Word morphology
Morphology is the study of words and their parts. Morphemes, like prefixes, suffixes and base words, are
defined as the smallest meaningful units of meaning. Morphemes are important for phonics in both
reading and spelling, as well as in vocabulary and comprehension.
On this page
Why use morphology
Types of morphemes
Compound word
Example activities of highlighting morphemes for phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension
Why use morphology
Teaching morphemes unlocks the structures and meanings within words. It is very useful to have a strong
awareness of prefixes, suffixes and base words. These are often spelt the same across different words,
even when the sound changes, and often have a consistent purpose and/or meaning.
Types of morphemes
Free vs. bound
Morphemes can be either single words (free morphemes) or parts of words (bound morphemes).
A free morpheme can stand alone as its own word
gentle
father
licence
picture
gem
A bound morpheme only occurs as part of a word
-s as in cat+s
-ed as in crumb+ed
un- as in un+happy
mis- as in mis-fortune
-er as in teach+er
In the example above: un+system+atic+al+ly, there is a root word (system) and bound morphemes that
attach to the root (un-, -atic, -al, -ly)
system = root un-, -atic, -al, -ly = bound morphemes
If two free morphemes are joined together they create a compound word. These words are a great way to
introduce morphology (the study of word parts) into the classroom.
For more details, see: Compound words
Inflectional vs. derivational
Morphemes can also be divided into inflectional or derivational morphemes.
Inflectional morphemes change what a word does in terms of grammar, but does not create a new word.
For example, the word <skip> has many forms: skip (base form), skipping (present progressive), skipped
(past tense).
The inflectional morphemes -ing and -ed are added to the base word skip, to indicate the tense of the
word.
If a word has an inflectional morpheme, it is still the same word, with a few suffixes added. So if you
looked up <skip> in the dictionary, then only the base word <skip> would get its own entry into the
dictionary. Skipping and skipped are listed under skip, as they are inflections of the base word. Skipping
and skipped do not get their own dictionary entry.
Skip
Another example is <run>: run (base form), running (present progressive), ran (past tense). In this
example the past tense marker changes the vowel of the word: run (rhymes with fun), to ran (rhymes with
can). However, the inflectional morphemes -ing and past tense morpheme are added to the base word
<run>, and are listed in the same dictionary entry.
Run
Derivational morphemes are different to inflectional morphemes, as they do derive/create a new word,
which gets its own entry in the dictionary. Derivational morphemes help us to create new words out of
base words.
For example, we can create new words from <act> by adding derivational prefixes (e.g. re- en-) and
suffixes (e.g. -or).
Thus out of <act> we can get re+act = react en+act = enact act+or = actor.
Whenever a derivational morpheme is added, a new word (and dictionary entry) is derived/created.
For the <act> example, the following dictionary entries can be found:
Act
React
Enact
Actor
Teachers should highlight and encourage students to analyse both Inflectional and Derivational
morphemes when focussing on phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension.
For more information, see:
Inflectional morphemes (docx - 249.2kb)
Derivational morphemes (docx - 249.39kb)
Prefixes, suffixes, and roots/bases
Many morphemes are very helpful for analysing unfamiliar words. Morphemes can be divided into
prefixes, suffixes, and roots/bases.
Prefixes are morphemes that attach to the front of a root/base word.
Suffixes are morphemes that attach to the end of a root/base word, or to other suffixes (see
example below)
Roots/Base words are morphemes that form the base of a word, and usually carry its meaning.
Generally, base words are free morphemes, that can stand by themselves (e.g. cycle as
in bicycle/cyclist, and form as in transform/formation).
Whereas root words are bound morphemes that cannot stand by themselves (e.g. -ject
as in subject/reject, and -volve as in evolve/revolve).
Most morphemes can be divided into:
Anglo-Saxon Morphemes (like re-, un-, and -ness);
Latin Morphemes (like non-, ex-, -ion, and -ify); and
Greek Morphemes (like micro, photo, graph).
It is useful to highlight how words can be broken down into morphemes (and which each of these mean)
and how they can be built up again).
For example, the word <unreliability> may be unfamiliar to students when they first encounter it.
If <unreliability> is broken into its morphemes, students can deduce or infer the meaning.
So it is helpful for both reading and spelling to provide opportunities to analyse words, and become
familiar with common morphemes, including their meaning and function.
Compound words
Compound words (or compounds) are created by joining free morphemes together. Remember that a free
morpheme is a morpheme that can stand along as its own word (unlike bound morphemes - e.g. -ly, -ed,
re-, pre-). Compounds are a fun and accessible way to introduce the idea that words can have multiple
parts (morphemes). Teachers can highlight that these compound words are made up of two separate
words joined together to make a new word. For example dog + house = doghouse
Examples
Example activities of highlighting morphemes for
phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension
There are numerous ways to highlight morphemes for the purpose of phonics, vocabulary and
comprehension activities and lessons.
Highlighting the morphology of words is useful for explaining phonics patterns (graphemes) and spelling
rules, as well as discovering the meanings of unfamiliar words, and demonstrating how words are linked
together. Highlighting and analysing morphemes is also useful, therefore, for providing comprehension
strategies.
Examples of how to embed morphological awareness into literacy activities can include:
Sorting words by base/root words (word families), or by prefixes or suffixes
Word Detective - Students break longer words down into their prefixes, suffixes, and base words
e.g. Find the morphemes in multi-morphemic words like: dissatisfied unstoppable
ridiculously hydrophobic metamorphosis oxygenate fortifications
Word Builder - students are given base words and prefixes/suffixes and see how many words
they can build, and what meaning they might have:
Prefixes: un- de- pre- re- co- con-
Base Words: play help flex bend blue sad sat
Suffixes: -ful -ly -less -able/-ible -ing -ion -y -ish -ness -ment
Etymology investigation - students are given multi-morphemic words from texts they have been
reading and are asked to research the origins (etymology) of the word. Teachers could use words like
progressive, circumspect, revocation, and students could find out the morphemes within each word, their
etymology, meanings, and use.
