In English, prefixes are added to the beginning of words to change their meaning. The prefixes “un-“, “dis-“, “in-“, “im-“, and “non-” are commonly used to create negative meanings or show the opposite of something. Understanding these prefixes helps you understand a wide range of words.

Key Prefixes and Their Meanings

1. “Un-“: Not or the opposite of

The prefix “un-” is one of the most common prefixes in English and usually means “not” or “the opposite of.”

  • Example: Unhappy (not happy)
  • Example: Unable (not able)

2. “Dis-“: Not, opposite of, or away

The prefix “dis-” also gives a negative meaning, often showing the opposite or undoing of an action.

  • Example: Disagree (not agree)
  • Example: Dislike (not like)

3. “In-“: Not or the opposite of

“In-” is another prefix that means “not” or “the opposite of.” However, it can sometimes change to “im-” depending on the word it is added to.

  • Example: Invisible (not visible)
  • Example: Incorrect (not correct)

4. “Im-“: Not or the opposite of (used before some words starting with “p” or “m”)

“Im-” is a version of “in-” that is used when the root word starts with “p” or “m.”

  • Example: Impossible (not possible)
  • Example: Impolite (not polite)

5. “Non-“: Not or the absence of

The prefix “non-” is used to indicate the absence or lack of something.

  • Example: Nonsense (no sense)
  • Example: Nonstop (without stopping)

Tips and Tricks for Using Prefixes

  1. Learn the Meaning of the Root Word: Start by understanding the meaning of the word without the prefix. Then, add the prefix to see how the meaning changes.
  • Example: happy (feeling joy) → unhappy (not feeling joy)
  1. Use the Prefixes to Make Opposites: Many of these prefixes create the opposite meaning of the word.
  • Example: correct → incorrect, possible → impossible
  1. Be Aware of Exceptions: Not all words with these prefixes follow a strict rule. For instance, “inflammable” means something that can catch fire, even though “in-” usually means “not.”
  2. Remember the Spelling Change for “Im-“: When the root word starts with “p” or “m,” “in-” often changes to “im-” for easier pronunciation.
  • Example: patient → impatient

Common Examples of Words with “Un-“, “Dis-“, “In-“, “Im-“, and “Non-“

  • Un-: Unhappy, Unfair, Unkind
  • Dis-: Disagree, Dislike, Disappear
  • In-: Invisible, Incomplete, Inaccurate
  • Im-: Impossible, Impolite, Immature
  • Non-: Nonsense, Nonexistent, Nonstop

Easy Difficulty Questions

  1. What does the prefix “un-” mean?
  • Answer: Not or the opposite of.
  1. What does the prefix “dis-” mean?
  • Answer: Not or the opposite of.
  1. What does the word “unhappy” mean?
  • Answer: Not happy.
  1. Which word means “not agree”?
  • a) Disagree
  • b) Unagree
  • Answer: a
  1. What does the word “dislike” mean?
  • Answer: Not like.
  1. Which prefix means “not possible”?
  • a) Im-
  • b) Non-
  • Answer: a
  1. What does “nonstop” mean?
  • Answer: Without stopping.
  1. Which prefix should be added to “visible” to mean “not visible”?
  • a) Im-
  • b) In-
  • Answer: b
  1. What does “disappear” mean?
  • Answer: To go away or become invisible.
  1. What does “nonsense” mean?
    • Answer: Something that makes no sense.
  2. Which word means “not polite”?
    • a) Impolite
    • b) Nonpolite
    • Answer: a
  3. Which prefix should be added to “fair” to mean “not fair”?
    • a) Un-
    • b) Dis-
    • Answer: a
  4. What does “impossible” mean?
    • Answer: Not possible.
  5. What does “nonexistent” mean?
    • Answer: Not existing.
  6. Which word means “not complete”?
    • a) Incomplete
    • b) Noncomplete
    • Answer: a
  7. Which prefix should be added to “mature” to mean “not mature”?
    • a) Im-
    • b) In-
    • Answer: a
  8. What does “unfair” mean?
    • Answer: Not fair.
  9. What does “disobey” mean?
    • Answer: Not to follow rules or commands.
  10. Which word means “not patient”?
    • a) Impatient
    • b) Nonpatient
    • Answer: a
  11. What does “inactive” mean?
    • Answer: Not active.

