At best the spelling of an English vocabulary is a difficult task. Many words we must learn to spell by "main strength." So many of our terms, however, are made up of simple parts that if we know something about these parts, we shall spell more accurately and misuse words less frequently. In studying the make-up of words it will be helpful to remember that the root of a word is its simplest form. To this simple form a prefix (something placed before) or a suffix (something placed after), or both, may be added. Thus rewritten is made up of the three parts - root, prefix, suffix. Write is the root; re, the prefix; and (t)en, the suffix. It should be noted that the prefix modifies the meaning, and the suffix often determines the part of speech.

Exercises

186. The following words are divided to show prefixes and suffixes. Explain the difference in meaning between the simple forms and the lengthened ones.

Prefixes

un-just un-do.

mis-calculate in-active.

il-legal im-patient ir-regular dis-satisfied.

sub-marine trans-Atlantic re-turn out-run.

fore-tell ante-room pro-noun ad-join.

Suffixes

employ-er employ-ee employ-ment circul-ar.

need-ful need-y need-less like-ness.

machin-ist machin-ery danger-ous final-ly.

civil-ize civil-ian civil-ity pli-able.

187. Make a list of other words having prefixes and suffixes like the above.

188. Copy the following words, and by using as many different prefixes as possible with the same roots, add to the list. The root is set off from the prefix by a hyphen.

at-tract im-pel.

re-flect sup-press.

bi-sect in-scribe.

sus-tain im-port.

pro-ceed pro-claim.

189. Copy the following words, and by using as many different suffixes as possible with the same roots, add to the list. The root is separated from the suffix by a hyphen.

art-ist.

toler-ate.

fool-ish.

coward.

reason.

compar-ing.

just-ify.

connect-ing.

aud-ible.

140. Make a list of words illustrating all suffixes used in conjugating verbs and in declining nouns and adjectives.

141. The following group of words shows how much can sometimes be done with one root by the help of prefixes and suffixes: active.

inactivity.

counteract reenact.

actively activity.

enact enactment.

Similarly, see how many forms can be made from the roots of credit, operate, right, equal, part, dentist. Use the dictionary.

11$. The following words suggest some of the contrasts in meaning made by the use of prefixes: forenoon, afternoon; export, import; inlet, outlet; except, accept. Mention others.

General Exercises

143. Make a list of all the words you have misspelled during the last month.

In preparing the list, look up in the dictionary every word about the spelling of which you have any doubt. Each pupil should add to this list the correct form of every word he misspells during the year.

144. Write out carefully ten times every one of the words which you have misspelled; write twenty times every word you have misspelled more than once.

145. (1) Look over all the writing you do before the next recitation, - whether it be a letter written at home or a school exercise in history, - to see whether your work includes any words which you do not know how to spell. Look up all such words and bring a list of them to the English recitation.

(2) Make a list of several common words used in connection with each of your studies.

146. Be prepared to spell, orally or in writing, any word in the first chapter of this book.

147. Write sentences containing the following words.

If you wish to exercise your ingenuity, perhaps you can combine the sentences of either I or II in a connected paragraph.

I

relieve.

till.

until.

precede proceed seize.

II

respectfully.

describe.

beginning.

accelerate.

accede.

exceed.

148. Be sure that you can spell all the words in the following lists, and use as many of them as you can conveniently in writing a theme on a subject suggested by one or more of them.

I

benefit.

chief.

custom.

decision.

different.

disappear.

disappoint.

exaggerate.

finally.

forfeit.

goddess.

grammar.

independent.

infinite.

intellectual.

II

judgment.

knight.

night.

led.

literary.

loose.

lose.

noticeable.

possess.

prejudice.

principal.

principle.

privilege.

profession.

promise.

III

prophecy.

prophesy.

rhythm.

sentence.

separate.

shepherd.

surprise.

their.

there.

to.

too.

village.

villain.

writer.

writing.

IV

Holmes.

Coleridge.

George Eliot.

Irving.

Goldsmith.

Shakespeare.

Addison.

Steele.

V

Tennyson Lowell Burke.

Jane Austen Macaulay Samuel Johnson Hawthorne Burns.

VI

Carlyle.

Wordsworth.

De Quincey.

Cooper.

Spenser.

Chaucer.

Shelley.

Thackeray.

149. Write the names of all the characters in the book you are now reading in class.

150. Spelling Match. Be prepared to spell any word in this chapter up to this point. Include the list prepared under the preceding exercise.