SSAT Elementary Level Verbal : Determining Meaning from Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SSAT Elementary Level Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #641 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Female is to witch as male is to __________.

Possible Answers:

judge 

wizard 

witchcraft 

magician 

humanist 

Correct answer:

wizard 

Explanation:

A “wizard” is a male witch. To provide further help, “witchcraft” is the practice of magic by witches. The suffix "-craft" suggests a type of work or craft. A “humanist” is someone who has great faith in the capabilities of mankind and who thinks rationally about the world.

Example Question #642 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Thermometer is to temperature as ruler is to __________

Possible Answers:

pressure

light

length

loudness

weight

Correct answer:

length

Explanation:

The suffix "-meter" suggests that the word in question will relate to the measurement of something. The prefix "therm-" or "thermo-" means having to do with heat, temperature, or fire, so a “thermometer” is something used to measure temperature. So, to solve this analogy, you need to pick out an answer choice that describes what a ruler measures. A ruler measures length, so "length" is the correct answer.

Example Question #643 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Herbologist is to plants as  __________.

Possible Answers:

happy is to well

vigorous is to fast

science is to biology

zoologist is to animals

teacher is to pupil

Correct answer:

zoologist is to animals

Explanation:

A “herbologist” is a person who studies plants. The suffix "-ology" means the study of something and "-ologist" means a person who studies something. Similarly, a "zoologist" is a person who studies animals. To further help you, "biology” is a branch of science that studies life; “vigorous” and “fast” are synonyms; “happy” and “well" are also synonyms.

Example Question #11 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Complete this analogy.

Manage is to manageable as defend is to __________

Possible Answers:

defensive 

defensible 

protect 

defender 

attack 

Correct answer:

defensible 

Explanation:

The suffixes "-able" and "-ible" generally mean able to be or able to do, as in the the word “manageable,” which means able to be managed. To solve this analogy, you need to determine which of these answer choices means able to be defended. The correct answer is “defensible."

Example Question #12 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Complete this analogy.

Lengthen is to longer as moisten is to __________.

Possible Answers:

milder

wetter

hotter

colder

drier

Correct answer:

wetter

Explanation:

The suffix "-ten" means to make, so “lengthen” means to make longer and “moisten” means to make wetter.

Example Question #13 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Complete this analogy.

Magic is to magician as history is to __________.

Possible Answers:

humanities

historian

scientist 

historiography

warlock

Correct answer:

historian

Explanation:

A “magician” is someone who practices magic, so to solve this analogy, you have to find the word that means someone who studies history, or “historian.” “Magician” and “historian” both have the suffix "-ian," which means type of person. To provide further help, “historiography” is the study of historical practice; a “scientist” is someone who studies science; “humanities” is a broad subject group including history, art, and literature; a “warlock” is a male witch, a wizard

Example Question #14 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Complete this analogy.

Forward is to backward as up is to __________.

Possible Answers:

movement

down

behind

direction

straight

Correct answer:

down

Explanation:

The suffix "-ward" means having to do with the direction of [adjective or preposition]. Moving "forward" is the opposite of moving "backward," so you need to pick out an answer choice which represents the opposite of "up." "Down" is the opposite of "up," so "down" is the correct answer.

 

Example Question #1 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Prefixes

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Separate is to pull apart as combine is to __________.

Possible Answers:

set free

agree with

clean up

break away

put together

Correct answer:

put together

Explanation:

"Separate" means to divide things or set things or people apart. So, "separate" and "pull apart" are synonyms because they mean the same thing. That means that to solve the analogy, you need to pick out an answer choice that means the same thing as "combine." To "combine" means to put different things together into a single thing. (The prefix "com-" means together.) So, "put together" is the correct answer.

Example Question #1 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Prefixes

Complete this analogy. 

Sense is to nonsense as friendly is to __________.

Possible Answers:

awesome

nonfriendly

amiable

sociable

unfriendly

Correct answer:

unfriendly

Explanation:

The prefix non- negates the meaning of the word that comes after it, so “nonsense” is opposite in meaning to “sense.” Likewise the prefix un- serves a similar purpose, so someone who is “friendly” is opposite to someone who is “unfriendly.” The key to answering this question is to know which prefix is appropriate to use in this individual case. To provide further help, amiable means friendly and sociable.

Example Question #2 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Prefixes

Complete this analogy. 

Submarine is to water as subway is to __________.

Possible Answers:

sky 

ground 

train 

carriage 

metro 

Correct answer:

ground 

Explanation:

The prefix sub- means going under, beneath so a “submarine” is something that travels under water and a “subway” is something that travels underground. The suffix -marine often suggests at a relationship with water.

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