Focus on Vocabulary: Use Word Origins
Many English words are based on words that come from older languages such as Greek, Latin, and an early form of English called Anglo-Saxon.
Roots are word parts that have meaning but cannot stand on their own as a word. Knowing common roots can help you figure out new words.
| EXAMPLE | The Greek root phys means “nature,” so physical means “having to do with nature.” |
Borrowed words come from other languages. They keep the meaning and sounds from their original language. Pizza, elephant, and tsunami are borrowed words.
How the Strategy Works
When you come to a word you don’t know, look for the root to help you figure out the meaning.
1. Break the word into meaningful parts. If you cannot break the word into parts, it may be a borrowed word.
EXAMPLE Prefix meaning before Root meaning say or tell The word means “tell about something before it happens.” predict pre + dict = predict 2. Focus on the root. Think of other words that have the same root or use a dictionary to find its meaning.
3. Put the meanings of all the word parts together. See if the meaning makes sense in the sentence.
Use the strategy to figure out the meaning of each underlined word.
REMEMBER You can use the meanings of word parts to figure out the meaning of an unknown word.