Language Arts: SAT and ACT Vocabulary: High-Frequency Roots
Build vocabulary by analyzing common word roots, prefixes, and suffixes
Language Arts: SAT and ACT Vocabulary: High-Frequency Roots
Build vocabulary by analyzing common word roots, prefixes, and suffixes
Language Arts - Grade 9-12
- 1
The root bene means good or well. Based on this root, explain the meaning of the word beneficial in this sentence: Regular exercise is beneficial to both physical and mental health.
Look for the idea of something creating a good effect.
Beneficial means helpful or producing good results. In the sentence, regular exercise is good for physical and mental health. - 2
The root mal means bad or evil. Choose the best meaning of malicious: A. extremely careful, B. intending to cause harm, C. very generous, D. difficult to understand. Explain your choice.
The best meaning is B, intending to cause harm. The root mal suggests something bad, and malicious describes a person or action meant to hurt someone. - 3
The root cred means believe. Explain how the root helps you understand the meaning of incredible and credible.
The prefix in- can mean not, but it can also intensify a meaning in some words.
Credible means believable or trustworthy. Incredible means hard to believe, often because something is amazing or surprising. - 4
The root scrib or script means write. In your own words, explain the meaning of transcript and identify the root.
A transcript is a written or printed record of spoken words, grades, or events. The root is script, which means write. - 5
The root port means carry. Use this root to explain the meaning of portable and transport.
Think of a portable charger or transporting goods in a truck.
Portable means able to be carried. Transport means to carry or move something from one place to another. - 6
The root dict means speak or say. Explain the meaning of the word contradict in this sentence: The witness seemed to contradict his earlier statement.
Contradict means to say the opposite of something or to disagree with it. In the sentence, the witness said something that did not match his earlier statement. - 7
The root spect means look or see. Which word best means a careful look at something: inspection, spectacle, perspective, or spectator? Explain your answer.
Think about what happens when a building, car, or classroom is inspected.
Inspection means a careful look at something. The root spect means look, and an inspection involves examining something closely. - 8
The root aud means hear. Explain the meaning of audience and audible using the root.
An audience is a group of people who hear or watch a performance or speech. Audible means able to be heard. - 9
The root vid or vis means see. Based on this root, explain the meaning of revise in academic writing.
The prefix re- means again.
Revise means to look at something again in order to improve it. In academic writing, revising means reviewing and changing a draft to make it clearer and stronger. - 10
The root tract means pull or drag. Explain how this root connects to the meanings of attract and extract.
Attract means to pull something toward something else. Extract means to pull something out or remove it. - 11
The root rupt means break. Explain the meaning of interrupt and eruption using this root.
Both words involve something breaking into or breaking out of a normal pattern.
Interrupt means to break into a conversation, action, or event. An eruption is a breaking out, such as lava breaking out of a volcano. - 12
The root ject means throw. In the sentence The committee rejected the proposal, what does rejected mean? Explain how the root helps.
Rejected means refused or threw out as unacceptable. The root ject means throw, so rejected suggests that the committee threw the proposal aside figuratively. - 13
The root log means word, reason, or study. Explain the meaning of biology and logic using this root.
In school subjects, -logy often means the study of something.
Biology means the study of life, using log to mean study. Logic refers to reasoning, using log to connect to reason or organized thought. - 14
The root cede or ceed means go or yield. Use this root to explain the meanings of proceed and concede.
Proceed means to go forward or continue. Concede means to yield, admit, or give in to a point or argument.