his paper.

bio, bi

• biology (noun): the study of life


o bio + log + y
o In biology class the students learned about how the human body works.

brev

• brief (adjective): short


o brief

3
o Anand gave a brief lecture on the rain forest.

• abbreviate (verb): to shorten


o ab + brevi + ate
o How does one abbreviate the word "Minnesota"?

• brevity (noun): short or concise expression


o brev + ity
o The politician gave short speeches and he became known for his brevity.

cad, cap, cas, ceiv, cept, cid

• deceive (verb): to cause or allow someone to believe something is true when it is


actually false; to mislead
o de + ceive
o The criminal deceived many people into believing she was honest.

• capable (adjective): having the ablility to do something; having the traits


necessary to perform some action
o cap + able
o Jose is a very capable lawyer.

• capacious (adective): containing a great deal


o capac + ious
o You have a capacious library with many unusual books.

• captive (noun, adjective): a person held against his or her own will; held prisoner
o cap+ tive
o The captives were taken to the jail.
o Geoff had a captive audience.

• accident (noun): an unplanned event


o ac + cid + ent
o Don't get upset about minor accidents and errors.

• capture (verb): to gain control of, to gain by effort


o capt + ure
o In the game of chess, the object is to capture the king.

• occasion (noun): an opportunity; a happening, instance or celebration


o oc + cas + ion
o Did you have an occasion to speak with your professor?

• receive (verb): to take in, to acquire


o re + ceive
o Imelda received many letters in the mail today.

4
• concept (noun): an idea
o con + cept
o The concept of using computers in the classroom is relatively new.

ceas, cede, ceed, cess

• predecessor (noun): a person who has previously occupied a position that another
has taken over
o pre + de + cess + or
o I hope I can live up to my predecessor's reputation.

• succeed (verb): to follow after another, to do well


o suc + ceed
o To succeed as a student, one must study.

• recede (verb): to move back, to withdraw


o re + cede
o The water receded five days after the flood.

• concede (verb): to accept as true, to yield, to allow


o con + cede
o I conceded to her point of view.

• exceed (verb): to go beyond a limit, to be greater than


o ex + ceed
o The driver exceeded the speed limit by ten miles an hour.

• recess (noun): an indentation, a temporary break


o re + cess
o The children were given a recess from the lessons.

• deceased (adjective): dead


o de + ceas + ed
o The deceased person will be cremated rather than buried.

chron

• chronic (adjective): marked by a long period of time, recurrence


o chron + ic
o Gabrielle has a chronic back disorder and cannot lift heavy objects.

• chronicle (noun): a historical account arranged in order of time


o chron + icle
o The teacher asked us to read a chronicle on the Revolutionary War.

• chronological (adjective): arranged in order of time

5
o chrono + log + ical
o The text book listed the presidents in chronological order.

clam, claim

• acclaim (verb): praise


o ac + claim
o The restaurant is acclaimed for its desserts.

• exclaim (verb): to speak loudly, to cry out in surprise


o ex + claim
o The children exclaimed "hurray" when they heard there would be no
classes tomorrow.

• clamor (noun, verb): n. noise, v. to make noise


o clam + or
o The children clamored for more ice cream.

• proclaim (verb): to declare loudly


o pro + claim
o The president of the university proclaimed March 21 to be a holiday in
honor of the school's award winning faculty.

cogn, gnos

• cognizant (adjective): aware


o cogniz + ant
o The man was cognizant of the danger of walking through the park at night.

• diagnose (verb): to recognize (diseases) by symptoms


o dia + gnose
o The patient was diagnosed with Lyme's disease.

• agnostic (noun): one who believes that any ultimate reality is unknowable
o ag + gnost + ic
o John is unsure of the reality of god and considers himself to be an
agnostic.

• recognize (verb): to know, to identify


o re + cogn + ize
o I thought I recognized your face from somewhere.

corp

• corpse (noun): a dead body


o corpse

6
o A corpse was found floating in the river.

• corpulent (adjective): having a large body


o corp + ul + ent
o The corpulent politician jabbed a fat finger in the air.

• incorporate (verb): to unite into one being


o in + corp + or + ate
o The artist incorporated paint, photographs, and fabric into her artwork.

• corporate (adjective): formed into a body or association, united in one group


o corp + or + ate
o The corporate structure allowed many people to work as a group.

cre, cresc, cret

• crescent (noun, adjective): a narrow curved shape; a quarter moon or smaller


o cresc + ent
o The crescent moon could be glimpsed through the clouds.

• create (verb): to originate, to produce through imagination


o cre + ate
o The musician created a new musical arrangement.

• accretion (verb): growth by gradual addition


o ac + cret + ion
o The accretion of dirt on windows is sometimes hard to detect.

• increase (verb): to grow in size or amount


o in + crease Alfonse wishes he could find a way to increase his salary.

cred

• credible (adjective): can be believed, reasonable


o cred + ible
o The witness gave a credible account of the accident.

• credulous (adjective): too ready to believe


o cred + ul + ous
o The credulous child believed the story about flying horses.

• incredible (adjective): unbelievable, amazing


o in + cred + ible
o Makiko said she just saw an incredible horror movie.

cour, cur, curr, curs

7
• excursion (noun): a trip
o ex + curs + ion
o The father planned an excursion to the zoo for his children.

• discourse (noun, verb): a conversation, to talk


o dis + course
o The discourse between the speaker and the audience was informal.

• courier (noun): a messenger


o couri + er
o The courier gave the message to the secretary.

• course (noun, verb): forward movement, movement from point to point; to run
along a path
o course
o Blood courses through your veins with every beat of your heart.

• occur (verb): to happen, to come to mind


o oc + cur
o It just occurred to me that tomorrow is your birthday.

• current (adjective, noun): happening now, up to date; the movement of water


o curr + ent
o Is this information current or out of date?

dic, dict, dit

• dictionary (noun): a book of definitions


o dict + ion + ary
o Juliana looked up the word in the dictionary.

• condition (noun): the state of something or someone


o con + dit + ion
o Is your car in good condition?

• indicate (verb): to show, to point out


o in + dic + ate
o The gas gauge indicates that we are almost out of gas.

