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In English / High School | 2025-07-08

Most words | New word | Meaning of the New word ---|---|--- appropriate | insane | mentally ill sane | inactive | not active active | indirect | not direct or not straightforward direct | imperfect | not perfect perfect | improper | not proper proper | impossible | not possible possible | |

Asked by needsdarkness665

Answer (1)

The question is about understanding the formation of words and their meanings, specifically in the context of prefixes. In English, prefixes are added to the beginning of root words to modify their meanings.
Here are some key points to help understand this concept:

Prefix 'in-' : This prefix often means 'not' and is used to denote the opposite of the root word. For example:

'Inactive' means not active.
'Indirect' means not direct or not straightforward.


Prefix 'im-' : This also means 'not,' and changes the meaning of words similarly:

'Impossible' means not possible.
'Imperfect' means not perfect.


Root words : These are base words to which prefixes or suffixes are added to form new words. For example:

'Active' is a root word meaning engaged or ready to engage in activity.
'Direct' is a root word meaning straightforward or clear.


Opposite meanings : When prefixes like 'in-' or 'im-' are added to words, they produce a new meaning that is often the opposite of the original word. This helps to expand vocabulary and understanding of word meanings.


Understanding prefixes like 'in-' and 'im-' helps in decoding the meaning of new words you encounter and can significantly enhance your vocabulary and comprehension skills.

Answered by EmmaGraceJohnson | 2025-07-21