Medium Difficulty Questions

  1. Choose the correct meaning of “unaware”:
  • a) Aware of something
  • b) Not aware of something
  • Answer: b
  1. Which prefix should be added to “legal” to mean “not legal”?
  • a) Im-
  • b) Il- (as an alternative prefix for words starting with “l”)
  • Answer: b
  1. What does “disorganised” mean?
  • Answer: Not organised.
  1. Which prefix should be added to “honest” to mean “not honest”?
  • a) In-
  • b) Dis-
  • Answer: a
  1. Choose the correct meaning of “nonviolent”:
  • a) Involving violence
  • b) Not involving violence
  • Answer: b
  1. What does “impolite” mean?
  • Answer: Not polite.
  1. Which word means “not accurate”?
  • a) Inaccurate
  • b) Nonaccurate
  • Answer: a
  1. Which prefix should be added to “complete” to mean “not complete”?
  • a) Im-
  • b) In-
  • Answer: b
  1. What does “misinform” mean (note: similar meaning to “disinform”)?
  • Answer: To give wrong information.
  1. Which word means “not believable”?
    • a) Incredible
    • b) Disbelievable
    • Answer: a
  2. Choose the correct prefix to add to “responsible” to mean “not responsible”:
    • a) Im-
    • b) Ir- (alternative for words starting with “r”)
    • Answer: b
  3. What does “unfit” mean?
    • Answer: Not suitable or not in good physical shape.
  4. Which prefix should be added to “trust” to mean “not trust”?
    • a) Dis-
    • b) Non-
    • Answer: a
  5. What does “invisible” mean?
    • Answer: Not able to be seen.
  6. Which word means “not capable”?
    • a) Incapable
    • b) Noncapable
    • Answer: a
  7. What does “unusual” mean?
    • Answer: Not usual or uncommon.
  8. Which prefix should be added to “dependent” to mean “not dependent”?
    • a) In-
    • b) Non-
    • Answer: b
  9. What does “discomfort” mean?
    • Answer: A feeling of not being comfortable.
  10. Which word means “not lucky”?
    • a) Unlucky
    • b) Dislucky
    • Answer: a
  11. What does “nonverbal” mean?
    • Answer: Not using words or speech.

High Difficulty Questions

  1. Choose the correct prefix to add to “logical” to mean “not logical”:
  • a) Il-
  • b) In-
  • Answer: a
  1. What does “irrelevant” mean?
  • Answer: Not related or not important.
  1. Which word means “not believable”?
  • a) Incredible
  • b) Noncredible
  • Answer: a
  1. Which prefix should be added to “

mobile” to mean “not mobile”?

  • a) Im-
  • b) In-
  • Answer: a
  1. What does “illogical” mean?
  • Answer: Not logical.
  1. Choose the correct word for this sentence: The information was incorrect and __.
  • a) Inaccurate
  • b) Unaccurate
  • Answer: a
  1. What does “disapproval” mean?
  • Answer: Not approving or disagreeing with something.
  1. Which prefix should be added to “capable” to mean “not capable”?
  • a) In-
  • b) Non-
  • Answer: a
  1. What does “nonexistent” mean?
  • Answer: Not existing.
  1. Choose the correct prefix for this sentence: The student was __ for the answer and gave the wrong information.
    • a) Unprepared
    • b) Inprepared
    • Answer: a
  2. Which prefix should be added to “convenient” to mean “not convenient”?
    • a) In-
    • b) Im-
    • Answer: a
  3. What does “insufficient” mean?
    • Answer: Not enough or not sufficient.
  4. Which word means “not visible”?
    • a) Invisible
    • b) Unvisible
    • Answer: a
  5. Choose the correct prefix for this sentence: The plan was __ and could not succeed.
    • a) Impossible
    • b) Inpossible
    • Answer: a
  6. What does “nonprofit” mean?
    • Answer: An organisation that does not make money for personal profit.
  7. What does “dishonest” mean?
    • Answer: Not honest.
  8. Which prefix should be added to “mortal” to mean “not mortal” (able to live forever)?
    • a) Immortal
    • b) Nonmortal
    • Answer: a
  9. What does “irresponsible” mean?
    • Answer: Not responsible.
  10. Which word means “not active”?
    • a) Inactive
    • b) Nonactive
    • Answer: a
  11. What does “unreliable” mean?
    • Answer: Not able to be trusted or relied upon.

By understanding how these prefixes work, you can easily understand and form new words, making your vocabulary stronger. Keep practising, and soon you’ll be able to use these words confidently in your writing and speech!