ISEE Lower Level Verbal Reasoning

ISEE Lower Level Verbal Reasoning focuses on developing critical reading and verbal skills necessary for success in the ISEE exam.

SynonymsSentence CompletionContext Clues
AnalogiesWord Roots, Prefixes, and SuffixesNuanced Word Choice
Building Vocabulary DailyUnderstanding Instructions and DirectionsExpressing Ideas Clearly
Elimination MethodReading for CluesTime Management
SynonymsSentence CompletionContext CluesAnalogiesWord Roots, Prefixes...Nuanced Word ChoiceBuilding Vocabulary ...Understanding Instru...Expressing Ideas Cle...Elimination MethodReading for CluesTime Management
Advanced Topics

Word Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes

Unlocking Unknown Words with Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes

Many English words are made up of smaller parts: roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Knowing these parts can help you figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words.

Helpful Word Parts

  • Root: The main part of a word (example: “act” in “action”)
  • Prefix: Added to the beginning (example: “re-” in “redo” means “again”)
  • Suffix: Added to the end (example: “-ful” in “joyful” means “full of”)

Why It Helps

If you understand these building blocks, you can break down long or tricky words and make smart guesses about their meaning.

Practice

Next time you see a new word, try to spot the root, prefix, or suffix!

Examples

  • Unhappy: 'un-' means 'not', so 'unhappy' means 'not happy'.

  • Predict: 'pre-' means 'before', so 'predict' means 'say before it happens'.

In a Nutshell

Knowing word parts helps you understand and guess the meaning of new words.

Key Terms

Prefix
A group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning.
Suffix
A group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning.
Root
The main part of a word, giving its basic meaning.
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Nuanced Word Choice