Vocabulary Building tips and Stories
Word Roots
| ROOT | MEANING | EXAMPLES |
| -ast(er)-(G) | star | asteroid, astronomy |
| -audi- (L) | hear | audible, audience |
| -auto- (G) | self | automatic, autopsy |
| -bene- (L) | good | benefit, benign |
| -bio- (G) | life | biography, biology |
| -chrono- (G) | time | chronic, synchronize |
| -dict- (L) | say | dictate, diction |
| -duc- (L) | lead, make | deduce, produce |
| -gen- (L) | give birth | gene, generate |
| -geo- (G) | earth | geography, geology |
| -graph- (G) | write | autograph, graph |
| -jur-, -jus- (L) | law | jury, justice |
| -log-, -logue- (L) | thought | logic, obloquy |
| -luc- (L) | light | lucid, translucent |
| -man(u)- (L) | hand | manual, manure |
| -mand-, -mend- (L) | order | demand, recommend |
| -mis-, -mit- (L) | send | missile, transmission |
| -omni- (L) | all | omnivorous |
| -path- (G) | feel | empathy, pathetic |
| -phil- (G) | love | philosophy, bibliophile |
| -phon- (G) | sound | phonics, telephone |
| -photo- (G) | light | photograph, photon |
| -port- (L) | carry | export, portable |
| -qui(t)- (L) | quiet, rest | acquit, tranquil |
| -scrib-, -script- (L) | write | ascribe, script |
| -sens-, -sent- (L) | feel | resent, sensitive |
| -tele- (G) | far off | telecast, telephone |
| -terr- (L) | earth | terrain, territory |
| -vac- (L) | empty | evacuate, vacate |
| -vid-, -vis- (L) | see | visible, video |
Common Prefixes
| Prefix | Meaning | Example |
| a-, an- | without | amoral |
| ante- | before | antecedent |
| anti- | against | anticlimax |
| auto- | self | autopilot |
| circum- | around | circumvent |
| co- | with | copilot |
| com-, con- | with | companion, contact |
| contra- | against | contradict |
| de- | off, away from | devalue |
| dis- | not | disappear |
| en- | put into | enclose |
| ex- | out of, former | extract, ex-president |
| extra- | beyond, more than | extracurricular |
| hetero- | different | heterosexual |
| homo- | same | homonym |
| hyper- | over, more | hyperactive |
| il-, im-, in-, ir- | not, without | illegal, immoral, inconsiderate, irresponsible |
| in- | into | insert |
| inter- | between | intersect |
| intra- | between | intravenous |
| macro- | large | macroeconomics |
| micro- | small | microscope |
| mono- | one | monocle |
| non- | not, without | nonentity |
| omni- | all, every | omniscient |
| post- | after | postmortem |
| pre-, pro- | before, forward | precede, project |
| sub- | under | submarine |
| syn- | same time | synchronize |
| trans- | across | transmit |
| tri- | three | tricycle |
| un- | not | unfinished |
| uni- | one | unicorn |
Common Suffixes
| Noun Suffixes | ||
| Suffix | Meaning | Example |
| -acy | state or quality | privacy |
| -al | act or process of | refusal |
| -ance, -ence | state or quality of | maintenance, eminence |
| -dom | place or state of being | freedom, kingdom |
| -er, -or | one who | trainer, protector |
| -ism | doctrine, belief | communism |
| -ist | one who | chemist |
| -ity, -ty | quality of | veracity |
| -ment | condition of | argument |
| -ness | state of being | heaviness |
| -ship | position held | fellowship |
| -sion, -tion | state of being | concession, transition |
| Verb Suffixes | ||
| -ate | become | eradicate |
| -en | become | enlighten |
| -ify, -fy | make or become | terrify |
| -ize, -ise | become | civilize |
| Adjective Suffixes | ||
| -able, -ible | capable of being | edible, presentable |
| -al | pertaining to | regional |
| -esque | reminiscent of | picturesque |
| -ful | notable for | fanciful |
| -ic, -ical | pertaining to | musical, mythic |
| -ious, -ous | characterized by | nutritious, portentous |
| -ish | having the quality of | fiendish |
| -ive | having the nature of | creative |
| -less | without | endless |
| -y | characterized by | sleazy |
Vocabulary-Building Story
A police officer stopped (1) a motorist who was (2) speeding down Main Street. "But officer," the man began, "I can explain."
