Expand your IELTS Vocabulary with Word Roots Prefixes and Suffixes

In this tutorial, we discuss how to expand your IELTS Vocabulary by understanding word roots, prefixes and suffixes.

We look at:

* Four ways to help expand your IELTS vocabulary grammar structure.

* How to use IELTS exam tools rather than information to expand your vocabulary.

* How to recognize patterns in root words.

Hello and welcome to today’s IELTS Vocabulary expansion tutorial. Our primary focus is on understanding word roots, prefixes, and suffixes as a reliable method to expand vocabulary.

Additionally, we’ll provide practical examples within the context of climate change.

The English language is fundamentally influenced by various languages such as Latin, Germanic languages, Greek, and French.

Recognizing the patterns in these root words, prefixes, and suffixes can help you understand the meaning of new words, and even predict their meanings before consulting a dictionary. Let’s delve into these patterns:

Foreign Language Roots, Prefixes and Suffixes

* Latin Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes: Many English words have Latin roots. For instance, the Latin root ‘spec’ means ‘look’ or ‘see’. In the context of climate change, consider the word ‘inspector’. The prefix ‘in-‘ means ‘in’ or ‘into’, and the suffix ‘-or’ is used to denote a person who does something. Hence, an ‘inspector’ is a person who looks into things. Example: “The climate change inspector meticulously assessed the environmental impacts of the proposed factory.”

* Germanic Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes: Germanic roots, often found in common English words, typically give us words related to everyday life. For example, ‘work’ comes from the Old English ‘weorc’, a Germanic root. Add the suffix ‘-er’ (indicating a person who does something) and you get ‘worker’. Example: “Climate change workers tirelessly advocate for better environmental policies.”

* Greek Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes: The Greek root ‘therm’ means ‘heat’. The word ‘thermometer’ is derived from this root. ‘Thermo-‘ is the prefix meaning ‘heat’, and ‘-meter’ is a suffix indicating an instrument for measuring. Example: “The rising thermometer readings in the Arctic region reflect the severity of climate change.”

* French Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes: Many English words are borrowed from French. For example, ‘climate’ itself comes from the Old French ‘climat’, derived from the Latin ‘clima’. Example: “The climate of the Earth has undergone drastic changes in recent decades due to human activities.”

Other Methods to Expand Vocabulary Related to Root Words

* Synonym Exploration: Once you’re familiar with a root, explore its synonyms. For example, the Latin root ‘duce/duct’ means ‘lead’. Words like ‘introduce’, ‘reduce’, ‘conduct’ all have this root. Look for synonyms of these words to increase your vocabulary. Example: “The government introduced (implemented) several policies to reduce (diminish) the conduct (management) of industries contributing to climate change.”

* Utilizing a Thesaurus: Make use of a thesaurus to explore words with similar meanings. This will not only enrich your vocabulary but also offer you a comprehensive understanding of the usage of different words. Example: “Climate change is an urgent (pressing,