Word parts strategy
EnglishDefinition
The word parts strategy is an approach to decoding unfamiliar words by breaking them into their component parts — prefix, root, and suffix — and using the meaning of each part to determine the whole word's meaning. This is one of the most reliable strategies for tackling academic and test vocabulary.
How It Works
- Identify any prefix at the beginning of the word and recall its meaning.
- Isolate the root word or base in the middle.
- Identify any suffix at the end and determine how it changes the word's meaning or part of speech.
- Combine the meanings of all parts to form a working definition.
- Check your definition against the sentence context to confirm it makes sense.
Examples
- 'Unprecedented': un- (not) + pre- (before) + ced (go) + -ent (characterized by) + -ed = never gone before, never having happened
- 'Misconception': mis- (wrong) + con- (together) + cept (take/seize) + -ion (noun) = a wrongly taken idea
- 'Deforestation': de- (remove) + forest + -ation (process) = the process of removing forests
Key Fact
Prefix + Root + Suffix = Word meaning. About 60% of English words have Latin or Greek parts you can decode.
Study This Concept
Practice word parts strategy with free review games in these units: