Use the prefixes pre-, re- and mis-

Key notes:

What are Prefixes?

A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. Understanding prefixes can help you figure out the meaning of new words!

Today, we’ll learn about three common prefixes: pre-, re-, and mis-.

Prefix: pre-

The prefix pre- means before.

Word List:	Examples:
preheat	We need to preheat the oven before baking cookies. (Heat before baking)
preview	Let’s watch the preview of the movie. (View before the movie)
prepay	You can prepay for your order online. (Pay before receiving it)
preschool	My little brother goes to preschool. (School before regular school)

Prefix: re-

The prefix re- means again or back.

Word List:	Examples:
rewrite	Please rewrite your essay. (Write again)
replay	Let’s replay the best part of the game. (Play again)
return	You can return the shoes if they don’t fit. (Go back)
rebuild	They had to rebuild the house after the storm. (Build again)

Prefix: mis-

The prefix mis- means wrongly or badly.

Word List:	Examples:
misunderstand	I misunderstand the question. (Understand wrongly)
misbehave	Don’t misbehave in class! (Behave badly)
misspell	I always misspell the word separate. (Spell wrongly)
misplace	I often misplace my keys. (Place wrongly)

Practice Time!

Instructions: Fill in the blank with the correct word using pre-, re-, or mis-:

1. I need to __________ my homework because it’s messy. (write)
2. Please __________ the oven to 350 degrees. (heat)
3. I hope I don’t __________ the instructions. (understand)
4. Can we __________ the game? (play)
5. I __________ my glasses and can’t find them. (placed)

Answer Key:

1. rewrite
2. preheat
3. misunderstand
4. replay
5. misplaced

Summary

Today, you learned about the prefixes pre-, re-, and mis-. Remember, prefixes change the meaning of words. Knowing prefixes can help you understand new words you encounter while reading!

Let’s practice!