step 1 of 6
You have used sounds and letters to spell words. Ben wants to write a note about a game that is not fair.
Which prefix can Ben add to fair to mean not fair?
به انگلیسی
The prefix un-
Spell words using the prefix un- to change meaning; understand that un- creates opposites or reverses actions
What a learner can do afterwards
- Spell words with un- prefix correctly (e.g. 'unhappy', 'unfair', 'undo')
- Explain how un- changes the meaning of a word
- Create new words by adding un- to known words
1 · Read
Un- is a word part called a prefix. It goes at the front of some words. It can mean not: happy becomes unhappy, meaning not happy. Well becomes unwell, meaning not well. We use un- in known words. We cannot add it to every word.
Try it together
Ben says the game is unfair. He means it is not fair. Fair is the base word, the word we build on. Add un- before fair to make unfair.
To spell these words, keep the base word whole. Add u, then n, at the front. Lock becomes unlock. Tie becomes untie. Check the prefix and the base word separately. You can count the letters in each part to check that none are missing.
Un- can also reverse an action. Undo reverses something you did. Unzip opens a closed zip. Unhook takes something off a hook. Unwrap takes wrapping off. Unlock releases a lock; the door or box may still need to be opened.
Starting letters do not always make this prefix. Under is not un- joined to a base word der. Uncle is not un- joined to cle. Unicorn does not mean not corn or reverse corn. Check the word parts and the meaning together. Umbrella starts with um, not un.
Un- goes before a base word and can mean not or reverse an action. Keep the base word's spelling. Check that the word really uses this prefix.
The lesson, practice questions and flashcards were written for this dataset.
Two parts in untie and Check the parts and the meaning were written for this dataset.
More to read
Two parts in untie
A knot holds a ribbon together. To release the knot, you untie it.
Look at the spelling: un | tie. The prefix is un-. The base word is tie. Adding the prefix keeps t, i and e in the same order.
Write untie with the word covered. Then uncover it. Check u and n first. Next check all three letters in tie.
Each part has its own letters. Keep both parts complete when you join them.
Check the parts and the meaning
A game is unfair when it is not fair. In unfair, un- means not.
A parcel has wrapping around it. To unwrap the parcel, take that wrapping off. Here, un- reverses an action.
Now look at under. Its first two letters are u and n, but it does not use this prefix. It is not un- joined to a base word der.
Check the meaning and the word parts together when you look for un-.
2 · Watch
به انگلیسی3 · Play
به انگلیسی
Take it off screen
Print a worksheetA4 with an answer key page for grown-ups. No screen, no internet.
Where it sits
This opens up
Then practise
24 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.