• dictate (verb): to speak for a person to record, to issue an order


o dict + ate
o The lawyer dictated the letter to her secretary.

• predict (verb): to say what will happen in the future


o pre + dict
o Joseph predicts that he will get married in ten years.

8
• addict (verb): to be devoted to something in an obsessive manner
o ad + dict
o Leslie is addicted to betting on the horse races.

doc, doct

• doctor (noun): a person who has received the highest degree a university offers, a
physician
o doct + or
o Andre is going to medical school so that he can be a doctor like his
mother.

• doctrine (noun): something that is taught, dogma


o doctr + ine
o We learned about the doctrine of "manifest destiny" in our American
history class.

• docile (adjective): obedient, easily taught


o doc + ile
o Mrs. Galindez wants to buy a docile dog for her son.

• document (noun): an official paper


o docu + ment
o The library houses many government documents in its collection.

dog, dox

• orthodox (adjective): holding conventional beliefs


o ortho + dox
o I don't know if my interpretation of that book is orthodox or not.

• dogma (noun): an established opinion


o dog + ma
o Some people find the dogma associated with that organization disturbing.

• paradox (noun): a statement that seems to contradict itself but contains some
truth
o para + dox
o The paradox of the matter is that I want to see the opera but I also want to
stay home.

dec, dign

• decorate (verb): to make something look attractive or suitable


o dec + or + ate
o Linda decorated her apartment with paintings and plants.

9
• decent (adjective): conforming to standards, good, kind
o dec + ent
o This magazine contains a decent article on home improvement.

• dignity (noun): quality of being worthy, noble, honored


o dign + ity
o I haven't yet had the dignity and honor of being grand marshall of the
parade.

duc, duct

• conduct (verb, noun): v. to lead or guide, n. a person's behavior


o con + duct
o Jared was conducted into the doctor's office by the nurse.
o Arnelle's conduct was inexcusable and she should apologize to the class.

• educate (verb): to train, to provide schooling for


o e + duc + ate
o The school tries to educate its students to be productive members of
society.

• induct (verb): to install in office or to enroll in military service


o in + duct
o Mindy was inducted into the army last month.

• deduct (verb): to subtract


o de + duct
o The salesperson deducted five dollars off the purchase price of the radio.

• deduce (verb): to make a decision or draw a conclusion by reasoning


o de + duce
o I deduced from the trail of crumbs and the empty milk carton that the
children were home.

• produce (verb, noun): to bring forward, to make to bear or yield; something made
or grown
o pro + duce
o The lawyer produced new evidence at the trial.
o The produce from the farm will go to the market next week.

• seduce (verb): to persuade (especially into doing something wrong), to tempt


o se + duce
o Money and power have been known to seduce many honest people.

• induce (verb): to persuade, cause, or bring about by artificial means.


o in + duce

10
o If a child swallows poison, it is suggested that vomitting should be
induced.

ev, et

• eternal (adjective): not effected by time, without beginning or end, ceaseless


o etern + al
o The lecture seemed eternal and many in the audience had fallen asleep.

• medieval (adjective): relating to the Middle Ages (500 - 1500 AD)


o med + ieval
o There are many styles to medieval architecture and a building built in 500
AD looks different from one built in 1000 AD.

fict, feign, fain

• faint (adjective, verb): indistinct, not clearly perceived, weak; to lose


consciousness from lack of blood to the brain
o faint
o There is a faint odor of apples in this room.
o Some people faint at the sight of blood.

• feign (verb): to pretend


o feign
o The child feigned illness in an attempt to avoid the test.

• fiction (noun): something produce from imagination, an invented story


o fict + ion
o The excuse Marvin just gave for not doing his homework is pure fiction.

fig

• effigy (noun): a figure representing a disliked person.


o e f + fig + y
o The children made an effigy of their nasty neighbor.

• figure (noun): shape, pattern, drawing


o fig + ure
o The figure Louise drew on the paper looks nothing like an apple.

• figment (noun): a thing that does not exist, something made up


o fig + ment
o Ghosts and monsters are figments of an active imagination.

fac, fact, fec, fic, fas, fea

11
• fashion (noun, verb): the form of something, style; to give shape or form to
o fash + ion
o The current fashion is hair worn short.

• feasible (adjective): capable of being done


o feas + ible
o The engineer thought that building the bridge across the river was a
feasible project.

• feature (noun, verb): the appearance or form of a person or object; to picture or


portray
o feat + ure
o Lisette's best feature is her eyes.

• factory (noun): a place where things are made or built


o fact + ory
o There is a boat factory near the river.

• difficult (adjective): hard to do, troublesome, hard to understand


o di + fic + ult
o The test was difficult and I answered only eight of the ten questions.

• fact (noun): something known to be true


o fact
o It's a fact that the world is round.

• effect (noun): a change caused by something, a result, influence


o e + fect
o The sun's effect on human skin is known to be harmful.

fer

• fertile (adjective): productive, bearing or capable of bearing fruit in large


quantities
o fert + ile
o The land by the river is quite fertile and many crops are grown there.

• refer (verb): to classify within a general category, to send or direct to another


source
o re + fer
o The patient was referred to a physical therapist for additional treatment.

• infer (verb): to come to a conclusion from facts or ideas, to guess


o in + fer
o Sometimes a reader has to infer from the facts presented in an article what
the main idea is about.

12
fid

• diffident (adjective): hesitant in acting, shy


o dif + fid + ent
o The diffident student would not speak in front of the class.

• fidelity (noun): the quality of being faithful, accuracy


o fid + el + ity
o The fidelity of this video reproduction is quite good.

• confide (verb): to trust, to trust another person with a secret


o con + fide
o Joan confided in her friend and told her a secret.

flu, fluct, flux

• fluent (adjective): capable of moving with ease, able to speak another language
o flu + ent
o The dancer had a fluent body.
o Juanita is fluent in several languages.

• superfluous (adjective): extra, more than is needed


o super + flu + ous
o Three cherries on my piece of cake is superfluous; I only needed one.

• influence (verb, noun): to have an effect on something; the ability to affect


something indirectly
o in + flu + ence
o It was John's success as a musician that influenced my decision to take
guitar lessons.

