Grade 6 Primary English Affixes – Opposites Of Words With Affixes Notes
Affixes — Opposites of Words (Primary English, Age 11)
An affix is a small part added to a word to change its meaning. When we add some affixes we make the opposite of a word. This note looks at common prefixes and one suffix that make opposites.
Common affixes that make opposites
- un- — means "not" or the opposite. (happy → unhappy)
- in- / im- / il- / ir- — all forms of the prefix in-. They mean "not" or "opposite". The form changes to fit the first letter of the root:
- im- before b, p, m (possible → impossible)
- il- before l (legal → illegal)
- ir- before r (regular → irregular)
- dis- — often means the opposite or "not" especially with verbs and some adjectives (agree → disagree)
- non- — means "not" or "without" (fiction → nonfiction)
- mis- — often means "wrong" or "badly" (behave → misbehave). This does not always give the opposite.
- -less (suffix) — added to nouns or adjectives to mean "without" (hope → hopeless)
Examples (base → opposite)
happy → unhappy
meaning: not happy
sentence: She felt unhappy about the lost book.
meaning: not happy
sentence: She felt unhappy about the lost book.
possible → impossible
meaning: not possible
sentence: It was impossible to finish in five minutes.
meaning: not possible
sentence: It was impossible to finish in five minutes.
legal → illegal
meaning: not legal
sentence: Stealing is illegal.
meaning: not legal
sentence: Stealing is illegal.
agree → disagree
meaning: have the opposite opinion
sentence: I disagree with that idea.
meaning: have the opposite opinion
sentence: I disagree with that idea.
fiction → nonfiction
meaning: not fiction (real facts)
sentence: This book is nonfiction.
meaning: not fiction (real facts)
sentence: This book is nonfiction.
hope → hopeless
meaning: without hope
sentence: Their situation looked hopeless.
meaning: without hope
sentence: Their situation looked hopeless.
Spelling tips
- Most prefixes are added without changing the root: kind → unkind.
- The prefix in- changes to im-, il-, or ir- to make the word easier to pronounce: possible → impossible; legible → illegible; regular → irregular.
- The suffix -less is added directly: use → useless; hope → hopeless.
- Some prefixes like mis- mean "wrong" not always the exact opposite. Check the meaning in a dictionary if unsure.
Quick practice
- Add a prefix to make the opposite: tidy → _______
- Choose the correct form of in-: polite → _______ (use il-/im-/ir- if needed)
- Fill in the blank with a word using a negative affix: He was ________ (able).
- Change to opposite using a prefix: honest → _______
- Use suffix -less: power → _______
Answers
- untidy
- impolite (im- before p)
- unable
- dishonest
- powerless
Final tip: When you see a word with an extra small part at the start or end, ask: "Does this change the meaning to 'not' or 'without'?" If yes, it is probably a negative affix forming an opposite.
➖ ➕ = Opposite