Prefixes

Stick Something on the Front (Like a Fancy Hat)

Prefixes are bits you stick on the front of words to change their meaning. It's like putting a hat on a word - suddenly it means something completely different.

What Are Prefixes?

They're word parts that go at the beginning of words to modify their meaning. Think of them as word accessories that completely change the vibe.

Formula: Prefix + Root Word = New Meaning

Negative Prefixes (The Pessimistic Bunch)

UN- (The Most Common Downer)

happy → unhappy (miserable)
lucky → unlucky (typical)
fair → unfair (life in a nutshell)
do → undo (reverse the damage)

IN-/IM-/IL-/IR- (The Fancy Negatives)

possible → impossible (can't be done)
legal → illegal (against the law)
regular → irregular (all over the place)
complete → incomplete (half-arsed)

DIS- (The Disagreeable One)

like → dislike (can't stand it)
agree → disagree (not having it)
appear → disappear (vanish)
honest → dishonest (dodgy)

Size and Quantity Prefixes (Big and Small)

Prefix	Meaning	Examples
MINI-	Small	minibus, miniature, minimize
MICRO-	Very small	microscope, microwave, microphone
MEGA-	Large	megastore, megabyte, megaphone
SUPER-	Above/beyond	superman, supermarket, supernatural
MULTI-	Many	multicultural, multiply, multimedia

Time and Position Prefixes (When and Where)

PRE- (Before You Even Start)

view → preview (sneak peek)
heat → preheat (warm up first)
war → prewar (before the chaos)

POST- (After the Fact)

war → postwar (after the mess)
graduate → postgraduate (more studying)
modern → postmodern (after being trendy)

OVER-/UNDER- (Too Much/Too Little)

cook → overcook (burnt to a crisp)
sleep → oversleep (late again)
cook → undercook (still raw)
estimate → underestimate (didn't see that coming)

Other Useful Prefixes (The Handy Ones)

RE- (Do It Again):

do → redo (try again)
write → rewrite (start over)
new → renew (fresh start)

AUTO- (Do It Yourself):

mobile → automobile (car)
matic → automatic (does itself)
biography → autobiography (your own story)

Practice Exercises (Build Some Words)

Exercise 1: Add the Right Prefix

1. I need to this work. (do again)

2. That's completely ! (not possible)

3. She's very today. (not happy)

4. I with your opinion. (not agree)

Exercise 2: What Does It Mean?

1. "Prehistoric" means history.

2. "Overeat" means to eat .

3. "Multicultural" means .

4. "Submarine" means .

📚 Book a Lesson

Ready to practice with a real human? Book a lesson with a native English speaker!

Book Now

🎤 Take a Speaking Test

Test your English speaking skills with our comprehensive assessment!

Start Test

Brilliant! Now you can stick prefixes on words like a proper word decorator!