Study the words in italics in the sentences below. They are formed by prefixing un – or in – to their antonyms (words opposite in meaning).
• I was a short boy with rather undistinguished looks. (un + distinguished)
• My austere father used to avoid all inessential comforts.(in + essential)
• The area was completely unaffected by the war.(un + affected)
• He should not spread the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance. (in + equality, in + tolerance)
Now form the opposites of the words below by prefixing un- or in-. The prefix in-can also have the forms il-, ir-, or im- (for example: illiterate –il + literate, impractical – im + practical, irrational – ir + rational). You may consult a dictionary if you wish.
____adequate | _____acceptable | _____regular | ____tolerant |
_____demanding | ______active | ____true | ____permanent |
___patriotic | ____disputed | ____accessible | _____coherent |
____logical | ____legal | ______responsible | _____possible |
inadequate unacceptable irregular intolerant
undemanding inactive untrue impermanent
unpatriotic undisputed inaccessible incoherent
illogical illegal irresponsible impossible
Look up the dictionary entries for the words sympathy, familiarity, comfort, care, and surprise. Use the information given in the dictionary and complete the table.
Noun, Adjective, Adverb, Verb, Meaning:
sympathy
familiarity
comfort
care
surprise