Prefixes & Suffixes
The prefix mis- means
mistaken, wrong, or incorrect
Zoe reads 7 times as many pages of a book as Lily reads. Lily reads 9 pages of a book. How many pages of a book does Zoe read?
7 x 9 = 63
NASA chose Lovell to command the Apollo 13 space mission. Lovell was in charge of two men and of making all final decisions.
What does the word command mean?
to be the head of/in charge of
6 x 4 = ?
24
Peter ran like a cheetah around the track.
What does this simile mean?
Peter ran fast.
The prefix un-means
not
The library has 5 mystery books on a shelf. It has 4 times as many biographies on another shelf. How many biographies are on the shelf?
5 x 4 = 20
After they were in space for a little more than two days, Lovell and his crew ran into trouble. One of the oxygen tanks blew up. The explosion caused a leak in another tank and now there wouldn't be enough oxygen for a moon landing.
What does the word explosion mean?
a bursting of something
9 x 8 = ?
72
Noah stood as still as a rabbit trying not to be seen.
What does the simile "as still as a rabbit" mean?
Noah stood very still.
The suffix -y means
to be full of
Erik sees 42 stars in the sky on Tuesday night. This is 7 times as many stars as he sees on Monday night. How many stars does Erik see on Monday night?
42/7 = 6
Superfoods, or natural foods that may prevent disease, have become popular.
What does the word superfood mean?
natural foods that may prevent disease
14 x 7 = ?
98
The landscape was a patchwork quilt of sights and sounds.
What does this metaphor mean?
The landscape had a variety of sights and sounds.
Knowing the meaning of the suffix -y helps the reader understand that the word grumpy means.
full of grump (anger)
Tasha spends 25 minutes reading on Wednesday night. She spends 17 more minutes reading on Thursday than she did on Wednesday. How many minutes did Tasha spend reading on Wednesday and Thursday?
r = 25 + (25+17)
r = 25 + 42
r = 67
Some fads are fleeting, but more than a few people feel that superfoods are here to stay.
What does the word fleeting mean?
lasting for a very short time
24 x 5 = ?
120
White clouds were ships sailing across the sky.
What does this metaphor mean?
Clouds moved like ships across the sky.
Knowing the meaning of the prefix -un helps the reader understand that the word unbelievable means.
to not believe (not believable)
Erik has 2 bags of bird seed. One bag has 10 pounds of seed, and the other bag has 8 pounds of seed. He fills 7 bird feeders with 2 pounds each. How many pounds of bird seed are left?
b = (10 + 8) - (7 x 2)
b = 18 - 14
b = 4
For centuries, people in coastal areas of China and Japan have harvested a superfood found in marine environments. Recent studies show that eating seaweed protects against infection and reduces the risk for serious diseases.
What does the word marine mean?
having to do with the ocean
15 x 19 =
285
Mountain goats leaped like dancers from rock to rock.
What does this simile mean?
The mountain goats leaped gracefully.