📚 Detailed Explanation of Words with “sub-“

The prefix “sub-“ means “under,” “below,” or “less than.” It is added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. When you see “sub-“ at the start of a word, it usually tells you something is under or beneath something else, or smaller or less than usual.

🔍 How “sub-“ is used to form words

Adding “sub-“ to a word can create new words that describe being under something, being lower in rank, or being a smaller part of a whole. This helps make the meaning clearer and more specific.

📝 Examples of words with “sub-“ for Year 6 students

  1. Submarine
    Meaning: A vehicle that goes under the sea.
    Sentence: The submarine dives deep under the ocean to explore sea creatures.
  2. Subway
    Meaning: A railway that runs under the ground.
    Sentence: We took the subway to school to avoid traffic above ground.
  3. Submerge
    Meaning: To put something completely under water or another liquid.
    Sentence: The frog can submerge under water to hide from predators.
  4. Subscript
    Meaning: A small letter or number written below the normal line of text.
    Sentence: In the chemical formula H₂O, the tiny “2” is a subscript.
  5. Subway
    Meaning: A path or tunnel beneath the ground for people or vehicles.
    Sentence: We walked through the subway to cross the busy street safely.

These words show how the prefix “sub-“ helps us understand that something is under, below, or a smaller part of something else. Try to look out for the prefix “sub-“ in reading, and see if you can guess the meaning! 🌟

🧠 20 Examination-style Questions with Answers on Words with ‘sub-‘

  1. Question: What does the prefix “sub-“ mean in the word “submarine”?
    Answer: “Sub-“ means “under” or “below,” so a submarine is a vehicle that goes under the water.
  2. Question: Spell the word that means “a person who works under the main boss.”
    Answer: Subordinate.
  3. Question: Choose the correct word to complete the sentence:
    The explorers travelled in a _______ to explore underwater.
    a) subway
    b) submarine
    c) suburb
    Answer: b) submarine.
  4. Question: True or False: “Subzero” means something is above zero degrees.
    Answer: False. “Subzero” means below zero degrees.
  5. Question: Fill in the blank: A ________ is a part of a city that is outside the main area.
    Answer: suburb.
  6. Question: Which word means “to replace or take the place of”?
    a) Submerge
    b) Substitute
    c) Subtract
    Answer: b) Substitute.
  7. Question: What does the word “submerge” mean?
    Answer: To put something completely under water.
  8. Question: Write a sentence using the word “subway.”
    Answer: Example: I took the subway to school today.
  9. Question: What is the prefix in the word “subtraction,” and what does it mean?
    Answer: The prefix is “sub-“ and it means “under” or “below.”
  10. Question: Which word means “below the surface”?
    a) Substandard
    b) Subterranean
    c) Submit
    Answer: b) Subterranean.
  11. Question: Is the word “submarine” a noun or an adjective?
    Answer: A noun.
  12. Question: What does “substandard” mean?
    Answer: Below the usual or required standard.
  13. Question: Complete the sentence with a word starting with “sub-“:
    The repair kit was only a _________ option because the original part was unavailable.
    Answer: substitute.
  14. Question: Match the word to its meaning:
    a) Subtract
    b) Submerge
    c) Subside
    Meanings: 1) To go down or become less; 2) To take away; 3) To put under water.
    Answer: a-2, b-3, c-1.
  15. Question: What does the prefix “sub-“ tell you about the meaning of the word “subway”?
    Answer: It means the railway is under the ground.
  16. Question: Spell the word that means “to become less strong or intense.”
    Answer: Subside.
  17. Question: Which of the following uses “sub-“ correctly?
    a) The submarine flew through the sky.
    b) The subway runs beneath the city.
    Answer: b) The subway runs beneath the city.
  18. Question: Write a word with the prefix “sub-“ that means to “take away.”
    Answer: Subtract.
  19. Question: Explain the meaning of “subheading.”
    Answer: A subheading is a smaller heading under the main title, showing a new section.
  20. Question: True or False: “Submerge” means to come out of water.
    Answer: False. It means to go under water.