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Which negative prefix a word takes, and how a suffix changes a word's job.
Question 1 of 12
Which prefix turns "replaceable" into its opposite?
"irreplaceable" is the right form. The prefix "ir-" means "not", and it is chosen by the letter that follows it: "il-" before l, "ir-" before r, "im-" before m, b and p. "replaceable" begins with "r", so "ir-" is the one that fits. These three are really the same prefix as "in-", changed to make the word easier to say. A prefix never changes the spelling of the word it joins — "replaceable" keeps every letter. Prefixes are added to the front and change nothing. Suffixes are added to the end and often do.
The answer is A. "irreplaceable" is the right form. The prefix "ir-" means "not", and it is chosen by the letter that follows it: "il-" before l, "ir-" before r, "im-" before m, b and p. "replaceable" begins with "r", so "ir-" is the one that fits. These three are really the same prefix as "in-", changed to make the word easier to say. A prefix never changes the spelling of the word it joins — "replaceable" keeps every letter. Prefixes are added to the front and change nothing. Suffixes are added to the end and often do.
Which prefix turns "regular" into its opposite?
"irregular" is the right form. The prefix "ir-" means "not", and it is chosen by the letter that follows it: "il-" before l, "ir-" before r, "im-" before m, b and p. "regular" begins with "r", so "ir-" is the one that fits. These three are really the same prefix as "in-", changed to make the word easier to say. A prefix never changes the spelling of the word it joins — "regular" keeps every letter. If two prefixes both sound possible, say the word aloud. The wrong one is usually the harder one to say.
The answer is A. "irregular" is the right form. The prefix "ir-" means "not", and it is chosen by the letter that follows it: "il-" before l, "ir-" before r, "im-" before m, b and p. "regular" begins with "r", so "ir-" is the one that fits. These three are really the same prefix as "in-", changed to make the word easier to say. A prefix never changes the spelling of the word it joins — "regular" keeps every letter. If two prefixes both sound possible, say the word aloud. The wrong one is usually the harder one to say.
Which prefix turns "judge" into its opposite?
"misjudge" is the right form. The prefix "mis-" means "wrongly", and it is used where the action is done wrongly rather than not done at all. A prefix never changes the spelling of the word it joins — "judge" keeps every letter. If two prefixes both sound possible, say the word aloud. The wrong one is usually the harder one to say.
The answer is A. "misjudge" is the right form. The prefix "mis-" means "wrongly", and it is used where the action is done wrongly rather than not done at all. A prefix never changes the spelling of the word it joins — "judge" keeps every letter. If two prefixes both sound possible, say the word aloud. The wrong one is usually the harder one to say.
Which is the correct adjective made from "hope"?
"hopeless" is the adjective form. The suffix "-less" has been added to the noun "hope", and adding it changes the job the word does in a sentence: noun to adjective. The root keeps its spelling here, but plenty of suffixes change it, so it is always worth checking. The other options use real suffixes on the same root, and none of them makes a word. Drop a final "e" before a suffix that begins with a vowel: hope becomes hoping, but hopeful keeps the e.
The answer is A. "hopeless" is the adjective form. The suffix "-less" has been added to the noun "hope", and adding it changes the job the word does in a sentence: noun to adjective. The root keeps its spelling here, but plenty of suffixes change it, so it is always worth checking. The other options use real suffixes on the same root, and none of them makes a word. Drop a final "e" before a suffix that begins with a vowel: hope becomes hoping, but hopeful keeps the e.
"irregular" is the right form. The prefix "ir-" means "not", and it is chosen by the letter that follows it: "il-" before l, "ir-" before r, "im-" before m, b and p. "regular" begins with "r", so "ir-" is the one that fits. These three are really the same prefix as "in-", changed to make the word easier to say. A prefix never changes the spelling of the word it joins — "regular" keeps every letter. "il-" before l, "ir-" before r, "im-" before m, b and p, and "in-" everywhere else. That covers most of them.
The answer is D. "irregular" is the right form. The prefix "ir-" means "not", and it is chosen by the letter that follows it: "il-" before l, "ir-" before r, "im-" before m, b and p. "regular" begins with "r", so "ir-" is the one that fits. These three are really the same prefix as "in-", changed to make the word easier to say. A prefix never changes the spelling of the word it joins — "regular" keeps every letter. "il-" before l, "ir-" before r, "im-" before m, b and p, and "in-" everywhere else. That covers most of them.
"irreplaceable" is the right form. The prefix "ir-" means "not", and it is chosen by the letter that follows it: "il-" before l, "ir-" before r, "im-" before m, b and p. "replaceable" begins with "r", so "ir-" is the one that fits. These three are really the same prefix as "in-", changed to make the word easier to say. A prefix never changes the spelling of the word it joins — "replaceable" keeps every letter. There is no rule that predicts every word. The common ones are worth learning by sight.
