Dear learner, here are brainstorming questions or activities designed to help you practice and explore vocabulary formation using prefixes and phrasal verbs:

1. Prefix Puzzle Challenge

• Question: What do you know about prefixes?
• Question: What are prefixes?
• Activity: List five common prefixes (e.g., un-, re-, dis-, pre-, mis-).
• Follow-Up Question: Write five to seven words with different prefixes.

2. Phrasal Verb Detective

• Activity: Write a list of sentences with missing phrasal verbs (e.g., “She had to __________ the meeting because she was sick”).
• Create a separate list of phrasal verbs (e.g., put off, take up, give in) and mix them up.

3. Prefix and Phrasal Verb Matching Game

• Activity: Match prefixes and base words (e.g., “dis-,” “pre-,” “view”, “trust,” “give-” “across” “up,” “run- ” “into,” “come- ). and write down the meanings of each new word or phrase.

I am sure you remember some of them from your previous classes and now let’s begin the prefixes you learn in this lesson: look at the explanation below.

A prefix is a word part that is placed before the root word. Most commonly used prefixes in English are: re, in, im, dis, un, mis, co, none, pro, super, hyper, circum, auto and the like.

A prefix usually changes the meaning of the root word. For clarity, look at the following examples: take and intake, tension and hypertension.

Here are some examples for Prefixes that Mean “Not” or “The Opposite Of”:

1. Un-: Unhappy (not happy)
2. In-: Inactive (not active)
3. Dis-: Disagree (opposite of agree)
4. Non-: Nonexistent (not existing)
5. Anti-: Antisocial (opposed to social interaction)

Here are some examples for Prefixes that Tell “Where”:

1. Sub-: Submarine (under the sea)
2. Super-: Supernatural (beyond the natural world)
3. Pre-: Prehistoric (before recorded history)
4. Post-: Postwar (after the war)
5. Inter-: International (between nations)

Here are some examples for Prefixes that Tell “When”:

1. Pre-: Prehistoric (before recorded history)
2. Post-: Postmodern (after the modern period)
3. Neo-: Neolithic (new Stone Age)
4. Pro-: Prologue (before the main part of a story)
5. Re-: Revisit (to visit again, implying a return to a previous time)

 Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are expressions made up of verbs and prepositions. They are important in both spoken and written English since they give strength to the message.

Phrasal verbs are compound verbs   (more than one word) that result from combining a verb with an adverb or a preposition.

The resulting compound verb   is   usually idiomatic (i.e. its meaning cannot be derived from the dictionary meaning of its parts).

Notice that most phrasal verbs have different shades of meaning. Though studying and understanding each meaning is difficult, you need to study the most frequently used and use them in your verbal communications wherever or whenever the situations require them.

e.g. ‘Take back’=to retract some comment or statement

1.  I take back my comment about your success; you are just a pretender or a cheater.

e.g. ‘Take back’= To return an item to where it was purchased or brought from

• 2. This disk doesn’t seem to be working; you may need to take it back.

Some more examples

1. I was fed up with all this work = I got bored and I need change.

2. I Keep up with all this work = don’t fall behind

3. I come up with an idea= create, invent

4. I make up with a friend = reconcile/ settle/ resolve

5. I break up with a lover = to end relationship

6. I put up with someone = tolerate /be patient

7.  I drop in on someone= arrive unexpectedly

8.  I get away with something =escape capture