• fluid (adjective): capable of flowing, a smooth style, liquid


o flu + id
o The ink my new pen is quite fluid and flows evenly across the page.

• fluctuate (verb): to shift back and forth, to move erratically


o fluctu + ate
o My body temperature has been fluctuating all day -- sometimes I'm hot
and sometimes I'm cold.

form

• format (noun): the shape and size of something, the arrangement of something
o form + at
o The format of this class will be half lecture and half class participation.

13
• formulate (verb): to prepare from a set of steps (formula), to devise
o form + ul + ate
o The chemist formulated a new way of making dish detergent.

fract, frag, frai

• fracture (verb, noun): to break, to crack; a broken bone


o fract + ure Miguel fractured arm his while skiing.

• fragment (noun): a piece broken off, a part of something


o frag + ment
o It bothers me that I can remember only a fragment of the poem rather than
the whole piece.

• frail (adjective): easily broken, not strong


o frail
o Be careful! That chair is frail

gen, gin

• generally (adverb): in a general manner, usually, with regard to the whole not
specifics
o gen + er + al + ly
o Generally, Lance leaves work at 5:00 p.m.

• gingerly (adverb, adjective): careful


o gin + ger + ly
o Paulette picked up the antique vase gingerly and placed it on the shelf.

• indigenous (adjective): native, having been born in a specific area or environment


o in + di + gen + ous
o The tomato plant is indigenous to South America.

ge

• geography (noun): a science that describes the earth's surface


o geo + graph + y
o The geography of New York varies from the sandy shores to rocky
mountains.

gor

• categorize (verb): to place things in classes or sets, to classify


o cate + gor + ize
o The professor asked her students to categorize the plants they found.

14
grad, gress, gree

• grade (noun): a stage in a process, a mark indicating quality


o grade
o Ali hopes to receive a passing grade on his midterm exam.

• progress (verb, noun): to move forward; forward movement


o pro + gress
o Mina progressed to the next level in her French language program.
o There hasn't been much progress made in getting the house built -- only
the frame is up.

• degree (noun): a step or stage in a process, a rank, a level of intensity


o de + gree
o There is a high degree of stress associated with being a police officer.

graph, graf

• graphic (adjective): written, drawn, vividly shown


o graph + ic
o Dominic is planning to study graphic art.

• graffitti (noun): drawings or writing on a wall


o graph + itti
o Many people find the graffitti on the subway trains disturbing.

her, hes

• adhere (verb): to stick


o ad + here
o Paper often adheres to wet surfaces.

• hesitate (verb): to hold back a decision, to waver


o hesit + ate
o Don't hesitate to call me if you need help.

jac, ject, jet

• adjacent (adjective): to lie next to


o ad + jac + ent
o You won't have a long walk between classes because the engineering
building is adjacent to the chemistry laboratories.

• jettison (verb): to throw away, to cast off


o jett + ison
o The captain of the sinking ship jettisoned the cargo.

15
• reject (verb): to throw out, unwilling to accept
o re + ject
o David was rejected by two schools before he found a school that accepted
him.

jug, junct, just

• adjust (verb): to change or adapt to fit or match something


o ad + just
o Jared has to adjust to his new work schedule.

• conjugal (adjective): of marriage, marital relationship


o con + jug + al
o One should think seriously before entering a conjugal relationship.

• junction (noun): the place at which two things join


o junct + ion
o Deborah's house is at the junction of Hill and Maple streets.

lex, leg

• college (noun): a school for higher learning, a group of people having a common
purpose
o col + lege
o Yolanda is going to college to become a lawyer.

• legal (adjective, noun): based on law; conforms to law


o leg + al
o Jared is working as a legal secretary for two lawyers in New York
o Is it legal to own fireworks in Massachusetts or is there a law against
them?

• league (noun): a group of people, an association


o leag + ue
o There are fifty people participating in the bowling league.

lect

• collect (verb): to gather, to bring together


o col + lect
o The little girl collected wildflowers for her mother.

• legible (noun): readible, clear enough to read


o leg + ible
o His handwriting is quite legible.

16
• eligible (adjective): qualified, worthy to be chosen
o e + lig + ible
o Now that Geoffrey is eighteen he is eligible to vote.

loc

• locally (adverb): nearby, relative to a certain area


o loc + al + ly
o The vegetables are grown locally.

log

• logic (noun): the study of reason


o log + ic
o Simone is taking a class in logic and she is learning about how to reason.

luc

• translucent (adjective): allowing some light to shine through


o trans + luc + ent
o The sheet of paper is translucent when held close to a lightbulb.

• illuminate (verb): to provide with light, to make lighter, to make clear


o il + lum + in + ate
o The lamp illuminates the room.

• illustrate (verb): to explain by using pictoral examples, to show by using visual


examples
o il + lustr + ate
o Christopher illustrated his idea on piece of paper for everyone to see.

man

• management (noun): the act of handling or running something, usually a


business.
o man + age + ment
o This store is under new management.

mem

• commemorate (verb): to remember an important event through ceremony or


observation
o com + mem + or + ate
o The American Revolution is commemorated every Fourth of July.

• memory (noun): the ability to recall past events

17
o mem + or + y
o Geanine has an excellent memory and she can recall things that happened
years ago.

ment

• mental (adjective): related to the mind


o ment + al
o Lauren's mental abilities must be quite good if she achieved a perfect score
without even studying.

• mention (verb): to cite, to speak about, to refer to


o ment + ion
o The instructor forgot to mention that the class was canceled.

min

• minor (adjective): lesser, less important


o min + or
o The knife slipped and Marcelle received a minor cut.

• minute (adjective, noun): tiny, very small; sixty seconds


o min + ute
o Even though the speck of dirt on the camera lense was minute, it ruined
the photograph.
o Terry will be finished in one minute.

• minuscule (adjective): very small


o minusc + ule
o The minuscule gem was very hard to see without magnifying glasses.

mit, miss

• admit (verb): to accept, to confess, to allow entry


o ad + mit
o I must admit that even though you didn't like the movie I did.

