Practice Quiz: Identifying Root Words

The word 'play' is presented in its basic form without any added prefixes or suffixes, making it the root word. The other choices modify this base word and therefore are not the pure root form.

A root word is the basic part of a word that contains the primary meaning. It is the form to which prefixes and suffixes are added to create new words.

The word 'happy' stands alone as a root word, while the alternatives are modified forms with added prefixes or suffixes. Recognizing the unaltered base is key to identifying root words.

In the word 'preview', the prefix 'pre-' is added to the root word 'view'. Removing the prefix reveals the core meaning of seeing or observing.

The word 'form' is the core element from which many other words are derived by adding prefixes or suffixes. It serves as the basic structure for words that describe making or shaping.

The word 'transportation' is built with the prefix 'trans-' and the suffix '-ation', leaving 'port' as the root word meaning 'to carry'. This base conveys the fundamental idea behind the word.

Removing the negative prefix 'dis-' and the suffix '-able' from 'disagreeable' reveals 'agree' as the root word. This base word holds the central meaning related to concurrence.

The term 'unbelievable' is formed by attaching 'un-' and '-able' to the root word 'believe'. The core meaning of having faith or trust in something is captured by 'believe'.

The word 'subscription' is segmented into the prefix 'sub-', the root 'script' meaning 'to write', and the suffix '-ion'. The essential meaning is held in 'script', making it the correct root.

The prefix 'tri-' means three, which when combined with the root 'cycle' forms 'tricycle'. This clearly distinguishes it from other forms of cycles that indicate different quantities.

Removing the prefix 'mis-' and the suffix '-ation' from 'misinterpretation' leaves the word 'interpret', which carries the meaning of explaining or understanding. This extraction pinpoints the root word.

The term 'reconstruction' is composed of the prefix 're-', the suffix '-ion', and the root word 'construct', which means to build. The root 'construct' is the fundamental element that holds the meaning.

In 'manuscript', although 'manu-' means hand, it is 'script' that provides the meaning of writing. This root word is central to understanding the formation of the term.

The segment 'bio' is derived from Greek and means life, which is the key concept in 'biology'. The suffix '-logy' merely indicates the study of a subject, making 'bio' the correct root.

By stripping away the prefix 'pre-' and the adjective ending, the underlying root 'history' is revealed. This core element carries the meaning related to past events.

Despite the word's complexity, the core idea centers on 'establish', which means to set up or found. The additional prefixes and suffixes simply modify this base meaning.

The word 'inconceivable' is built around the root 'conceive', which means to form an idea. The prefix 'in-' negates the meaning and the suffix '-able' turns it into an adjective, leaving 'conceive' as the central element.

The Latin root 'dict' means 'to speak' or 'to say', which is evident in words like 'predict' and 'dictionary'. Recognizing this root helps in understanding the etymology of many related words.

In 'biodegradable', removing the prefix 'bio-' (which suggests a relation to life) and the suffix '-able' leaves the root 'degrade', meaning to break down. This root word forms the basis of the word's overall meaning.

In the word 'autobiography', 'graph' is the root that means 'to write'. The prefixes 'auto-' (self) and 'bio-' (life) set the context, while the suffix '-graphy' denotes the process, but 'graph' remains the essential element.