Word Structure
In addition to drawing on prior knowledge and using context clues, we also use our knowledge of word structure to aid us when reading. Word structure describes how words are formed and can be broken down into component parts.
A word, like 'disenchanted,' can be broken down into smaller parts. First, there is the root word 'enchant,' which you might know as meaning either 'to delight' or 'to put under a spell.' The prefix 'dis-' has a negative or opposite effect on a word, so the result is the opposite: neither enchanting nor delightful. Finally, the suffix or ending '-ed' changes the word to the past tense.
We can employ our knowledge of words and word parts to figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Here's another example: 'Ancient Greeks believed in a geocentric universe.' Take the word 'geocentric.' You might recognize the root 'geo-' from other words like 'geography', 'geology', and 'geode'. As you probably already know, 'geography' is both the charting of land and the class in school where you study maps.
In fact, the root 'geo-' comes from the Greek for 'earth description'.
'Geocentric' also contains another familiar root, 'centr,' which we've seen before in words like 'center,' 'central,' and even the baseball position 'centerfield.' So, we can infer 'geocentric' has something to do with the center of the earth or the earth being the center of something. Depending on the context of the sentence, we can likely figure out which definition is correct. Since the sentence discusses 'a geocentric universe,' we can assume that the ancient Greeks believed that the Earth was at the center of the universe.
In addition to drawing on prior knowledge and using context clues, we also use our knowledge of word structure to aid us when reading. Word structure describes how words are formed and can be broken down into component parts.
A word, like 'disenchanted,' can be broken down into smaller parts. First, there is the root word 'enchant,' which you might know as meaning either 'to delight' or 'to put under a spell.' The prefix 'dis-' has a negative or opposite effect on a word, so the result is the opposite: neither enchanting nor delightful. Finally, the suffix or ending '-ed' changes the word to the past tense.
We can employ our knowledge of words and word parts to figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Here's another example: 'Ancient Greeks believed in a geocentric universe.' Take the word 'geocentric.' You might recognize the root 'geo-' from other words like 'geography', 'geology', and 'geode'. As you probably already know, 'geography' is both the charting of land and the class in school where you study maps.
In fact, the root 'geo-' comes from the Greek for 'earth description'.
'Geocentric' also contains another familiar root, 'centr,' which we've seen before in words like 'center,' 'central,' and even the baseball position 'centerfield.' So, we can infer 'geocentric' has something to do with the center of the earth or the earth being the center of something. Depending on the context of the sentence, we can likely figure out which definition is correct. Since the sentence discusses 'a geocentric universe,' we can assume that the ancient Greeks believed that the Earth was at the center of the universe.