• missive (noun): a letter to be sent


o miss + ive
o Missives were more common one hundred years ago. Today, people use
the telephone.

mob, mov, mot

• remove (verb): to take off or to take away


o re + move

18
o The waiter removed the dirty dishes from the table.

• mobile (adjective): able to move


o mob + ile
o Many people drive their mobile homes from North to South, following the
warm weather.

• motion (noun): act of moving, action


o mot + ion
o Many people find the motion of a rocking chair soothing.

nasc, nat, gnant, nai

• native (adjective): belonging to a place by birth, indigenous


o nat +ive
o Turkeys are native to North America.

• nascent (adjective): just born


o nasc + ent
o The nascent kittens curled up with their mother.

• pregnant (adjective): having a child developing in the womb, "with child"


o pre + gn +ent
o Linda's dog is pregnant and it will have its puppies in November.

• naive (adjective): lack of experience, not knowledgable of the world


o nai + ve
o When Olivia went to New York ten year's ago she was naive, but now she
is a well-seasoned traveler.

nom

• nominate (verb): to name for office


o nomin + ate
o Vittorio nominated Mary for class president.

• synonym (noun): a word with a similar meaning to another word in the same
language
o syn + onym
o The word "fair" is a synonym for the word "just."

nov

• novelty (noun): something new


o novel + ty
o After six months the novelty of Pierre's new car is starting to wear off.

19
• novice (noun): a newcomer, a beginner, someone new to something
o nov + ice
o Bjorn is a novice when it comes to playing poker or other card games.

oper

• operate (verb): to work, to perform


o oper + ate
o People are advised not to operate heavy machinery after drinking alcohol.

• opus (noun): a musical composition


o opus
o Vivaldi's opus number three is not as well known as is other compositions.

pat

• patient (adjective, noun): calm, bearing pain without complaint; a person under
medical care
o pati + ent
o Josiah was patient as he waited in line for concert tickets.
o Amelia has been a patient of Dr. Gustaf's for ten years.

• passion (noun): a strong feeling or emotion


o pass + ion
o Barbara has a passion for motorcycle racing.

• sympathy (noun): sharing another person's feelings, the ability to feel for another
person's suffering
o sym + path + y
o Ching-wei expressed his deepest sympathy when hearing of Mrs. Martin's
death.

• pathology (noun): the study of diseases


o patho + log + y
o Blaise is studying pathology because he wants to learn about diseases.

ped

• impede (verb): to hinder, to slow down


o im + pede
o The shackles and chains impeded the prisoner's escape.

• pedestal (noun): a support for a column or other structure, a base for something
o pedest + al

20
o Johannes put the vase on a pedestal.

• pedestrian (noun): a person walking


o pedestr + ian
o As soon as the cars stopped, the pedestrians crossed the street.

pod

• podium (noun): a platform, an area raised above the surrounding ground, a place
at which to speak in front of an audience
o pod + ium
o The professor walked up to the podium and spoke into the microphone.

pel

• repel (verb): to drive away or push back


o re + pel
o Does Margo's new jacket repel water?

• pulse (noun): the regular action of blood through arteries


o pulse
o The nurse felt for the patient's pulse in his neck.

pend, pond

• suspend (noun): to hang from, to interrupt, to stop


o sus + pend
o The light was turned on by a string suspended from the light fixture.

• ponder (verb): to think about, to weigh in one's mind


o pond + er
o Levi pondered the possibility of going to medical school.

phan, fan

• phantom (noun): something seen but having no physical existence, a ghost.


o phan + tom
o The children told horror stories about phantoms and ghosts.

• fantasy (noun): a creation of the imagination that cannot be real, a daydream


o fantas + y
o When Miguel was a child he had a fantasy about being a doctor on the
planet Jupiter.

phil

21
• philosopher (noun): a person who seeks (loves) wisdom
o philo+ soph + er
o Plato wrote about the Greek philosopher Socrates.

phon

• phonetic (adjective) relating to speech sounds


o phonet + ic
o The phonetic alphabet is useful when studying languages or linguistics.

pict

• depict (verb): to portray, to represent


o de + pict
o In the movie the character was depicted as evil.

port

• import (verb): to bring in from a foreign country


o im + port
o Fyodor imports caviar and other products from Russia.

• portage (noun) the labor of carrying boats across land


o port + age
o Bill said that he had a five mile portage on his last canoe trip.

pli, ply

• reply (verb, noun): to respond, to answer; a response


o re + ply
o Did Marco reply to Emily's invitation?
o Lynn received a negative reply from her parents and she will not be going
to the party.

• implicate (verb): to involve, to incriminate


o im + plic + ate
o The thief was implicated in three burglaries.

• ply (noun): a layer


o ply
o Two ply tissue paper is stronger than one ply.

pon, pos

• position (noun): a place occupied by something


o posit + ion

22
o What position does Ian hold at his mother's company?

• postpone (verb): to put off to a later time


o post + pone
o The baseball game was postponed because of the storm.

• posture (noun) the position of a body


o post + ure
o Denise has terrific posture -- her back is straight and strong.

psych

• psychology (noun): study of how the mind works


o psycho + log + y
o Lynette studies psychology because she is interested in how people think
and feel.

quir

• inquire (verb): to ask about


o in + quire
o Debbie inquired about employment opportunities at the factory.

• exquisite (adjective): carefully selected, marked by beauty


o ex + quis + ite
o Everyone noticed the exquisite diamond Toni was wearing.

• quest (noun): a search, the act of seeking


o quest
o At four in the morning Quincy went out on a quest for ice cream.

• query (verb, noun): to ask questions, a question


o query
o The lawyer queried the witness.
o I have a query about the origins of the English language.

rupt

• corrupt (verb, adjective): to change from good to bad


o cor + rupt
o The politician was corrupted by power and money.
o The corrupt judge was arrested for accepting a bribe.

• rupture (verb): to break or burst


o rupt + ure
o The water bed ruptured and the water flowed onto the floor.

23
• interrupt (verb): to stop, to break in (usually with questions)
o inter + rupt
o It's impolite to interupt someone while they are speaking.

sci

• conscious (adjective): aware, having knowledge of oneself


o con + sci + ous
o Gerturde was conscious of everything even though she appeared asleep.

