Spelling
it Rightprefix 3
Focus
words
illegible
illiterate
irrelevant
irrational
immature
imperfect
inadequate
incapable
indecent
inoffensive
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Another prefix meaning "not" or "the opposite of" is
in-.
However the spelling of this prefix often changes
to
match the first letter of the base word. This
sometimes
results in a double letter.
So, if we want to say
the opposite of legal we say
"illegal" instead of "inlegal"
(which would be awkward
to get your tongue around!).
The pattern
is like this:
*Use il- before words starting with
l.
So not legible = illegible.
*Use
ir- before words starting with r.
So not
relevant = irrelevant
*Use im- before words
starting with m but also in front
of words
starting with p.
So: not mature
= immature not perfect =
imperfect.
1. Fill in the gaps in the following table.
There are four
examples to get you started.
| not literate= |
illiterate |
not rational= |
irrational |
| not mobile = |
immobile |
not proper = |
improper |
| not legitimate= |
|
not regular= |
|
| not modest = |
|
not personal = |
|
| not mortal = |
|
not responsible |
|
| not possible = |
|
not logical = |
|
Use in- before any other letter. So:
not adequate =
inadequate
not capable = incapable
not decent =
indecent
not offensive = inoffensive
Click here for the
answers, here for a relevant Hangman Puzzle,
and here for an interactive quiz on these prefixes
2. Now memorize the focus words. |
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