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

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #31 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Complete this analogy.

Octopus is to eight as centipede is to __________.

Possible Answers:

ten 

twenty 

one million 

one thousand 

one hundred

Correct answer:

one hundred

Explanation:

An octopus has eight legs, as you might be able to infer because the word "octopus" contains the prefix "octo-" at the beginning of the word. "Octo-" means eight, and appears in other words like "octagon" (an eight-sided shape). To solve this analogy, if you don't know how many legs a centipede has, you can still arrive at the correct answer by using the prefix "cent-" as a clue to infer this information. "Cent-" means one hundred and appears in other words like "centimeter" (a unit of measurement that is one-hundredth of a meter) and "century" (a span of time of one hundred consecutive years).

Example Question #21 : Suffixes From Latin

Complete this analogy.

Nonagon is to nine as octagon is to __________.

Possible Answers:

ten 

eight 

one hundred 

one thousand 

five 

Correct answer:

eight 

Explanation:

A nine-sided shape is called a "nonagon," and an eight-sided shape is called an "octagon." The prefix "non-" suggests that the word will have to do with the number nine. Likewise, the prefix "oct-" suggests that the word will have to do with the number eight. (For an example of this, just think of how an "octopus" has eight legs!)

Example Question #32 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Complete this analogy.

Tertiary is to third as quaternary is to __________.

Possible Answers:

second

fifth

last

first

fourth

Correct answer:

fourth

Explanation:

“Tertiary” is an adjective that means third, so we need to pick out an answer choice that is synonymous with “quaternary.” While all of the answer choices might look like potentially correct answers, “quaternary” is an adjective that means fourth, so “fourth” is the correct answer. You can also use prefixes as context clues to help you solve this quesiton: "tertius" is Latin for third and has influenced the prefix "tri-," while "quattuor" is Latin for fourth and has influenced English words like "quad" and "quarter."

Example Question #33 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Complete this analogy.

Microeconomics is to small as macroeconomics is to __________.

Possible Answers:

business

large

smaller

finance

academics

Correct answer:

large

Explanation:

"Microeconomics" is the study of economics on a small scale, and "macroeconomics" is the study of economics on a large scale, so the correct answer is “large.” To solve this analogy, it is important to be aware of the meaning of the prefixes "micro-" and "macro-". ­"Micro-" means small and "macro-" means big.

Example Question #34 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Complete this analogy.

Triangle is to three as pentagon is to __________.

Possible Answers:

five 

triple 

shape 

four 

six 

Correct answer:

five 

Explanation:

A triangle is a three-sided shape, which you can infer because the prefix "tri-" means three. So, to solve this analogy, you have to determine how many sides a pentagon has. The prefix "penta-" means five, so the correct answer is “five.”

Example Question #35 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Complete this analogy.

Terrestrial is to earth as celestial is to __________

Possible Answers:

city 

ocean 

space 

hell

atmosphere 

Correct answer:

space 

Explanation:

The prefix ­"terra-" means related to the Earth and the prefix "celes-" means related to heaven, the sky, or outer space. As “terrestrial” is to Earth, so “celestial” is to space, so "space" is the correct answer. For clarification, “terrestrial” means of this Earth or observed on this Earth, and “celestial” means of space or observed in space or the heavens.

Example Question #36 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Complete this analogy.

Double is to two as quadruple is to __________.

Possible Answers:

two

three 

six 

five 

four 

Correct answer:

four 

Explanation:

If you "double" something, you increase it by two-fold. The prefix "quad-" means related to the number four, so when you quadruple something, you increase it by four-fold. So, the correct answer is "four."

Example Question #37 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Complete this analogy.

Before is to prelude as after is to __________

Possible Answers:

epilogue 

catalogue 

mandatory 

legislate 

laborious 

Correct answer:

epilogue 

Explanation:

The prefix "pre-" usually suggest that the word will come before something or designate some beginning. In this instance, a “prelude” is an introductory event or piece of music. To solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the answer choices is something that comes after something else. The correct answer is an “epilogue,” which is the name given to a piece of writing that comes after the main narrative. None of the other answer choices make sense in the blank: “mandatory” means required; “laborious” means hard-work or exhausting; “legislate” means make laws; and “catalogue” means document and list some group of things when used as a verb and a booklet produced by a business showcasing the products that they are currently selling when used as a noun. 

Example Question #38 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Complete this analogy.

Ill-will is to malevolent as goodwill is to __________.

Possible Answers:

beneficial

malfeasance 

benevolent

malcontent 

malicious

Correct answer:

benevolent

Explanation:

The prefix "mal-" means evil or bad, and the prefix ­"ben-" means helpful or good. So someone who is “malevolent” is wicked and has a great deal of ill-will and someone who is “benevolent” is good-natured and has a lot of goodwill. So, the correct answer is "benevolent." None of the other answer choices make sense in the blank: “beneficial" means helpful; “malicious" means cruel and spiteful; “malcontent" means unhappy or not content; and “malfeasance" means something bad that someone does or a crime.

Example Question #115 : Ssat Middle Level Verbal

Complete this analogy.

Visible is to seen as audible is to __________

Possible Answers:

heard 

tasted 

spoken 

touched 

felt 

Correct answer:

heard 

Explanation:

The suffix "-ible" means able to be and the roots "vis" and "aud" mean related to seeing and related to hearing or sound, respectively. “Visible” thus means able to be seen and “audible” means able to be heard, so "heard" is the correct answer.

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