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Negative Prefixes

The document discusses English negative prefixes that are used to form the opposite of affirmative statements. It provides examples of common negative prefixes like un-, dis-, in- and how they are used to change adjectives, verbs and nouns to their negative forms. It also notes exceptions and words where the prefix does not indicate a negative meaning.

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51 views3 pages

Negative Prefixes

The document discusses English negative prefixes that are used to form the opposite of affirmative statements. It provides examples of common negative prefixes like un-, dis-, in- and how they are used to change adjectives, verbs and nouns to their negative forms. It also notes exceptions and words where the prefix does not indicate a negative meaning.

Uploaded by

Sima Sun
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Milky Way School Developing Vocabulary

Negative prefixes
Negative statements are the opposite of affirmative statements. In English, one way to make
negative statements is by adding negative prefixes to nouns, adjectives, and verbs. Here are
some English negative prefixes: a–, dis–, il–, im–, in-, ir–, non–, un–.
For example, the prefix un- can be attached to the adjective happy to create the
negative adjective unhappy. Or you can use the negative adverb not. Note that
there is no difference in meaning between these two forms.

affirmative negative

negative prefix not

Tom is happy. Tom is unhappy. Tom is not happy.

Words that take a– as a negative prefix always begin with a consonant.

affirmative negative

political apolitical
sexual asexual
theist atheist
Words that take dis– as a negative prefix may begin with a vowel or a consonant.

affirmative negative

agree disagree
comfort discomfort
mount dismount
orient disorient
Words that take il– as a negative prefix always begin with the letter l.

affirmative negative

legal illegal
legible illegible
literate illiterate
logical illogical
Words that take im– as a negative prefix always begin with the letter m or p.

pg. 1
Milky Way School Developing Vocabulary

affirmative negative

mobile immobile
moral immoral
perfect imperfect
possible impossible
Words that take in– as a negative prefix can begin with a vowel (except i or u) or a consonant.

affirmative negative

accurate inaccurate
eligible ineligible
organic inorganic
decent indecent
sane insane
Note: There are many words that begin with in– that are not words with a negative prefix.
For example:

word does not mean

incline not cline


indulge not dulge
insist not sist
invoke not voke
Words that take ir– as a negative prefix always begin with the letter r.

affirmative negative

rational irrational
reconcilable irreconcilable
regular irregular
resistible irresistible
Words that take non– as a negative prefix may begin with a vowel or a consonant.

affirmative negative

pg. 2
Milky Way School Developing Vocabulary

conformist nonconformist
essential nonessential
fiction nonfiction
sense nonsense
Words that take un– as a negative prefix may begin with a vowel or consonant.

affirmative negative

able unable
interesting uninteresting
usual unusual
comfortable uncomfortable
helpful unhelpful
prepared unprepared
Remember, not all words that appear to have a negative prefix are negative.

word does not mean

alike not like


discuss not cuss
universe not iverse
illuminate not luminate
important not portant
involve not volve
irrigate not rigate

pg. 3

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