• science (noun): a system of knowledge


o sci + ence
o Claire enjoys science, especially biology.

scrib, scrip

• scribble (verb): to write quickly or carelessly


o scribb + le
o He scribbled a note in his notebook.

• script (noun): handwriting, something written


o script
o Sometimes her script is hard to read.

• describe (verb): to say what something is like


o de + scribe
o The scientist described his experiment to the class.

sent, sens

• sensation (noun): ability to feel due to stimulation


o sens + at + ion
o Jamal felt a tingling sensation in his arm after he hit his elbow on the
table.

• sentimental (adjective): marked by feeling or emotion


o senti + ment +al
o Lauren has a sentimental attachment to that quilt because her great
grandmother made it.

sequ

• sequence (noun): a continuous series


o sequ + ence
o The sequence of events were as follows: first we had dinner, then we went
to the movies, and then we went fo ice cream.

24
• consecutive (adjective): following in an unbroken order
o con + secut + ive
o Terri was elected team captain three consecutive years in a row.

• ensue (verb): to happen afterward


o en + sue
o After a disagreement in the restaurant, a fight ensued in the parking lot.

soci

• society (noun): community, the relationship among individuals living or working


in a common area, companionship
o societ + y
o Sometimes what is best for a society is not always good for an individual
living in that society.

sol

• solitary (adjective): being alone


o solit + ary
o There was a solitary bather on the beach.

• isolate (verb): to separate from others, to place something by itself


o i + sol + ate
o The sick cat was isolated from the other animals.

solv, solu

• solve (verb): to find an answer


o solve
o The professor asked the student to solve the problem and show her answer
on the board.

• absolute (adjective): complete, unrestricted, perfect


o ab + sol + ute
o The babysitter has absolute authority over the children while their parents
are away.

• soluble (adjective): able to disperse in liquid


o sol + uble
o Sugar is soluble in water.

spec, spi

• spectator (noun): a person who watches or observes


o spect + at + or

25
o There were over a thousand spectators at the local baseball game.

• despise (verb): to hate, tolook down on


o de + spise
o Marguerite despises people who are cruel to animals.

• auspicicious (adjective): favorable


o au + spicic + ious
o The thousand dollar donation made for an auspicious beginning.

• espionage (noun): using spies or observers


o e + spion + age
o Espionage is often depicted in mystery movies and novels.

spir

• respiration (noun): breathing


o re + spir + at + ion
o Respiration becomes increasingly difficult the higher one climbs.

• inspire (verb): to stimulate, to fill with a feeling or desire


o in + spire
o Students are often inspired by their teachers.

stab, stat

• stature (noun): height of a body, importance of position


o stat + ure
o I'm reluctant to say she was short, but she was of rather small stature.

• establish (verb): to found, to start, to make firm


o e + stabl + ish
o Southampton College was established in 1963.

• stance (noun): a way of standing, a position, an attitude


o sta + nce
o A person's stance is very important in the games of golf and baseball.

strain, strict

• restrain (verb): to hold back, to prevent from doing


o re + strain
o The dog was restrained by the trainer's grip on its leash.

• constrict (verb): to squeeze, to make narrow


o con + strict

26
o Marvin felt constricted by the suit and tie he wore to the meeting.

• stringent (adjective): strict, tight, severe


o string + ent
o There are stringent rules and regulations one must follow when operating
a child care center.

• prestige (noun): respect for a person or a thing


o pre + stige
o There is a lot of prestige associated with occupying a political position.

stru, stroy

• destroy (verb): to ruin, to pull down


o de + stroy
o The house was destroyed by the fire.

• misconstrue (verb): to interpret, analyse, or understand something incorrectly;


misunderstand
o mis + con + strue
o Do not misconstrue his actions to mean he likes you -- being pleasant to
customers is part of his job.

• obstruct (verb): to block, prevent, hinder


o ob + struct
o The fallen tree obstructed the roadway and blocked traffic for hours.

tact, tang

• tactilely (adverb): related to the sense of touch


o tact + ile + + ly
o Some people are tactilely oriented while others are visually oriented.

• tangible (adjective): able to be perceived by touch, physically real


o tang + ible
o Many people want tangible proof of something before they believe it to be
true.

• contiguous (adjective): touching, next in a sequence


o con + tig + uous
o The United States has forty-eight contiguous states.

• contingent (adjective): possible, dependent on something else


o con + ting + ent
o Armand's move to a new apartment is contingent on his getting a raise.

27
tend, tens

• extensive (adjective): large in area, wide


o ex + tens + ive
o There are extensive farm fields located in the plain states.

• contend (verb): to strive or reach for, to argue


o con + tend
o The two fighters contended for the heavy-weight championship title.

tain, ten

• retain (verb): to keep, to hold in place


o re + tain
o Blanche retained her Alaskan residence since she will return there when
she is finished with school.

• continue (verb): to keep going, to remain


o con + tin + ue
o The movie is scheduled to continue until midnight.

• content (noun, adjective): something contained, held; satisfied


o con + tent
o I can't tell what the content of this can is until I open it.

• tenacious (adjective): holding or sticking to something


o ten + ac + ious
o Kareem is tenacious and he will stick with a subject until he understands
it.

term

• exterminate (verb): to kill off, to get rid of


o ex + term + in + ate
o The Schaeffer's hired a company to exterminate the cockroaches living in
their house.

• terminal (adjective): relating to an end


o term + in + al
o Margot has been diagnosed with a terminal disease and has been given
only six months to live.

terr

• territory (noun): area of land


o territ + ory

28
o This area is considered to be Canadian territory.

• terrain (noun): the physical features of an area


o terr + ain
o There is some very rough terrain in the White Mountain area of New
Hampshire.

test

• attest (verb): to provide proof, to say something is true


o at + test
o Malcolm can attest to Shiela's honesty since he has known her for ten
years.

• testify (verb): to make a statement based on personal knowledge


o test ify
o The witness testified at the trial.

therm

• thermometer (noun) a device for measuring heat


o thermo + meter
o I took my temperature with a thermometer.

