English prefixes 4

Negative prefixes

Negative statements are the opposite of affirmative statements. In English, one way to make negative statements is by adding negative prefixes to nouns, adjectives, and verbs. Here are some English negative prefixes: a–, dis
–, il–, im–, <>in-, <>ir–, <>non–, <>un–.

For example, the prefix <>un- can be attached to the adjective happy to create the negative adjective unhappy. Or you can use the negative adverb not . Note that there is no difference in meaning between these two forms.

affirmative	negative prefix	not
Tom is happy.	Tom is unhappy.	Tom is not happy.

Words that take <>a– as a negative prefix always begin with a consonant .

affirmative		negative
political		apolitical
sexual		asexual
theist		atheist

Words that take <>dis– as a negative prefix may begin with a vowel or a consonant.

affirmative		negative
agree		disagree
comfort		discomfort
mount		dismount
orient		disorient

Words that take <>il– as a negative prefix always begin with the letter <>l.

affirmative		negative
legal		illegal
legible		illegible
literate		illiterate
logical		illogical

Words that take <>im– as a negative prefix always begin with the letter <>m or <>p.

affirmative		negative
mobile		immobile
moral		immoral
perfect		imperfect
possible		impossible

Words that take <>in– as a negative prefix can begin with a vowel (except <>i or <>u) or a consonant.

affirmative		negative
accurate		inaccurate
eligible		ineligible
organic		inorganic
decent		indecent
sane		insane

Note: There are many words that begin with in– that are not words with a negative prefix. For example:

word		does not mean
incline		not cline
indulge		not dulge
insist		not sist
invoke		not voke

Words that take <>ir– as a negative prefix always begin with the letter <>r.

affirmative		negative
rational		irrational
reconcilable		irreconcilable
regular		irregular
resistible		irresistible

Words that take <>non– as a negative prefix may begin with a vowel or a consonant.

affirmative		negative
conformist		nonconformist
essential		nonessential
fiction		nonfiction
sense		nonsense

Words that take <>un– as a negative prefix may begin with a vowel or consonant.

affirmative		negative
able		unable
interesting		uninteresting
usual		unusual
comfortable		uncomfortable
helpful		unhelpful
prepared		unprepared

Remember, not all words that appear to have a negative prefix are negative.

word		does not mean
alike		not like
discuss		not cuss
universe		not iverse
illuminate		not luminate
important		not portant
involve		not volve
irrigate		not rigate