Use the meanings of words as clues to the meanings of Greek and Latin roots

Key Notes :

Introduction to Roots:

• Definition: Explain that a root is the base part of a word that gives it its main meaning.
• Greek and Latin Roots: These are the building blocks of many English words and can help us understand new words.

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Common Greek and Latin Roots:

• Greek Roots:
  • “Auto” (self): Examples – automobile, autograph.
  • “Tele” (far): Examples – telephone, television.
  • “Graph” (write): Examples – paragraph, graphic.
• Latin Roots:
  • “Bio” (life): Examples – biology, biography.
  • “Dict” (speak): Examples – dictionary, predict.
  • “Port” (carry): Examples – transport, portable.

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Using Context Clues:

• Understanding New Words: When encountering a new word, look at its root to guess its meaning.
  • Example: In the word “television”, “tele” means “far” and “vision” means “sight”. Combining these helps us understand that television is a device that lets you see things from far away.

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Practice with Examples:

• Break down words into their roots and use the meanings of the roots to understand the whole word.
• Example 1: “Autograph” – “Auto” (self) + “graph” (write) = “a signature written by oneself”.
• Example 2: “Biology” – “Bio” (life) + “logy” (study) = “the study of life”.

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Review and Reinforcement:

• Regularly review common Greek and Latin roots.
• Encourage students to look for these roots in their reading and writing.

let’s practice!