Competitive English – 1 Root words

 ✍ Avtar Narayan

“Learning the basic parts of words (called root words) can help you figure out what unfamiliar words mean. Just knowing one root word can help you understand many other words in English. So, if you learn a few dozen root words, you’ll be able to understand hundreds of new words! It’s a great way to build your vocabulary and improve your language skills.”

Here are some easy root words with 3-4 examples each:

1. Root Word: Log-/Logos- (meaning: word, reason, speech)

• Example Words:
• Logic (the study of reasoning)
• Logistics (the planning and organization of movement and supply chains)
• Dialogue (a conversation between two or more people)

2. Root Word: Gen-/Gene- (meaning: birth, origin, kind)

• Example Words:
• Genesis (the origin or creation of something)
• Genetic (relating to genes or heredity)
• Generate (to produce or create something)

3. Root Word: Vid-/Vis- (meaning: see, look, vision)

• Example Words:
• Video (a recording of moving images and sound)
• Vision (the ability to see or a mental image)
• Visible (able to be seen)

4. Root Word: Aud-/Audi- (meaning: hear, listen)

• Example Words:
• Audio (relating to sound or hearing)
• Audience (a group of people listening to a performance)
• Audible (able to be heard)

5. Root Word: Cogn-/Cogo- (meaning: know, recognize)

• Example Words:
• Cognition (the process of knowing or perceiving)
• Recognize (to acknowledge or identify something)
• Cognitive (relating to mental processes like thinking and learning)

6. Root Word: Mot-/Movi- (meaning: move, motion)

• Example Words:
• Motion (the act of moving or changing place)
• Motive (a reason for doing something)
• Motor (a machine that produces motion)

7. Root Word: Pat-/Path- (meaning: feel, suffer, experience)

• Example Words:
• Pathos (emotion or feeling, especially in art or literature)
• Patient (a person receiving medical care)
• Pathetic (arousing feelings of sadness or pity)

These root words are commonly used in many words, and understanding their meanings can help you decipher unfamiliar vocabulary.

Here are some root words from various chapters of the NCERT Class 10 English book “First Flight”.

Chapter 1: “A Letter to God”

1. Letter

• • Root: “Liter” – letter, literature
  • Examples: Literature, Illiterate, Literary

2. Faith

• • Root: “Fid/Fide” – faith, trust
  • Examples: Confide, Fidelity, Confident

3. Post

• • Root: “Post” – after
  • Examples: Postpone, Postscript, Posterity

4. Master

• • Root: “Mag/Maj/Max” – great
  • Examples: Magnify, Majesty, Maximum

5. Devastated

• • Root: “Vast” – empty
  • Examples: Vast, Devastation

6. Harvest

• • Root: “Harv” – to gather
  • Examples: Harvest, Harvester

Chapter 2: “Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”

1. Freedom

• • Root: “Free” – not under control
  • Examples: Freely, Freedom, Freeway

2. Struggle

• • Root: “Strug” – to strive
  • Examples: Struggle, Struggling

3. Oppress

• • Root: “Press” – to press down
  • Examples: Oppression, Depress, Impress

4. Equal

• • Root: “Equ” – equal, even
  • Examples: Equality, Equation, Equator

5. Nation

• • Root: “Nat” – born
  • Examples: National, Native, Nature

6. Leader

• • Root: “Lead” – to guide
  • Examples: Leadership, Leading, Led

Chapter 3: “Two Stories About Flying”

1. Flight

• • Root: “Fly” – to move through the air
  • Examples: Flyer, Flying, Flyover

2. Courage

• • Root: “Cour” – heart
  • Examples: Courageous, Encourage, Discourage

3. Fear

• • Root: “Phob” – fear
  • Examples: Phobia, Claustrophobia, Xenophobia

4. Control

• • Root: “Trol” – to regulate
  • Examples: Controlling, Controller

1. Experience
   • Root: “Per” – through
   • Examples: Experiment, Expertise, Expert
2. Land

• • Root: “Terra” – earth
  • Examples: Territory, Terrain, Terrestrial

Chapter 4: “From the Diary of Anne Frank”

1. Diary

• • Root: “Dia” – day
  • Examples: Diary, Diurnal

2. History

• • Root: “Hist” – story
  • Examples: Historical, Historic

3. Secret

• • Root: “Sec” – hidden
  • Examples: Secrecy, Secrete, Secretive

4. Journal

• • Root: “Jour” – day
  • Examples: Journal, Journey

5. War

• • Root: “Bel” – war
  • Examples: Bellicose, Rebel, Belligerent

6. Hide

• • Root: “Crypt” – hidden
  • Examples: Cryptic, Cryptography

Chapter 5: “The Hundred Dresses”

1. Dress

• • Root: “Vest” – clothing
  • Examples: Vestment, Vest, Divest

2. Contest

• • Root: “Test” – to witness
  • Examples: Testimony, Testament

3. Judge

• •  Root: “Jud” – to decide
  •  Examples: Judgment, Judiciary

4. Draw

• • Root: “Graph” – to write or draw
  • Examples: Graphic, Autograph

5. Talent

• • Root: “Tal” – worth
  • Examples: Talent, Talented

6. Mock

• • Root: “Mim” – to imitate
  • Examples: Mimic, Mime

These root words provide a basis for understanding related vocabulary and can enhance comprehension of   chapters.

Fill in the Blanks Exercise.

1. The ________ of the country fought bravely for their nation’s freedom. (Root: Lead)
2. The soldier showed remarkable ________ in the face of danger. (Root: Cour)
3. The scientist conducted an ________ to test his hypothesis. (Root: Per)
4. The harsh weather conditions caused severe ________ to the village. (Root: Vast)
5. The students learned about various ________ movements in their history class. (Root: Nat)
6. The postmaster decided to ________ the letter to the recipient personally. (Root: Post)
7. The artist’s ________ sketches were admired by everyone. (Root: Graph)
8. The astronaut’s ________ was broadcast live on television. (Root: Fly)
9. The diary contained many ________ entries about daily life during the war. (Root: Dia)
10. The politician spoke about the importance of maintaining ________ among citizens. (Root: Equ)

Answer Key

1. Leaders
2. Courage
3. Experiment
4. Devastation
5. National
6. Postpone
7. Drawn
8. Flight
9. Daily
10. Equality

(Author is an English Acharya in Bhrahampuri Adarsh Vidya Mandir Jodhpur and Sah-Sanyojak of English Speaking of Vidya Bharati Jodhpur Prant.)