| REFERENCE |
- With the meaning "not"
Prefixes are often used to give adjectives (and some verbs and nouns) a negative meaning.
| happy — unhappy |
like — dislike |
| possible — impossible |
legal — illegal |
| correct — incorrect |
regular — irregular |
un— is used with many different words, e.g. unfriendly, unable, unemployed, untidy (=in a mess)
im— is used before some words beginning with m or p, e.g. impolite, impatient
il— is used before some words beginning with L, e.g. illegible
ir— is only used before some words beginning with r, e.g. irresponsible
dis— is used before some adjectives, e.g. dishonest, and a few verbs, e.g. dislike, disagree
in— is used before a limited number of words, e.g. invisible (= cannot be seen)
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- Verb prefixes: un— and dis—
These prefixes have two meanings: (1) they can have a negative meaning (as above), but they can also (2) mean 'the opposite of an action' or 'to reverse an action'. This meaning is used with certain verbs.
• I locked the door when I left, but I lost the key, so I couldn't unlock it when I got back.
• I had to pack my suitcase very quickly, so when I unpacked at the hotel, my clothes looked terrible.
• The plane appeared in the sky, then suddenly disappeared behind a cloud.
• In the morning you get dressed; when you go to bed you get undressed.
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- Other verb prefixes with specific meanings
RE— = again
• My homework was terrible, so I had to redo it.
• The shop closed down but will reopen next month.
• I failed my exam but I can retake it next year.
OVER— = too much
• I think my boss is overdoing it at the moment. (= working too hard; also overwork)
• I went to bed very late and I overslept (= slept too long) this morning.
• The shop assistant overcharged me. (= asked me for too much money)
MIS— = badly or incorrectly
• I'm afraid I misunderstood what he said.
• Two of the students misread the first question.
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1. |
Write the opposite of these words using prefixes.
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2. |
Agree with these statements, using words which have the same meaning as the underlined phrases.
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0. |
A: He doesn't have a job, does he?
B: No, he is . |
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1. |
A: It's against the law, isn't it?
B: Oh yes, it is .
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2. |
A: His room is always in a mess, isn't it?
B: Yes, it is .
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3. |
A: He took off his clothes!
B: Yes, he is .
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4. |
A: This handwriting is impossible to read.
B: Yes, I know, it is .
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5. |
A: She can never wait for five minutes, can she?
B: No, she is really .
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6. |
A: I thought she was rude, didn't you?
B: Yes, she was so .
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3. |
Complete the negative verbs in these sentences. Put them in the correct tense.
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1. |
I'm sorry, I mis her message completely.
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2. |
We un as soon as we got to the hotel, then went out for a walk.
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3. |
She was here a minute ago, but then she dis I don't know where she is.
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4. |
We have similar opinions but I dis with him totally on the subject of drugs.
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5. |
My homework was so bad that I'll have to re it.
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6. |
Apparently her alarm clock didn't ring and she over.
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7. |
She finally managed to un the door and we were able to go inside.
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8. |
I dis the film, but the others enjoyed it.
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9. |
I don't think I'll pass the exam, but I can re it in September.
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10. |
The post office shuts for lunch but it should re at 2.00 p.m.
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11. |
She's over at the moment. She really needs a complete break from her job.
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12. |
My sister wrapped up my present so well that it took me five minutes to un it.
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