• thermal (adjective): relating to the presence of heat


o therm + al
o Lisa bought some thermal underwear to take with her when she goes
skiing.

tor

• torment (noun, verb): agony, pain; to cause recurring pain


o tor + ment
o The torment Jean's nightmares caused made him seek professional help.
o The guards tormented the prisoners.

• torsion (noun): twisting of a body or an organ by an external force along an axis


o tors + ion
o The torsion of the bolt will help release the wheel.

• contort (verb): to twist into an abnormal shape


o con + tort
o The actor contorted her face into an evil grin and scared the audience.

tract, trai

29
• attract (verb): to draw toward, to arouse interest
o at + tract
o The spilled sugar attracted flies and ants.

• train (verb): to teach or to cause to do something


o train
o Yvette trained her dog to perform tricks.

• treaty (noun): a formal agreement


o treat + y
o The rebels and the new government signed a treaty calling for peace.

uni

• unite (verb) to make one, to join together


o unite
o The two small companies united and became one large business.

• unison (noun): at the same time, at the same pitch


o uni + son
o The two singers sang in unison.

vac

• vacant (adjective): empty, not occupied, free


o vac + ant
o The hotel has only one vacant room left.

• vacuum (noun): empty space, isolation from outside influence


o vacu + um
o Some people seem to live in a vacuum and they have no knowledge of
current events.

ven, vent

• convene (verb): to assemble, to come together


o con + vene
o The meeting convened at 2:00 p.m. and lasted until 5:00 p.m.

• invent (verb): to create through thought or imagination


o in + vent
o Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone and other devices.

• prevent (verb): to act ahead of, to keep from happening


o pre + vent

30
o Lamont prevented a distastrous fire by calling the fire department the
moment he smelled smoke.

ver

• verify (verb): to confirm that something is true


o ver + ify
o The police officer verified Arthur's identity by asking for his driver's
license.

• veracity (noun): truthfulness, accuracy


o ver + ac + ity
o Daphne is known for her veracity and honesty.

verb, verv

• verbalize (verb): to express in words, to put into words


o verb + al + ize
o Sometimes it is difficult to verbalize one's feeings.

• verve (noun): enthusiasm


o verve
o The cheerleaders showed verve and school spirit at the football game.

vers, vert:

• versatile (adjective): capable of changing or adapting, useful


o vers + at + ile
o When used correctly, a computer can be a versatile tool.

• revert (verb): to go back, to return (to an original state)


o re + vert
o The land slowly reverted to a wild state after it was abandoned.

vid, vis

• video (noun): television or recorded movies


o vid + eo
o Patricia rented a video and watched it on her television.

• review (verb): to look at again, to reexamine


o re + view
o Marsha reviewed for the test by re-reading her class notes.

• visible (adjective): able to be seen


o vis + ible

31
o Sometimes the moon is visible during the day.

• indivisible (adjective, noun): cannot be separated


o in + di + vis + ible
o The Pledge of Allegiance mentions that the United States is an indivisible
nation.

vit, viv

• vital (adjective): necessary for life


o vit + al
o The cancer had not yet spread to her vital organs and she was given an
excellent chance for a full recovery.

• revive (verb): to return to life


o re + vive
o After spending a day in the sun, I was revived by a glass of water.

voc, voke

• vocal (adjective): uttered by the voice, producing sound


o voc + al
o Parrots are known to be very vocal birds.

• revoke (verb): to call back, to withdraw


o re + voke
o Karl's license was revoked because he was caught driving 20 miles over
the speed limit.

volv, vol

• revolve (verb): to turn around


o re + volve
o The earth revolves around the sun.

• revolt (verb): to rebel, to turn against, to feel disgust


o re + volt
o It was the peasants who revolted during the French Revolution.
o Cooked carrots revolt some people.

• evolution (noun): the process by which something develops


o e + vol + ut + ion
o Darwin and other natural scientists have developed theories of evolution.

32
• a-, ac-, ad-, af-, ag-, al-, an-, ap-, as-, at- to, toward, near, in addition to
o aside (adverb): to or toward the side
 a + side
o accompany (verb): to go with someone as a companion
 ac + com + pan + y
o adjust (verb): to correct, to move closer to a correct position
 ad + just
o affix (verb): to attach to something, to fasten
 af + fix
o aggression (noun): hostile behavior towards someone or something
 ag + gress + ion
o allocate (verb): to distribute to specific people or for specific purposes
 al + loc + ate
o annihilate (verb): to destroy
 an + nihil + ate
o associate (verb): to join with
 as + soci + ate
o attend (verb): to look after, to go to
 at + tend

• a-, an- not, without


o apolitical (adjective): without interest in politics
 a + polit + ic + al
o anemia (noun): the condition (disease) of not having enough red blood
cells
 an + em + ia

• ab-, abs- away from, off


o abrupt (adjective): unexpected change
 ab + rupt
o absolve (verb): to be set free from one's actions or obligations
 ab + solve

• ante- before
o anterior (adjective): before or near the front
 ante + rior

• anti- against
o antipathy (noun): dislike, opposite feeling
 anti + path + y

• auto- self
o automotive (adjective): related to self-propelled machines
 auto + mot + ive

• bi- two

33
o biped (noun): a two-footed animal
 bi + ped
o biennial (adjective): happening every two years bi + enni + al

• cat-, cata-, cath- down, with


o category (noun): a class or set to which a thing belongs
 cate + gor + y
o catalogue (noun): a book or pamphlet that lists and describes
 cata + log + ue
o catheter (noun): a medical device used to tranfer fluids cath +eter

• circum- around
o circumvent (verb): to manage to get around a situation
 circum + vent

• co-, cog-, col-, com-, con-, cor together, with


o cohesiveness (noun): the ability to stick together
 co + hes + ive + ness
o cognate (adjective): related, similar in nature
 cog + nate
o collaborate (verb): to work together
 col + lab + or + ate
o commitment (noun): to entrust, to put into a place
 com + mit + ment
o convenient (adjective): handy, nearby
 con + veni + ent
o correct (verb): to set right, to be right
 cor + rect

