Forming opposites


Study these definitions. How do the prefixes dis- and mis- and un-, in- and im- change the meaning
of a word? With what kind of words can we use these prefixes?


spell write or name the letters of a word.

misspell write or name the wrong letters for a word.

obey do what you are told to do.

disobey not do what you are told to do.

aware in a state of knowing.

unaware in a state of not knowing.

accurate careful, exact.

inaccurate not careful or exact.

probable likely to happen.

improbable not likely to happen.


Give the opposite of the words in the tables below.


    VERB                                          OPPOSITE

  like                                                _____________________

  spell                                              _____________________

  agree                                            _____________________

  believe                                          _____________________

  understand                                    _____________________

  cover                                            _____________________

  dress                                            _____________________

  connect                                         _____________________

  please                                           _____________________


    ADJECTIVE                                  OPPOSITE

  able                                               _____________________

  possible                                        _____________________

  capable                                         _____________________

  necessary                                     _____________________

  patient                                           _____________________

  proper                                          _____________________

  correct                                          _____________________

  conscious                                      _____________________

  complete                                       _____________________

  polite                                            ____________________


• The prefixes il- and ir- are also used to form the opposite of some adjectives (illegal,
irregular, etc.).