"Just be quiet," (3) snapped the officer. "I'm going to let you (4) cool your heels in jail until (5) the chief gets back."
"But, officer, I just wanted to say..."
"And I said to keep quiet! You're going to jail!"
A few hours later the officer (6) looked in on his prisoner and said, "Lucky for you that the chief's at his daughter's (7) wedding . He'll be (8) in a good mood when he gets back."
"Don't (9) count on it ," answered the fellow in (10) the cell . "I'm (11) the groom."
New Words
(1) a driver
(2) going too fast
(3) said with anger
(4) have time to think
(5) the police chief, the top police officer
(6) stopped to see him
(7) she is getting married
(8) happy
(9) expect it
(10) a small room in a jail
(11) the man who is getting married
Lesson 7 - The Best Accountant
The Story
An accountant answered an advertisement for a job with a large firm. At the end of the interview the chairman said, "One last question-- what is three times seven?" The accountant thought for a minute and replied, "Twenty-two".
Outside he took his calculator and realized that he should have said twenty-one. He concluded that he had lost the job. A fortnight later, however, he was offered the post.
After a few weeks, he asked the chairman why he had been when he had given the wrong answer.
"You were the closest," the chairman replied.
Vocabulary Practice
Mark the best choice.
- An 'accountant' is a ......
- person who wants a job
- machine which adds, deletes, etc.
- person who keeps money records
- company manager
- 'Firm' here means ....
- strong person
- business company
- shop manager
- important decision
- A 'chairman' is a person who .....
- sells or buys chairs
- controls a meeting
- answers phone calls
- says the latest news
- A fortnight is ......
- one month
- one year
- twenty days
- two weeks
- 'Appoint' here means to ......
- interview someone
- choose a person for a job
- call a person to come
- let a person visit a place
6.
7. A young man was walking through a supermarket to pick up a few things when he noticed an old lady following him around. Thinking nothing of it, he ignored her and continued on. Finally, he went to the checkout line, but she got in front of him. "Pardon me," she said, "I'm sorry if my staring at you has made you feel uncomfortable. It's just that you look just like my son who just died recently." "I'm very sorry," replied the young man, "Is there anything I can do for you?" "Yes," she said. "As I'm leaving, can you say 'Goodbye mother'? It would make me feel much better." "Sure," answered the young man. As the old woman was leaving, he called out, "Goodbye mother!" As he stepped up to the checkout counter, he saw that his total was $127.50. "How can that be?" he asked, "I only purchased a few things!" "Your mother said that you would pay for her," said the clerk.
8.
9.
10. A woman accompanied her husband to the doctor's office. After his checkup , the doctor called the wife into his office alone. He told her, "Your husband is suffering from a very severe disease, combined with horrible stress . If you don't do the following , your husband will surely die...Each morning, fix him a healthy breakfast. Be pleasant , and make sure he is in a good mood . For lunch make him a nutritious meal. For dinner prepare an especially nice meal for him. Don't burden him with chores , as he probably had a hard day. Don't discuss your problems with him, it will only make his stress worse . And most importantly, make love with your husband several times a week and satisfy his every whim . If you can do this for the next 10 months to a year, I think your husband will regain his health completely." On the way home, the husband asked his wife. "What did the doctor say?" She replied, "You're going to die"!
11.
12.
13. A man dies and goes to Hell. The Devil meets him at the gates and says "There are three rooms here. You can choose which one you want to spend eternity in". The Devil takes him to the first room where there are people hanging from the walls by their wrists and obviously in agony. The Devil takes him to the second room where the people are being whipped with metal chains. The Devil then opens the third door, and the man looks inside and sees many people sitting around, up to their waists in garbage, drinking cups of tea. The man decides instantly which room he is going to spend eternity in and chooses the last room. He goes into the third room, picks up his cup of tea and the Devil walks back in saying "Ok, guys, tea break's over, back on your heads!"
14. During a busy holiday weekend, a woman who was eight months pregnant went to the railway station to return home to her husband. At the reservation counter, when her turn came, there was only one ticket left. Taking pity on a very old lady behind her in line, she offered her berth to the old lady and sent a telegram to her husband which arrived with a small error: "Shall be coming tomorrow, heavy rush in the train, gave birth to an old lady."
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