• contra- against, opposite


o contradict (verb) to state the opposite
 contra + dict

• de- to do the opposite, to take away from


o decrease (verb): to grow smaller, to become less
 de + cre + ase

• di-, dif-, dis- apart, separate, two, opposite, not


o divide (verb): to separate into two or more parts
 di + vide
o differ (verb): to be unlike
 dif + fer

• dis- not, opposite of, exclude


o distrust (verb): to have no confidence or trust
 dis + trust

34
• e-, ex- out, out of, from
o emit (verb) to send out
 e + mit
o expel (verb): to force out ex + pel

• en-, em- put into


o enamor (verb): to cause to love, to "put" someone "into" love
 en + am + + or
o empower (verb): to give power, to put into power em + pow + er

• epi-, upon, beside, over


o epilogue (noun): the concluding section of a play or literary work
 epi + logue

• extra- beyond
o extraordinary (adjective): going beyond normal
 extra + ordin + ary

• il-, im-, in-, ir, not, in


o illegible (adjective): cannot be read
 il + leg + ible
o imposter (noun): someone who poses as someone else
 im + post + er
o inaction (noun): lack of motion, idle
 in + act + ion
o irresolute (adjective): uncertain about hot to act, undecided, not having a
solution
 ir + re + solute

• in-, im-, il- in, into


o instead (adverb): in place of, an alternative
 in + stead
o import (verb): to bring into a country from another country
 im + port

• inter- between, among


o interject (verb): to throw something (usually a comment) between other
things
 inter + ject

• intro- into
o introspection (noun): to look into one's own thoughts and feelings
 intro + spect + ion

35
• mal- bad
o malfunction (noun): when something does not work properly
 mal + funct + ion

• mis- wrong
o misconduct (noun): wrong doing, bad behavior
 mis + con + duct

• mono- one
o monologue (noun): a dramatic performance or speech given by one actor
 mono + logue

• multi- many
o multiply (verb): to increase in number
 multi + ply

• non- not, no
o nonsense (noun): something that has no meaning or makes no sense
 non + sense

• ob-, oc-, of-, op- toward, against, in the way


o obtain (verb): to gain or get, to get a hold of
 ob + tain
o occur (verb): to happen, to come to mind
 oc + cur
o offer (verb): to attempt to give, to propose, to try to hand out
 of + fer
o oppose (verb): to be against, to stand in the way of something
 op + pose

• over- excessive, above


o overwork (verb): to have too much work
 over + work

• para- beside
o paradox (noun): a statement that seems true and contradictory at the same
time
 para + dox

• per- through
o persecute (verb): to go after, to pursue
 per + secute

• post- after
o postpone (verb): to put off to a later time, to delay
 post + pone

36
• pre- before
o precede (verb): to go before, to come in front of
 pre + cede

• pro- for, foward


o propel (verb): to push forward
 pro + pel

• re- back, again


o readmit (verb): to allow in again
 re + ad + mit

• retro- backward
o retrospect (noun) to look back at past events
 retro + spect

• se- apart, move away from


o secede (verb): to withdraw from an organization
 se + cede

• semi- half
o semiannual (adjective): occurring twice a year
 semi + annu + al

• sub-, suc-, suf-, sup-, sur-, sus under, beneath, near, from below, secretly, above,
up
o submarine (adjective): underwater
 sub + mar + ine
o succeed (verb): to do well, to come after
 suc + ceed
o suffice (verb): to be enough
 suf + fice
o support (verb): to hold up, too keep up
 sup + port
o survive (verb): to live, to live through something, to exist
 sur + vive
o sustain (verb): to keep up, to hold up,
 sus + tain

• super- over, above


o superimpose (verb): to place something on top of something else
 super + im + pose

• syn-, sym- together, at the same time


o synchronous (adjective): happening at the same time
 syn + chron + ous

37
o sympathy (noun): sharing another person's feelings, compassion
 sym + path + y

• trans- across, beyond, change


o transform (verb): to change shape
 trans + form

• tri- three
o tripod (noun): a three-legged stand
 tri + pod

• un- not, against, opposite


o unceasing (adjective): never ending, continuous
 un + ceas + ing

• uni- one
o uniform (adjective): having the same form or consistancy
 uni + form

NOUNS
Nouns perform the function of naming. Nouns name persons, places
animals or things, as well as groups, ideas and qualities. In a sentence,
nouns can be subjects, objects, or appositives.

• -acy, -cy
o Noun: state or quality
 privacy: the state of being alone
 priv + acy
 infancy: the state of being a baby or young child
 in + fan + cy

• -age
o Noun: activity, or result of action
 courage : having the spirit to overcome fear
 cour + age

• -al
o Noun: action, result of action
 referral : the action of directing a person to another place, person
or thing
 re + ferr + al

38
• -an
o Noun: person
 artisan : a craftsperson
 arti + san

• -ance, -ence
o Noun: action, state, quality or process
 resistance : the action of opposing something
 re + sist + ance
 independence: the state of not being under the control of others,
free, self-governing
 in + de + pend + ence

• -ancy, -ency
o Noun: state, quality or capacity
 vacancy : an empty room or position
 vac + ancy
 agency: the capacity to exert power or influence, a position or
person that performs a function
 ag + ency

• -ant, -ent
o Noun: an agent, something that performs the action
 disinfectant : an agent that destroys germs, somthing that cleans
 dis + in + fect + ant
 dependent: a thing supported by another, a thing determined by
another
 de + pend + ent

• -ate
o Noun: state, office, fuction
 candidate : a person nominated for an office or position
 candid + ate

• -ation
o Noun: action, resulting state
 specialization : the result of being distinguished by one quality or
ability
 spec + ial + iz + ation

• -dom
o Noun: place, state of being
 wisdom : possessing knowledge
 wis + dom

• -er, -or

39
o Noun: person or thing that does something
 porter : a person who carries things
 port + er
 collector: a person who collects or gathers things
 col + lect + or

• -ful
o Noun: an amount or quanity that fills
 mouthful : an amount that fills the mouth
 mouth + ful

• -ian, an
o Noun: related to, one that is
 pedestrian : a person who walks
 ped + estr + ian
 human: a person
 hum + an

• -ia
o Noun: names, diseases
 phobia : an illogical fear of something
 phob + ia

