Academic words in science, history and English are often built from Latin and Greek parts. Struct means build (construct, structure), ject means throw (eject, project), bene means good (benefit) and mal means bad (malfunction).
Prefixes add precision: circum- means around (circumference), mono- means one (monologue), pre- means before (predict).
Recognising these parts helps you decode unfamiliar words in exams and texts, and choose precise words in your own writing.
Keep a vocabulary log with the root, its meaning and three words from it; reviewing it regularly will make the roots stick.
Worked example
What does “malnutrition” mean?
- Mal- means bad.
- Nutrition means nourishment from food.
Answer:poor nourishment caused by a bad or inadequate diet
Key words
- academic vocabulary
- words used in school subjects
- decode
- work out the meaning
- prefix
- letters at the start of a word
Practise this
New questions every time.
Common Core-referenced: L.7.4b