WORDY WEDNESDAY--Prefix ir

The prefix ir is an interesting prefix for a number of reasons:

1. It means not. There are many prefixes that can mean not, such as de, a, un, non; however, ir also means not, which is interesting to me because I don't think it sounds like it should mean not! To me, it sounds like it should mean again or repeating or something besides not!

2. It only comes before base words that begin with R. In other words, you do not put ir in front of most any word to mean not, like you often do with un or non. 

3. This isn't really interesting--but I like to say it whenever I teach about prefixes. A prefix is a letter or group of letters that you "affix" (which is why it and suffixes are called affixes) to the beginning of a word. It is important to remember that a prefix does not change the spelling of the base word. That is especially crucial in spelling ir words because the ir precedes an R already--and you must keep the base word's spelling, so when you add this prefix to a word, you will ALWAYS have two R's in a row: irregular, irresponsible, etc.

4. It is most often put before a word that is should never come before: regardless. We hear people constantly say irregardless, which is, of course, an oxymoronic word because less means without (or not) and ir means not. I guess that makes it sort of like using a double negative! You do not put ir before regardless because regardless already means without regard. With ir in front of it, you are saying not without regard, I guess.... Anyway, irregardless is not a word. So don't use it. Okay? :)

Note: It is correct, however, to use irrespective, which is a substitute (some of the time) for when you are tempted to say irregardless.

However, there are many base words that begin with R that can have ir put before them to mean NOT or the opposite of what the base word means before ir is added to it.

Here is a list to get you started. Notice how if you take the ir off, you have a positive base word (or one that means yes--yes regular, yes responsible, yes revocable, etc.) However, with the ir, the word means not---not regular, not responsible, not revocable, etc.

Remember: You know more than you think you know!

And remember: Use what you already know to learn even more!

irregular

 irresponsible

irrevocable

irrefutable

irradiate

irreconcilable

irredeemable

irreducible

irrefutable

irregularity

irrelevant

irreverence

irreligious

irreparable

irreplaceable

irreversible

irresolute

irretrievable

irresistible

Irrelevant

WORDY WEDNESDAY--Prefixes Having to Do With Heat

We are having a heat wave here in Indiana. We have had temperatures above ninety degrees this week. Today it was 92 degrees--a perfect day to go swimming and a perfect day to get a sunburn!

For today's WORDY WEDNESDAY, I thought we would look at two prefixes that have to do with July in Indiana--SOL and THERM.


If you have been reading Language Lady very long, you know my two rules of thumb for learning:

1. You know more than you think you know.

2. Use what you already know to learn even more!

Those two rules of thumb definitely apply to today's prefixes.+

We encourage our students to take a key word--any word that you already know--that has to do what you are trying to learn.

In the case of sol and therm, you can take two words you already know as your "key words" to help you remember these two prefixes:

SOL--solar....you know that solar means sun if you have ever talked about a solar blanket for your pool, solar power (generating power through the sun), or solar eclipse

THERM--thermos or thermal...you know that THERM means heat if you have ever carried your soup or coffee in a thermos or had "thermal underwear" on in the winter to keep you warm.

So...take your two KEY WORDS and use them any time you see the prefixes SOL and THERM:

1. Sol
a. solar
b. solarium--part of a room that is exposed to the sun
c. solstice--the pointer in which the sun stands sill


2. Therm
a. thermoplastic
b. thermos
c. thermodynamics
d. thermoelectric


The "solar heat" is high right now in Indiana, and the thermometer shows it at in the low nineties!

+Remember: A prefix is an affix. An affix is a letter or letters attached to a word that give more meaning to the word. The affix itself actually has meaning. A prefix is an affix that is added to the beginning of a word--thus, the prefix to the word prefix PRE (meaning before)!

PUNCTUATION PUZZLE: The shepherd led them to the brook....

PUNCTUATION PUZZLE---plus a couple of other errors for you to find!

The shepherd lead them to the brook and they drank alot, because they were very, hot, and thirsty.

Here is the answer with an explanation for each aspectbelow: The shepherd led them to the brook, and they drank a lot because they were very hot and thirsty.

 LED vs LEAD: The shepherd LED them to the brook......

      1.  LEAD (pronounced ledd with as short e) is only pronounced ledd when it refers to a metal or pencil graphite.           2. Otherwise LEAD is pronounced leed (long e) and is the current tense of the verb lead (LEED).                                     3. LED is the past tense of the verb LEAD (pronounced LEED, with a long e).

CS ,cc CS--Do you remember these rules for compound sentences? 

1. CS stands for complete sentence; cc stands for coordinating conjunction. 

2. You can join one CS (complete sentence) with another CS by using a comma-cc (,For/ ,And/ ,Nor/ ,But/ ,Or/ ,Yet/ ,So). 

3. You may not combine two complete sentences into one with a cc only--you must put a comma before it: The shepherd led them to the brook, AND they drank....

 ALOT vs A LOT:  ALOT is not one word; it should be two words--A LOT---meaning a bunch or a large amount: The shepherd led them to the brook, and they drank a lot....

No comma before a subordinator at the end of a sentence unless it is a WHICH clause-

1. You do not need a comma before the BECAUSE. 

2. You do not hear a pause (like you would if it were a WHICH clause): The shepherd led them to the brook, and they drank a lot because they were very hot and thirsty.

No Comma Between an adverb and the adjective it describes---

1. Or more clearly put, no comma between a qualifier and a describer: VERY hot and thirsty (not VERY, hot, and thirsty).

2.  Very is an adverb telling how hot (an adverb describing an adjective or qualifying it). 

3. Tip for this: 

     a. If you can put an AND where you are trying to put the comma, then a comma is needed (in place of the and): they were muddy, hot, and thirsty (muddy AND hot AND thirsty). 

     b. If you cannot put an AND, do not put a comma: very AND hot---NO!). 

     c.  Also, do not use a comma when you have only two adjectives and you are placing an AND in between them--either use a comma (hot, thirsty) OR place an AND (hot and thirsty) but not both.