• -iatry
o Noun: art of healing
 psychiatry : branch of medicine that deals with the mind and
emotions
 psych + iatry

• -ic, ics
o Noun: related to the arts and sciences
 arithmetic : a branch of math that usually deals with non-negative
numbers
 arithm + et + ic
 economics: the social science related to studying business
 eco + nom + ics

• -ice
o Noun: act
 malice : the desire to do evil
 mal + ice

• -ing
o Noun: material made for, activity, result of an activity
 flooring : a material made for floors
 floor + ing

40
 swimming: the activity of swimming or moving through water
 swim(m) + ing
 building: the result of making a structure
 build + ing

• -ion
o Noun: condition or action
 abduction : the action of carrying someone away by force
 ab + duct + ion

• -ism
o Noun: doctrine, belief, action or conduct
 formalism : a belief in sticking to prescribed forms or artistic
styles
 form + al + ism

• -ist
o Noun: person or member
 podiatrist : a foot doctor
 pod + iatr + ist

• -ite
o Noun: product or part
 graphite : a black material used in making pencils
 graph + ite

• -ity, ty
o Noun: state or quality
 lucidity : clear thinking
 luc + id + ity
 novelty: something new or unusual
 nov + el + ty

• -ive
o Noun: condition
 native : a person born in a specific place
 nat + ive

• -ment
o Noun: condition or result
 document : an official paper usually showinf proof or evidence of
something
 docu + ment

• -ness
o Noun: state, condition, quality

41
 kindness : the quality of being kind or nice
 kind + ness

• -or
o Noun: condition or activity
 valor : bravery, courage
 val + or

• -ory
o Noun: place for, serves for
 territory : an area around a place
 territ + ory

• -ship
o Noun: status, condition
 relationship : the state of being related or connected to something
or someone
 re + lat + ion + ship

• -ure
o Noun: act, condition, process, function
 exposure : the condition of being exposed or unprotected
 pos + ure

• -y
o Noun: state, condition, result of an activity
 society : companionship
 soci + et + y
 victory: the result of winning something
 vict + or + y

VERBS
Verbs make statements about nouns, ask questions, give commands,
or show states of being. Verbs can be active or passive. Verbs also
show tense or time of action.

• -ate
o Verb: cause to be
 graduate : to give a degree to, to pass from one stage to the next
 gradu + ate

• -ed
o Verb: past tense
 attained : something that has been reached or grasped
 at + tain + ed

42
• -en
o Verb: to cause to become
 moisten : to cause to become moist or damp
 moist + en

• -er, -or
o Verb: action
 ponder : to think about
 pond + er
 clamor: to make noise, to call for loudly
 clam + or

• -ify
o Verb: cause
 specify : to name or indicate in detail
 spec + ify

• -ing
o Verb: present participle
 depicting : showing, describing with images or pictures
 de + pict + ing

• -ize
o Verb: cause
 fantasize : to dream about something, to create images in the mind
 fant + as + ize

• -ure
o act
 Verb: conjecture : to come to a conclusion by supposition or
guesswork
 con + ject + ure

ADJECTIVES
Adjectives describe or modify nouns. Adjectives tell the reader more
about the noun used in the sentence.

• -able, -ible
o Adjective: worth, ability
 solvable : able to be solved or explained
 solv + able
 incredible: not able to be believed, amazing
 in + cred + ible

• -al, -ial, -ical


o Adjective: quality, relation

43
 structural : related to the physical make up of a thing
 struct + ure + al
 territorial: related to nearby or local areas
 territ + or + ial
 categorical: related to a category, aboslute
 cate + gor + ical

• -ant, -ent, -ient


o Adjective: kind of agent, indication
 important : marked by worth
 im + port + ant
 dependent: determined or relying upon something else
 de + pend + ent
 convenient: at hand, easy to use
 con + ven + ient

• -ar, -ary
o Adjective: resembling, related to
 spectacular : related to something that is eye-catching or amazing
 spectac + ul + ar
 unitary : related to units or single groups representing quantities
 unit + ary

• -ate
o Adjective: kind of state
 inviolate : not disturbed, pure
 in + viol + ate

• -ed
o Adjective: having the quality of
 terraced : having terraces or steps
 terrac + ed

• -en
o Adjective: material
 silken : made from silk, a fiber produced by worms
 silk + en

• -er
o Adjective: comparative
 brighter : more light
 bright + er

• -est
o Adjective: superlative
 strongest : having the most strength

44
 strong + est

• -ful
o Adjective: having, giving, marked by
 fanciful : marked by imagination
 fanci + ful

• -ic
o Adjective: quality, relation
 generic : related to a whole group
 gener + ic

• -ile
o Adjective: having the qualities of
 projectile : something thrown with an outside force
 pro + ject + ile

• -ing
o Adjective: activity
 cohering : the act of sticking together
 co + her + ing

• -ish
o Adjective: having the character of
 newish : modern, recent
 new + ish

• -ive, -ative, -itive


o Adjective: having the quality of
 festive : having the quality of a festival or party
 fest + ive
 cooperative : being able or willing to work with another person or
thing
 co + oper + ative
 sensitive: easily felt, responsive to the senses
 sens + itive

• -less
o Adjective: without, missing
 motiveless : a reason for someone to do something
 mot + ive + less

• -ous, -eous, -ose, -ious


o Adjective: having the quality of, relating to
 adventurous : charcterized by the desire to seek new experiences
or risks

45
 ad + vent + ur + ous
 courageous : characterized by courage, brave
 cour + ag + eous
 verbose: having more words than needed
 verb + ose
 fractious: characterized by being difficult or troublesome
 fract + ious

• -y
o Adjective: marked by, having
 hungry : having hunger, marked by a desire
 hungr + y

ADVERBS
Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives and other adverbs.

• -fold
o Adverb: in a manner of, marked by
 fourfold : being four times as great
 four + fold

• -ly
o Adverb: in the manner of
 fluently : marked by ease of movement, effortlessly smooth
 flu + ent + ly

• -ward
o Adverb: in a direction or manner
 homeward : toward home
 home + ward

• -wise
o Adverb: in the manner of, with regard to
 timewise : with regard to time
 time + wise

46

You might also like