- How does the prefix un- change the meaning of kind?
Answer: not kind
The prefix un- means not, so unkind means not kind. Kind again would use the prefix re-. Kind before would use the prefix pre-. Very kind is stronger, not opposite. Un- makes the word mean not kind.
- I tied my shoes, then I untied them. What does untie mean?
Answer: make not tied
This tests prefix meanings. The prefix 'un-' reverses actions. Untie means to make not tied.
- If safe means not in danger, what does unsafe mean?
Answer: not safe
This tests prefix meanings. The prefix 'un-' means 'not.' Unsafe means not safe.
- If safe means not in danger, what does unsafe mean?
Answer: not safe
We are using the prefix 'un-.' The prefix 'un-' means 'not.' So 'unsafe' means 'not safe.'
- If you tell a story again, you retell it. What does retell mean?
Answer: tell again
This tests prefix meanings. The prefix 're-' means again. Retell means to tell a story again.
- If you read a page again, you ____ it.
Answer: reread
This is about the prefix 're-.' The prefix 're-' means 'again.' When you reread, you read again.
- If happy means feeling good, what does unhappy mean?
Answer: not happy
This tests CCSS.L.2.4.b (determining the meaning of a new word formed when a known prefix is added to a known word). A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word that changes its meaning. Common grade 2 prefixes: (1) UN- means "not" or "opposite" (unhappy = not happy, unsafe = not safe, unlock = opposite of lock/remove lock, untie = opposite of tie), (2) RE- means "again" (reread = read again, retell = tell again, redo = do again, rebuild = build again), (3) PRE- means "before" (preview = view before, preheat = heat before, preschool = before regular school), (4) MIS- means "wrong" or "incorrectly" (misspell = spell wrong, misbehave = behave wrong, misplace = place wrong). When you know what a prefix means and what the base word means, you can figure out what the new word means by combining them: prefix meaning + base word meaning = new word meaning. This helps you understand many new words without looking them up. Choice B is correct because it combines the prefix meaning un- = not with the base word meaning happy = feeling good to get unhappy = not feeling good. The prefix un- added to happy changes the meaning to not happy, following the predictable pattern for this prefix. Choice A shows thinking un- means "very" instead of "not." Second graders often think un- means "very" instead of "not," forget that re- means "again," ignore the prefix and just use base word meaning, confuse which prefix means what, think unhappy means "very happy," think reread means just "read" without the "again," reverse prefix meanings (unlock = to lock). To help students: Create prefix meaning chart: UN- = not/opposite (unhappy, unsafe, unfair, unlock, untie, unwrap), RE- = again (reread, retell, redo, rewrite, rebuild, replay), PRE- = before (preview, preheat, pretest, preschool), MIS- = wrong (misspell, misbehave, misplace, misunderstand). Teach the formula: PREFIX meaning + BASE WORD meaning = NEW WORD meaning. Example: un- (not) + happy (feeling good) = unhappy (not feeling good).
- I made a mistake, so I will redo it. What does redo mean?
Answer: do it again
This tests prefix meanings. The prefix 're-' means 'again.' Redo means to do it again.
- If you fill your cup again, you refill it. What does refill mean?
Answer: fill again
This tests prefix meanings. The prefix 're-' means 'again.' Refill means to fill again.
- Mia read a story to her class, and then she retold it to her little brother that night. What does retell mean?
Answer: tell again
Retell means to tell again, which is what Mia did when she told the story a second time to her brother. Not tell is the opposite of telling. Tell first would mean the first time, but retell is a later time. Tell quietly is about volume, not telling again. The prefix re- means again, so retell means tell again.
- If happy means feeling good, what does unhappy mean?
Answer: not happy
This tests CCSS.L.2.4.b (determining the meaning of a new word formed when a known prefix is added to a known word). A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word that changes its meaning. Common grade 2 prefixes: (1) UN- means "not" or "opposite" (unhappy = not happy, unsafe = not safe, unlock = opposite of lock/remove lock, untie = opposite of tie), (2) RE- means "again" (reread = read again, retell = tell again, redo = do again, rebuild = build again), (3) PRE- means "before" (preview = view before, preheat = heat before, preschool = before regular school), (4) MIS- means "wrong" or "incorrectly" (misspell = spell wrong, misbehave = behave wrong, misplace = place wrong). When you know what a prefix means and what the base word means, you can figure out what the new word means by combining them: prefix meaning + base word meaning = new word meaning. This helps you understand many new words without looking them up. Choice B is correct because it combines the prefix meaning un- = not with the base word meaning happy = feeling good to get unhappy = not feeling good. The prefix un- added to happy changes the meaning to not happy, following the predictable pattern for this prefix. Choice C shows thinking un- means "very" instead of "not." Second graders often think un- means "very" instead of "not," forget that re- means "again," ignore the prefix and just use base word meaning, confuse which prefix means what, think unhappy means "very happy," think reread means just "read" without the "again," reverse prefix meanings (unlock = to lock). To help students: Create prefix meaning chart: UN- = not/opposite (unhappy, unsafe, unfair, unlock, untie, unwrap), RE- = again (reread, retell, redo, rewrite, rebuild, replay), PRE- = before (preview, preheat, pretest, preschool), MIS- = wrong (misspell, misbehave, misplace, misunderstand). Teach the formula: PREFIX meaning + BASE WORD meaning = NEW WORD meaning.
- Keisha was kind, but her words were unkind. What does unkind mean?
Answer: not kind
This tests prefix meanings. The prefix 'un-' means 'not.' Unkind means not kind.
- What does the prefix re- mean in the word redo?
Answer: again
We're finding what a prefix means. The prefix 're-' means 'again.' Redo means do again.
- If you read a page again, you re___ it. What word fits?
Answer: reread
This tests prefixes. The prefix 're-' means to do something again. When you reread, you read again.
- What does the prefix mis- mean in the word misspell?
Answer: wrong
The prefix mis- means wrong, so misspell means to spell wrong. Again would be the prefix re-. Before would be the prefix pre-. Not would be the prefix un-. Mis- means wrong or badly, so misspell means to spell it wrong.
- If you read a page again, you ___ it.
Answer: reread
This is about the prefix 're-.' The prefix 're-' means 'again.' When you reread, you read again.
- How does the prefix un- change the meaning of kind?
Answer: not kind
We're learning how prefixes change words. The prefix 'un-' means 'not.' So 'unkind' means 'not kind.'
- Keisha was kind, but her words were unkind. What does unkind mean?
Answer: not kind
This tests prefix meanings. The prefix 'un-' means 'not.' Unkind means not kind.
- If happy means feeling good, what does unhappy mean?
Answer: not happy
Not happy is correct because the prefix un- means not, so unhappy means not feeling good. Happy again would need a prefix like re-, not un-. Very happy would need a word like extremely, not un-. A little bit happy is also not what un- means. The prefix un- reverses the meaning, so unhappy means not happy.
- Grace's cup was empty, so she filled it once, and then she refilled it a second time. What does refill mean?
Answer: fill again
Refill means to fill again, which is what Grace did when she filled her cup a second time. Empty it is the opposite of filling. Fill first would mean the first time, but refill is a later time. Fill halfway is about how much, not filling again. The prefix re- means again, so refill means fill again.
