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Root Words, Prefixes & Suffixes: Decode Any Word

Ratta lagane se behtar hai word-building samajhna. Root + prefix + suffix jaante ho to anjaan shabd ka matlab bhi exam hall me nikaal loge.

1. Common roots

  • bio (life): biology, biography · graph (write): autograph, paragraph
  • port (carry): export, portable · dict (say): dictate, predict
  • spect (look): inspect, spectator · scrib/script (write): describe, manuscript

2. Prefixes change meaning

  • Negative: un-, in-, im-, il-, ir-, dis-, non- → unfair, impossible, illegal, irregular.
  • Direction/time: pre- (before), post- (after), re- (again), sub- (under), trans- (across).

3. Suffixes change the part of speech

-tion/-ment (noun), -ful/-ous/-able (adjective), -ly (adverb), -ise/-ify (verb): care → careful → carefully.

📝 Example"Incorrigible" = in (not) + corrig (correct) + ible (able) = "cannot be corrected".
⚠️ Common Mistakes
  • Negative prefix spelling depends on the next letter: impossible, irregular, illegal.
  • Suffix se part of speech badalti hai — "beauty"(n) → "beautiful"(adj) → "beautifully"(adv).
⚡ Quick RevisionRoot = core meaning, prefix = changes meaning, suffix = changes word class. Decode unseen words: split → prefix + root + suffix.

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