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Primary English · Year 3Chapter 2 · Prefixes and suffixes
Year 3 English · Prefixes and suffixes · Lesson 2.3

Year 3 English: Prefixes sub-, inter-, super-, anti- and auto-

Part of the Year 3 English prefixes and suffixes chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page

2.3

Prefixes sub-, inter-, super-, anti- and auto-

Year 3
Spell words with the prefixes sub-, inter-, super-, anti- and auto-, Form nouns with super-, anti- and auto-
Story. Ben and his cousin visit the science museum. They watch a submarine on a screen, and a guide tells them about an international team. “Look at that automatic door,” says Ben.

The prefix sub- means under, as in submarine. The prefix inter- means between or among, as in interact. The prefix super- means above or beyond, as in superhero.

The prefix anti- means against or opposite, as in anticlockwise. The prefix auto- means self, as in automatic, which works by itself.

Some of these prefixes make nouns, such as superhero, supermarket and autograph.

PrefixWhat it meansExample
sub-undersubmarine, subtitle
inter-between or amonginteract, international
super-above or beyondsuperhero, supermarket
anti-against or oppositeanticlockwise, antiseptic
auto-selfautomatic, autograph
Five prefixes and what each one means.

Key ideas

  • Sub- means under: a submarine goes under the water.
  • Inter- means between: to interact is to act between people.
  • Super- means above or beyond: a superhero is above ordinary people.
  • Anti- means against or opposite; auto- means self.
Worked example 2.3.1
Write the word that means: a ship that can travel under the sea.

Method. Match the meaning to the word, then check its spelling.

  1. Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.
    a ship that can travel under the sea
  2. Find the word that matches. Think of the one word with this meaning.
    submarine
  3. Check the spelling. Sub- means under: a submarine goes under the water.
    Tricky part: sub
  4. Write the answer.
    submarine

Check. Read submarine and check each letter against the word. ✓

Watch out. Sub- means under: a submarine goes under the water.

Worked example 2.3.2
Write the missing word: We bought bread and milk at the  .

Method. Think what the sentence means, then choose the word that fits the gap and its spelling.

  1. Read the sentence with the gap. Think what the sentence means.
    We bought bread and milk at the ___.
  2. Find the word that fits the meaning. a large shop that sells food and other goods
    supermarket
  3. Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.
    We bought bread and milk at the supermarket.
  4. Write the answer.
    supermarket

Check. Read the whole sentence with supermarket in it. ✓

Watch out. Super- means above or beyond: a supermarket is a very large shop.

Worked example 2.3.3
Write the missing letters:  mobile

Method. Say the whole word, then fill the box with the tricky letters.

  1. Say the whole word. Read every letter in order.
    automobile
  2. Look at the empty box. The box stands for 4 letter(s) in a row.
    4 missing letter(s)
  3. Write the missing letters. Auto- means self: an automobile is a car that moves itself with an engine.
    auto

Check. Put auto back in the box and read automobile. ✓

Watch out. Auto- means self: an automobile is a car that moves itself with an engine.

Watch out

Watch out: anti- and auto- look alike, but they mean different things. Anticlockwise means against the way the clock turns; automatic means working by itself.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to say what each prefix means, then use it in a new word, such as submarine. Point out the word parts: sub + marine, inter + act, super + market.

Exercise 2C  Practice: sub-, inter-, super-, anti- and auto-

1
FWrite the word that means each clue.
(a)Write the word that means: a ship that can travel under the sea.
(b)Write the word that means: to talk and work together with other people.
(c)Write the word that means: a character with special powers who helps people.
(d)Write the word that means: working by itself, without a person controlling it.
2
FWrite the missing word in each sentence.
(a)Write the missing word: We read the   because the film was in another language.
(b)Write the missing word: Please do not   while I am speaking.
(c)Write the missing word: We bought bread and milk at the  .
(d)Write the missing word: Ben asked the footballer for his   on his shirt.
3
FWrite the missing letters.
(a)Write the missing letters:  national
(b)Write the missing letters:  clockwise
(c)Write the missing letters:  mobile
4
PSWrite each word correctly.
(a)Ali writes submirge. Write it correctly.
(b)Mia writes intervew. Write it correctly.
(c)Sam writes superpowa. Write it correctly.
(d)Ben writes antiseptick. Write it correctly.
5
RAli says that the prefix super- means under, as in submarine. Is he right? Explain.
6
RWhich word has the prefix inter-: interview, subtitle or automatic?
7
PSWrite one sentence with automobile, and one with autograph. Check each spelling.
8
PSSort these words into three lists: subtitle, interview, superhero, submarine, interrupt, supermarket. Make a list for sub-, inter- and super-.
9
FWrite the missing word: Ali walked   round the track.
10
RMia says that anti- and auto- mean the same thing. Is she right? Explain.

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