Word Knowledge - Identifying Root Morphographs

Guided Practice

Identifying the morphographic structure of words is an important skill that helps you guess at the meaning of new words or words within a same-meaning family. To test your ability to break apart a word into its constituent parts, choose the word's correct constituents from the list of possible morphographs in the pull-down window for each item. You will receive feedback in the answer bar at the bottom of the page.

Parts of speech are abbreviated as "n" = noun and "adj" = adjective.

  1. Athesim(n)

    ath-e-ism: INCORRECT. Try again.

    a-the-ism: CORRECT: a-the-ism a- = against or not +THE- = god -ism = belief or philosophy, and noun ending

    athe-ism: INCORRECT. Try again.

  2. Atheist (n)

    ath-e-ist: INCORRECT. Try again.

    a-the-ist: CORRECT: a-the-ist a- = without or not, against +THE- = god -ist = agent/noun ending (a person)]n ending

    athe-ist: INCORRECT. Try again.

  3. Amoral (adj)

    a-mor-al: CORRECT: a-mor-al a- = without or not, against +MOR- = custom -al = adjective ending

    amor-al: INCORRECT. Try again.

    amo-ral: INCORRECT. Try again.

  4. Amorality(n)

    a-mor-al-ity: CORRECT: a-mor-al- ity a- = without or not, against +MOR- = custom -al- = adjective ending -ity = noun ending

    amor-al-ity: INCORRECT. Try again.

    amo-ral-ity: INCORRECT. Try again.

  5. Anomalous (adj)

    ano-mal-ous: INCORRECT. Try again.

    a-nom-alous: INCORRECT. Try again.

    an-om-alous: CORRECT: an-om-alous an- = without or not, against +OM- = the same -alous = adjective ending

  6. Anomaly (n)

    ano-mal-y: INCORRECT. Try again.

    a-nom-aly: INCORRECT. Try again.

    an-om-aly: CORRECT: an-om-aly an- = without or not, against +OM- = the same -aly = noun ending

  7. Anemic (adj)

    an-em-ic: CORRECT: an-em-ic an- = without or not, against +EM- = blood -ic = adjective ending

    a-nem-ic: INCORRECT. Try again.

    anem-ic: INCORRECT. Try again.

  8. Anemia (n)

    an-em-ia: CORRECT: an-em-ia an- = without or not, against +EM- = blood -ia = noun ending

    a-nem-ia: INCORRECT. Try again.

    an-emi-a: INCORRECT. Try again.

  9. Anecdotal (adj)

    an-ecdo-tal: INCORRECT. Try again.

    an-ecdot-al: CORRECT: an-ecdot-al an- = without or not, against +ECDOT- = given out or published -al = adjective ending

    an-ec-dotal: INCORRECT. Try again.

  10. Anecdote (n)

    an-ecdote: CORRECT: an-ecdote an- = without or not, against +ECDOTE = given out or published + noun ending

    an-ec-dote: INCORRECT. Try again.

    anec-dote: INCORRECT. Try again.

  11. Anonymous (adj)

    ano-nym-ous: INCORRECT. Try again.

    a-nonym-ous: INCORRECT. Try again.

    an-onym-ous: CORRECT: an-onym-ous an- = without or not, against +ONYM- = name -ous = adjective ending

  12. Anonymity (n)

    ano-nym-i-ty: INCORRECT. Try again.

    an-onym-ity: CORRECT: an-onym-ity an- = without or not, against +ONYM- = name -ity = noun ending

    ano-nym-ity: INCORRECT. Try again.

  13. Apathetic (adj)

    a-path-etic: CORRECT: a-path-etic a- = without +PATH- = emotion -etic = adjective ending.

    apa-thet-ic: INCORRECT. Try again.

    a-pa-thetic: INCORRECT. Try again.

  14. Apathy (n)

    a-path-y: CORRECT: a-path-y a- = without +PATH- = emotion -y = noun ending

    apa-thy: INCORRECT. Try again.

    a-pathy: INCORRECT. Try again.

  15. Ambiguous (adj)

    am-big-uous: INCORRECT. Try again.

    ambi-gu-ous: CORRECT: ambi-gu-ous ambi- = both +(A)Gu- = act or do/drive -ous = adjective ending

    a-mbig-u-ous: INCORRECT. Try again.

  16. Ambiguity (n)

    am-big-u-ity: INCORRECT. Try again.

    a-mbig-u-ity: INCORRECT. Try again.

    ambi-gu-ity: CORRECT: ambi-gu-ity ambi- = both +(A)Gu- = act or do/drive -ity = noun ending

  17. Ambivalent (adj)

    am-bivalent: INCORRECT. Try again.

    ambi-valent: CORRECT: ambi-valent ambi- = both or two +VALENT- = to be strong, vigorous feelings + -ent /adjective ending

    a-mbi-val-ent: INCORRECT. Try again.

  18. Ambivalence (n)

    am-bivalen-ce: INCORRECT. Try again.

    ambi-valen-ce: CORRECT: ambi-valen-ce ambi- = both or two +VALENT- = to be strong, vigorous feelings + -(en)ce = noun ending

    a-mbi-val-ence: INCORRECT. Try again.

  19. Centennial (n)

    cent-enn-ial: CORRECT: cent-enn-ial CENT- = hundred +enn = year -ial = noun ending

    cen-ten-nial: INCORRECT. Try again.

    centen-nial: INCORRECT. Try again.

  20. Century (n)

    cent-ury: CORRECT: cent-ury CENT- = hundred -ury = noun ending

    cen-tury: INCORRECT. Try again.

    cen-tur-y: INCORRECT. Try again.

  21. Antagonism (n)

    an-tagon-ism: INCORRECT. Try again.

    a-ntag-on-ism: INCORRECT. Try again.

    ant-agon-ism: CORRECT: ant-agon-ism ant(i)- = against +AGON- = to struggle -ism = noun ending

  22. Antagonist (n)

    an-tagon-ist: INCORRECT. Try again.

    ant-agon-is: CORRECT: ant-agon-ist ant(i)- = against +AGON- = to struggle -ist = noun ending (agent or person)

    a-ntag-on-ist: INCORRECT. Try again.

  23. Anarchy (n)

    an-arch-y: CORRECT: an-arch-y an- = without or not, against +ARCH- = ruler or leader -y = noun ending

    a-nar-ch-y: INCORRECT. Try again.

    an-ar-ch-y: INCORRECT. Try again.

  24. Monarchy (n)

    mo-nar-ch-y: INCORRECT. Try again.

    mon-ar-ch-y: INCORRECT. Try again.

    mon-arch-y: CORRECT: mon-arch-y mon(o)- = one +ARCH- = ruler or leader -y = noun ending

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