Year 1 English: Adding the prefix un-
Part of the Year 1 English adding endings chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Adding the prefix un-
A prefix is a few letters added to the front of a word. The prefix un- often means not. Happy means glad. Unhappy means not glad. Some un- words are opposites: lock, then unlock to open it.
Key ideas
- A prefix goes at the front of a word.
- un- often means not: happy → unhappy.
- un- can mean the opposite: lock → unlock.
- The root word does not change.
Key words. A prefix is a few letters added to the front of a word. un- is a prefix.
Method. Put un- at the front of the root word.
- Find the root word. Start with the word we already know.happy
- Add un- to the front. un- often means not, or the opposite of the word.un + happy = unhappy
- Write the answer. unhappy
Check. Take the front part off to check: unhappy becomes happy. ✓
Watch out. The prefix goes at the front. Write unhappy, not happyun.
Key words. A prefix is a few letters added to the front of a word. un- is a prefix.
Method. Put un- at the front of the root word.
- Find the root word. Start with the word we already know.lock
- Add un- to the front. un- often means not, or the opposite of the word.un + lock = unlock
- Write the answer. unlock
Check. Take the front part off to check: unlock becomes lock. ✓
Watch out. The prefix goes at the front. Write unlock, not lockun.
Key words. A prefix is a few letters added to the front of a word. un- is a prefix.
Method. Put un- at the front of the root word.
- Find the root word. Start with the word we already know.kind
- Add un- to the front. un- often means not, or the opposite of the word.un + kind = unkind
- Write the answer. unkind
Check. Take the front part off to check: unkind becomes kind. ✓
Watch out. The prefix goes at the front. Write unkind, not kindun.
Watch out
Watch out: the prefix goes at the front of the word. Write unkind, not kindun. Do not write un and happy as two words.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Use a happy face and a sad face, or a locked and unlocked padlock. Ask: “What does un- mean here?” Read the root word first, then add un- to the front.
Exercise 5D The prefix un-
Key words. A prefix is a few letters added to the front of a word. un- is a prefix.
Method. Put un- at the front of the root word.
- Find the root word. Start with the word we already know.happy
- Add un- to the front. un- often means not, or the opposite of the word.un + happy = unhappy
- Write the answer. unhappy
Check. Take the front part off to check: unhappy becomes happy. ✓
Watch out. The prefix goes at the front. Write unhappy, not happyun.
Method. Look at the face. A smile means happy.
- Look at the face. A big smile shows happy.smile
- Choose the word. The word for a smiling face is happy, with no prefix.happy
- Write the answer. happy
Check. A happy face has no un- at the front. ✓
Watch out. If there is no un- at the front, it is not an un- word.
Key words. A prefix is a few letters added to the front of a word. un- is a prefix.
Method. Put un- at the front of the root word.
- Find the root word. Start with the word we already know.lock
- Add un- to the front. un- often means not, or the opposite of the word.un + lock = unlock
- Write the answer. unlock
Check. Take the front part off to check: unlock becomes lock. ✓
Watch out. The prefix goes at the front. Write unlock, not lockun.
Key words. A prefix is a few letters added to the front of a word. un- is a prefix.
Method. Put un- at the front of the root word.
- Find the root word. Start with the word we already know.fair
- Add un- to the front. un- often means not, or the opposite of the word.un + fair = unfair
- Write the answer. unfair
Check. Take the front part off to check: unfair becomes fair. ✓
Watch out. The prefix goes at the front. Write unfair, not fairun.
Key words. A prefix is a few letters added to the front of a word. un- is a prefix.
Method. Put un- at the front of the root word.
- Find the root word. Start with the word we already know.safe
- Add un- to the front. un- often means not, or the opposite of the word.un + safe = unsafe
- Write the answer. unsafe
Check. Take the front part off to check: unsafe becomes safe. ✓
Watch out. The prefix goes at the front. Write unsafe, not safeun.
Key words. A prefix is a few letters added to the front of a word. un- is a prefix.
Method. Put un- at the front of the root word.
- Find the root word. Start with the word we already know.tidy
- Add un- to the front. un- often means not, or the opposite of the word.un + tidy = untidy
- Write the answer. untidy
Check. Take the front part off to check: untidy becomes tidy. ✓
Watch out. The prefix goes at the front. Write untidy, not tidyun.
Key words. A prefix is a few letters added to the front of a word. un- is a prefix.
Method. Put un- at the front of the root word.
- Find the root word. Start with the word we already know.wrap
- Add un- to the front. un- often means not, or the opposite of the word.un + wrap = unwrap
- Write the answer. unwrap
Check. Take the front part off to check: unwrap becomes wrap. ✓
Watch out. The prefix goes at the front. Write unwrap, not wrapun.
Key words. A prefix is a few letters added to the front of a word. un- is a prefix.
Method. Put un- at the front of the root word.
- Find the root word. Start with the word we already know.zip
- Add un- to the front. un- often means not, or the opposite of the word.un + zip = unzip
- Write the answer. unzip
Check. Take the front part off to check: unzip becomes zip. ✓
Watch out. The prefix goes at the front. Write unzip, not zipun.
Key words. A prefix is a few letters added to the front of a word. un- is a prefix.
Method. Put un- at the front of the root word.
- Find the root word. Start with the word we already know.happy
- Add un- to the front. un- often means not, or the opposite of the word.un + happy = unhappy
- Write the answer. unhappy
Check. Take the front part off to check: unhappy becomes happy. ✓
Watch out. The prefix goes at the front. Write unhappy, not happyun.
Key words. A prefix is a few letters added to the front of a word. un- is a prefix.
Method. Put un- at the front of the root word.
- Find the root word. Start with the word we already know.kind
- Add un- to the front. un- often means not, or the opposite of the word.un + kind = unkind
- Write the answer. unkind
Check. Take the front part off to check: unkind becomes kind. ✓
Watch out. The prefix goes at the front. Write unkind, not kindun.
Key words. A prefix is a few letters added to the front of a word. un- is a prefix.
Method. Put un- at the front of the root word.
- Find the root word. Start with the word we already know.tidy
- Add un- to the front. un- often means not, or the opposite of the word.un + tidy = untidy
- Write the answer. untidy
Check. Take the front part off to check: untidy becomes tidy. ✓
Watch out. The prefix goes at the front. Write untidy, not tidyun.
Method. Look at each word. The prefix un- is at the front.
- Look at the first word. Does it start with un-?happy: no
- Look at the second word. unkind starts with un-.unkind: yes
- Look at the third word. kind has no un- at the front.kind: no
- Write the answer. unkind
Check. Take the front part off unkind: kind. ✓
Watch out. Look at the front of each word.
Method. Think about what un- means.
- Read the root word. happy means glad.happy = glad
- Think about un-. un- means not. It does not mean very very.un- = not
- Put it together. unhappy means not glad.unhappy = not happy
- Write the answer. No. Unhappy means not happy, not very happy.
Check. A happy face is glad. An unhappy face is not glad. ✓
Watch out. The prefix changes the meaning to the opposite.
Method. Find the root word, then the prefix.
- Find the root word. The root word is safe.safe
- Add the prefix. un- goes at the front.un + safe = unsafe
- Write the answer. Unsafe means not safe.unsafe
Check. Take the front off unsafe: safe. ✓
Watch out. Write unsafe as one word.