DETERMINE THE MEANING OF A WORD WITH PRE-, RE- OR MIS-

Key notes:

What is a Prefix?

A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. Knowing common prefixes can help you understand new words!

Prefix Power: pre-, re-, and mis-

We’re going to focus on three super useful prefixes: pre-, re-, and mis-.

Meaning: before Examples: preheat (heat before) pretest (test before) preschool (school before regular school)

pre-

Meaning: again Examples: rewrite (write again)r eplay (play again) rebuild (build again)

re-

Meaning: wrongly or badly Examples:misunderstand (understand wrongly) misbehave (behave badly) misspell (spell wrongly)

mis-

Putting it All Together

So, how do we use this prefix power?

• Spot the Prefix: Look for pre-, re-, or mis- at the beginning of a word.
• Know the Meaning: Remember what each prefix means (before, again, wrongly/badly).
• Combine the Meanings: Put the prefix meaning together with the meaning of the rest of the word.

For example, if you see the word “repaint,” you know re- means again and paint means to cover something with color. So, repaint means to paint something again!

Time to Practice!

Let’s try some! What do these words mean?

• preview
• return
• miscount

Knowing these prefixes will help you unlock the meaning of tons of new words. Keep practicing, and you’ll become a prefix pro in no time!

Let’s practice!