The 2019-2020 School Year Expansion

Thanks to our new principal, we are expanding our unique Grammar classes so we will begin with 6th grade, one day a week, and continue through 7th grade. Two years of our Latin/English vocabulary approach, coupled with orthodox Grammar lessons, will increase their basic writing and vocabulary recognition skills. We will continue to document here what we do each week. 

Super-, Supra-, and Trans-: Going farther than ever

Super-, Supra-, and Trans- are three Latin prefixes which challenge us to go beyond our expectations.

Super- means above or beyond.

Supra- also can also mean above, but also indicates 

over, outside of, and beyond the limits of.

Trans- can be translated as across, beyond, through, 

on the far side, or to go beyond.

Using your knowledge of Latin roots, match the following words with their literal Latin meanings and their current English usages in the attached document.

Sub-: More than under water

Sub- has many more uses than just "under." 
It also means beneath, down, near, and the
foundation of. 

Complete this exercise to test your knowledge
of various "sub-" words. 

Re- What's it all about and back again

Re- is a common Latin prefix which has three meanings:

-With regard to, of, or about

-Again

-Push or pull back

Challenge your knowledge of “re-” words by completing the 

following exercise.

Use your Latin roots words for help.

The Pro- of Prefixes!

Pro- is used in so many ways that we even use it as a word 
alone. By now, you are becoming a real pro 
with Latin root words!

Pro- is used in many ways:
-Earlier than, prior to, or before in time. 
-Located in front of or in front.
-Forward, forth, for.
-Taking the place of, substituting for.
-Favoring, supporting.

Closely related is the prefix Proto- which means the first 

of something.

Match the following English derivatives with their literal 

Latin meanings and current definition on this worksheet.

Ante-, Pre-, and Post-: Not Just Before and After

Ante- typically means before or in front of, 
usually regarding location.
Pre- has a similar meaning, but usually in
terms of time.
Post- refers to behind, after, or following
and can refer to time or location.

Complete this worksheet to learn more
about some English derivatives which
use these Latin prefixes. 

Ob- and Per-: Do you stand against or do you stand by?

Ob- is a commonly used Latin prefix which mean against 

or in the way of. Think of "obstruct."

Per-, on the other hand, is a prefix which means to by, 

by means of, or through. Think of "perchance."

All English words with Latin roots have a literal Latin meaning 
and the current English usage. For example, to object 
has the literal Latin meaning to throw against. 
In English, we use it to mean disagree with.

Complete the attached to test your knowledge of these
two common Latin prefixes, their literal meanings,
and their most common English usages.

IL-, IM-, IN-, IR- Are they in or are they not?

Generally, IL-, IM-, IN-, IR- mean in, within, into, toward, or on. 
They also, however, can mean not or non-. 
We have to use the context of the sentence in order to 
determine the meaning used.

How well do you know the difference? Also, do you know the difference between Intra- and Inter- ?

Complete this 2 page document to test your knowledge. 
If you aren't sure, check the dictionary!

Etymological Equations: Finding Ex (And De, too!)

De- is a Latin prefix which means about, down, or of.

E- or Ex- are prefixes which mean forth, free from, from, or out.

On this attached document, create English words that 
you know by combining e-, ex-, and de- to other 
Latin root words. 

It's more fun that Algebra!

Circa/Circum, Com/Con, Contra: Around, With, and Against

Circa/Circum is a Latin prefix which means “around, about, or at the side of.” If Magellan circumnavigated (another Latin word: navigare--to sail) the world, then we know he sailed around it.

Com/Con is one of the most common Latin prefixes, meaning "with.” Are you compassionate about something? That means you do it with passion.

Contra is simply contrary. It means that you are against something. If you contradict someone, you speak against them.

Based upon your knowledge of Latin prefixes, and just because you are smart, match the words with their meanings in this document.

Ab vs. Ad: Are you coming or going?

Latin is so pervasive in our language that we often don't notice it. Just look at the prefixes ab- and ad-. 

Ab- in the front of a word indicates a going away, away from, off, or against. (The "b" faces away from the "a"). The easiest example of an "ab-" word is absent, which literally means "to be away." 

Ad-, on the other hand, indicates movement to, toward, about, or supporting. A great example of an "ad-" word is adopt, which literally means "to opt or choose toward." 

Try out this exercise to see how many words you already know. Don't use a dictionary!