Roots, Prefixes and Suffixes: Decode Words You've Never Seen

On ASVAB Word Knowledge you get about 36 seconds per question on the computer version. That's not enough time to reason out a word you've never seen — unless you can take it apart. Most long English words are built from a small set of pieces borrowed from Latin and Greek. Learn the pieces, and unfamiliar words stop being complete mysteries.

How decoding works

Take circumspect. You may never have seen it. But:

• circum- means around (as in circumference)
• spect means look (as in inspect, spectator)

Someone who "looks around" before acting is cautious — which is exactly what circumspect means.

Or malediction: mal- (bad) + dict (say, as in predict, dictionary) → "saying something bad" → a curse.

You don't need a perfect definition to answer a synonym question. You need enough meaning to eliminate the wrong choices.

Prefixes worth knowing

Roots worth knowing

Suffixes worth knowing

Suffixes often tell you what kind of word you're looking at — and synonym answers usually match that kind.

Use it, but check it

Word parts are a tool, not a guarantee. A few words don't follow the pattern — inflammable, for example, means able to burn, the same as flammable, even though in- often means "not." So use word parts to narrow the choices, then pick the one that fits best. If the question shows the word in a sentence, let the sentence have the final say.

How to learn them

1. Learn five parts a day, each with two example words you already know.
2. Collect new words by family. When you meet spectacle, add it next to inspect and spectator.
3. Test yourself in timed sets. The point is speed: recognizing mal- or bene- in a second.

For how Word Knowledge is timed and scored, see Word Knowledge Practice Test. Our free practice test includes Word Knowledge with the computer version's time limits, plus the other three AFQT sections, and ends with an AFQT estimate — a practice estimate, not an official score.

Quick answers

What does the prefix "bene-" mean?

Good or well — as in benefit and benevolent.

What does "spect" mean?

To look — as in inspect, spectator and circumspect.

Do roots and prefixes always work?

No. They're a strong clue, not a rule. Inflammable means the same as flammable. Use word parts to eliminate choices, then check against the sentence.

How do roots help on the ASVAB?

Word Knowledge gives you about 36 seconds per question on the computer version. Word parts let you estimate the meaning of an unfamiliar word fast enough to rule out wrong answers.

Sources

• What to Expect When You Take the ASVAB — officialasvab.com