In word formation, which statement best describes the role of a prefix?

• A. It modifies the base meaning by adding information at the end
• B. It appears in the middle of the word
• C. It primarily changes the suffix
• D. It appears at the beginning of a word to modify its meaning

Answer: (D)

A prefix is a small set of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. Because it sits at the front, it changes the sense of the word right from the start, like un- in unhappy showing negation or pre- in preview meaning before. That’s why describing a prefix as appearing at the beginning of a word to modify its meaning is the best description. If the change were at the end, it would be a suffix, not a prefix, and a change in the middle isn’t how prefixes work.