Unit 1

Vocabulary

Word Roots

Word root is the smallest meaningful unit that forms the main part of a word.

Generally, words grow from their roots.

For Example :

The root of the word ‘unable’ is able.

 From the root word ‘able’

Words such as enable (en + able),

Portable (port +able)

Disable(dis + able) ,etc can be formed.

The roots for many English words were borrowed from Greek & Latin.

Example:

Biology (Bio + logy)

Bio means life and logy means science of study.

Therefore, Biology is called Study of life

 These words have been derived from Greek words.

 Some root words can be independent words by themselves in English

 (bio, graph).

 Bio means life & graph means write.

 Knowing the meanings of the roots in English can help you understand the     meaning of new and unfamiliar words.

 For Example :

 Chrono refers to time & graph refers to writing or recording.

 Based on this, one can easily understand

 Chronograph means something to do with the recording of time.

 Exercises:

 1.Identify the roots of each of the following words

1.Genetic ( root word is gene)

2.Paragraph ( root word is para)

3.Predict (root word is dict)

4.Uncountable (root word is count)

5,Airport ( root word is port)

6.Dictator (root word is dict)

7.Admit ( root word is mit)

8.Photon (root word is Photo)

9.Telemetry ( root word is Tele)

2.Write down at least two words formed using each of the given roots. The meanings are given in brackets.

1.Phone (sound)

Telephone, Phonology

2.Pater ( father)

Paternal, Paternity

3.Voc (to call)

Vocabulary, invocation

4.Temp (time)

Temporal, Contemporary

5.Mono (one)

Monopoly, Monotony

6.Act ( to move or to do )

Activate, Proactivate

 7.Alter (other)

Alternate, Alteration

8.Aqua (water)

Aquatic, Aquarium

9.Multi (many)

Multitude, Multipurpose

10.Therm (heat)

Thermometer, Thermostat

 11.Cent (hundred)

 Century, Centenary

 12.Astra(star)

 Astronomy, Astrophysics.