Prefix & Suffix

Make Synonyms and Antonyms for Class 4 English

In this chapter, synonyms and antonyms are explained to the students with definitions and examples. They will also learn how synonyms and antonyms will help develop their vocabulary.

In this learning concept, the students will learn the following:

• To make antonyms by using a prefix.
• To find antonyms and synonyms.

Each concept is explained to class 4 students using examples, illustrations, and concept maps. After you go through this chapter, assess your learning by solving the two printable worksheets at the page’s end.

Download the worksheets and check your answers with the worksheet solutions for the concept, Prefix and Suffix provided in PDF format.

What are Synonyms?

A Synonym is a word or phrase that has the same meaning as another word in the same language. ‘Syno’ means same, and ‘nym’ means name. If the meaning is not the same, the words have a very similar meaning in context.

Examples:

Close-Shut	Sofa-Couch

Why are Synonyms Important?

• Synonyms provide a variety of words that can be used in speech and writing. Also, when you are aware of synonyms, you avoid repetition of the word.

• Sometimes, there may be more than one meaning of a particular word. The meaning of the word can only be used according to the usage in the sentence.

Check the list of examples:

house, home, abode

Group of Synonyms
afraid, scared, frightened	car, vehicle, automobile
big, large, huge	blank, empty, hollow
bunny, rabbit, hare	cap, hat
center, middle, inside	sofa, couch
evil, bad, wicked	famous, well-known, popular
funny, silly	garbage, trash, waste
hide ,cover ,conceal	gloomy, sad, unhappy
afraid, scared, frightened	car, vehicle, automobile
happy, joyful, glad
ill, sick, unwell	idea thought
jog, run	listen, hear
little, small, tiny, mini	look, see, glance
mad, angry, furious	mother, mom, mama
neat, tidy, spotless	present, gift, reward
quick, fast, rapid, swift	quiet, silent
rest ,relax, calm	rock ,pebble ,stones
rug, carpet	sack, bag
sniff, smell,	strange, odd, weird

What are Antonyms?

• Antonyms are words that are opposite to a word in the same language.
• It originates from the Greek word ‘anti’, which stands for opposite, and ‘nym’ for the name.

Examples:

a) Hot – cold	b) Up-down

Check the other examples:

Pair of Antonyms
Add -subtract	After -before	Last – first
Above – below	Aware -asleep	Lost – found
Bad – good	Better – worse	On-off
Big -little	Clean – dirty	Less -More
Cold- hot	Dark – light	High -low
East-west	Even – odd	Rich -poor
False – true	Float – sink	Lost -found
In – out	Hard -soft	Fail-pass
Love-hate	Present – absent	Quick – slow
Polite -rude	Rough – smooth	Same – different
Sell - buy	Stop-go	White – black
Win -lose	Wet – dry	Young- old

Use Prefix to Create Antonyms

Prefix and suffix are the letters that are added to the main word to change the meaning of the main word. We use all different prefixes and suffixes in our daily speech and writing. For instance, Happy –unhappy, Finished –unfinished, and Lucky –unlucky.

Examples:

We can see that we added the prefix ‘un’ to the word friendly. The word ‘un’ means ‘not’; hence Shaman is not friendly to everyone

a) Rohan looks friendly;he shares his tiffin with everyone.	b) Shaman looks unfriendly; he is always rude to everyone.

Meaning of Prefixes

Prefix changes in the meaning of a word since some prefixes in the own meaning. Most of the prefixes change the words with the negative words.

Prefix	Meaning	Sample Words
dis-	Not, opposite of	Dislike
in, im	Not	Incorrect, impossible
mis	Incorrectly	Misunderstand
re	Again	Revision
un	Not	Interesting
under	Below, lower than	Underwater, underdeveloped

Use Suffix to Make Antonyms

A suffix is a group of letters added at the end of the word to change its meaning completely.

Examples:

• Present – presentable
• Advise -advisable
• Comfort – comfortable

Use Suffix to Make Synonyms:

A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word that changes the word’s meaning.

Examples:

Suffix	Meaning	Example
-an,-ian	One who is, or does related to.	Human, agrarian
-ant,-ent	Performing or being.	Important, independent.
-ish	Having the quality of	Selfish, Spanish, bookish.
-ion	Action or process.	Section, portion, region, location

Common Errors with Incorrect Prefixes and Suffixes:

1. Sometimes there could be confusion in using the correct prefix. Using incorrect or similar meaning prefixes to frame antonyms.

Examples:

The other team is so strong that ours is at unadvantage.

The other team is so strong that ours team is at a disadvantage.

2. There are times when incorrect usage of a suffix in a sentence.

Examples:

She is beautiness.

She is beautiful.