The answer is A. "irreplaceable" is the right form. The prefix "ir-" means "not", and it is chosen by the letter that follows it: "il-" before l, "ir-" before r, "im-" before m, b and p. "replaceable" begins with "r", so "ir-" is the one that fits. These three are really the same prefix as "in-", changed to make the word easier to say. A prefix never changes the spelling of the word it joins — "replaceable" keeps every letter. There is no rule that predicts every word. The common ones are worth learning by sight.
Which is the correct adjective made from "enjoy"?
"enjoyable" is the adjective form. The suffix "-able" has been added to the verb "enjoy", and adding it changes the job the word does in a sentence: verb to adjective. The root keeps its spelling here, but plenty of suffixes change it, so it is always worth checking. The other options use real suffixes on the same root, and none of them makes a word. British English prefers -ise to -ize in words like finalise and realise.
The answer is A. "enjoyable" is the adjective form. The suffix "-able" has been added to the verb "enjoy", and adding it changes the job the word does in a sentence: verb to adjective. The root keeps its spelling here, but plenty of suffixes change it, so it is always worth checking. The other options use real suffixes on the same root, and none of them makes a word. British English prefers -ise to -ize in words like finalise and realise.
Which is the correct noun made from "agree"?
"agreement" is the noun form. The suffix "-ment" has been added to the verb "agree", and adding it changes the job the word does in a sentence: verb to noun. The root keeps its spelling here, but plenty of suffixes change it, so it is always worth checking. The other options use real suffixes on the same root, and none of them makes a word. British English prefers -ise to -ize in words like finalise and realise.
The answer is D. "agreement" is the noun form. The suffix "-ment" has been added to the verb "agree", and adding it changes the job the word does in a sentence: verb to noun. The root keeps its spelling here, but plenty of suffixes change it, so it is always worth checking. The other options use real suffixes on the same root, and none of them makes a word. British English prefers -ise to -ize in words like finalise and realise.
Which prefix turns "necessary" into its opposite?
"unnecessary" is the right form. The prefix "un-" means "not", and it is the plainest of the negative prefixes and the safest guess when no other fits. A prefix never changes the spelling of the word it joins — "necessary" keeps every letter. "il-" before l, "ir-" before r, "im-" before m, b and p, and "in-" everywhere else. That covers most of them.
The answer is D. "unnecessary" is the right form. The prefix "un-" means "not", and it is the plainest of the negative prefixes and the safest guess when no other fits. A prefix never changes the spelling of the word it joins — "necessary" keeps every letter. "il-" before l, "ir-" before r, "im-" before m, b and p, and "in-" everywhere else. That covers most of them.
Which is the correct verb made from "final"?
"finalise" is the verb form. The suffix "-ise" has been added to the adjective "final", and adding it changes the job the word does in a sentence: adjective to verb. The root keeps its spelling here, but plenty of suffixes change it, so it is always worth checking. The other options use real suffixes on the same root, and none of them makes a word. Suffixes change what job a word does. Prefixes change what it means.
The answer is A. "finalise" is the verb form. The suffix "-ise" has been added to the adjective "final", and adding it changes the job the word does in a sentence: adjective to verb. The root keeps its spelling here, but plenty of suffixes change it, so it is always worth checking. The other options use real suffixes on the same root, and none of them makes a word. Suffixes change what job a word does. Prefixes change what it means.
Which prefix turns "obey" into its opposite?
"disobey" is the right form. The prefix "dis-" means "the opposite of", and it reverses the action rather than simply denying it. A prefix never changes the spelling of the word it joins — "obey" keeps every letter. If two prefixes both sound possible, say the word aloud. The wrong one is usually the harder one to say.
The answer is B. "disobey" is the right form. The prefix "dis-" means "the opposite of", and it reverses the action rather than simply denying it. A prefix never changes the spelling of the word it joins — "obey" keeps every letter. If two prefixes both sound possible, say the word aloud. The wrong one is usually the harder one to say.
Which prefix turns "legal" into its opposite?
"illegal" is the right form. The prefix "il-" means "not", and it is chosen by the letter that follows it: "il-" before l, "ir-" before r, "im-" before m, b and p. "legal" begins with "l", so "il-" is the one that fits. These three are really the same prefix as "in-", changed to make the word easier to say. A prefix never changes the spelling of the word it joins — "legal" keeps every letter. "il-" before l, "ir-" before r, "im-" before m, b and p, and "in-" everywhere else. That covers most of them.
The answer is A. "illegal" is the right form. The prefix "il-" means "not", and it is chosen by the letter that follows it: "il-" before l, "ir-" before r, "im-" before m, b and p. "legal" begins with "l", so "il-" is the one that fits. These three are really the same prefix as "in-", changed to make the word easier to say. A prefix never changes the spelling of the word it joins — "legal" keeps every letter. "il-" before l, "ir-" before r, "im-" before m, b and p, and "in-" everywhere else. That covers most of them.
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