Roots List 5 · Part A

Life, body, mind, and feeling

Connect abstract academic words to human life, knowledge, thought, and emotion.

8 targets with matricesBuild, compare, and explain11 mastery checks

THE GIST

The idea behind these word parts

Roots can connect abstract ideas to life, body, mind, and feeling. Corp means body; incorporate means make something part of a larger whole.

Go deeper · how the parts work in context

Incorporate uses the body idea figuratively: an interview can become part of a larger account. A root’s meaning is a clue, not a demand that the word always describe a physical object.

in + corp + orate → incorporate

The writer will incorporate an interview into her account.

Incorporate means include as part of a larger whole.

Word parts suggest a meaning; the sentence helps confirm it. If the clues are not enough, check a dictionary.

EXPLORE THE WORD PARTS

Meaning, connections, and practice

Choose a word part. Read its gist, explore its map and matrix, then answer its three checks. Open the extra explanation whenever you need it.

How to use a matrix

Leading part + base + ending → word. Choose cells from left to right. Only paths that make one of the listed words are enabled. ∅ means no part is added.

The center can be a root or a whole word. Some cells contain combining forms or grouped endings. Related bases can change spelling, as in scribe/script or mit/miss; follow the spelling notes.

Keep a word for comparison, then select another word to see which parts and meanings changed.

anim

spirit or life

The gist: animate means bring to life. The clue anim connects it to spirit or life.

Why it works · examples & details

The shared clue is the core meaning: spirit or life. Compare animate (bring to life) with animal (a living being). The complete word’s definition is more specific than the word-part clue.

anim + ate → animate
To bring to life or make lively. It works as a verb in this example.

The map and matrix show established words. Matching letters alone do not prove a meaningful relationship.

Explore anim · map, matrix & checks

animatebring to life
animala living being

Word-family cluster map: anim

Follow one root into related words. Read each connection and explain how the shared meaning develops. Select a word to load its path in the matrix below.

animspirit or life

anim + ateverb

To bring to life or make lively.
anim + ate + ionnoun

The process of making images appear to move.

Drop the final silent e before the vowel suffix: animate + ion → animation.
in + anim + ateadjective

Not alive.

Explain the connection: “These words share ___. In ___ it helps mean ___; in ___ it helps mean ___.”

Build with anim 3 word paths

anim: spirit or life. Choose parts from left to right, or choose a word below. Dimmed choices do not continue a word in this matrix.

Prefix / leading part

Root or whole base

Suffix / ending

anim + ate → animate

To bring to life or make lively.

verb

Compare two paths

animate: To bring to life or make lively.
inanimate: Not alive.

Say which parts stay and which change. Explain how the meaning or word job changes.

Read every word sum and meaning

Word sum	Word	Meaning
anim + ate	animate	To bring to life or make lively.
anim + ate + ion	animation	The process of making images appear to move.
in + anim + ate	inanimate	Not alive.

Check your understanding

Use the map and matrix as needed. A wrong answer gives you a clue; try again or open the explanation.

0 of 3 answered correctly

cogn/gnos

know

The gist: cognitive means related to knowing or thinking. The clue cogn/gnos connects it to know.

Why it works · examples & details

The shared clue is the core meaning: know. Compare cognitive (related to knowing or thinking) with diagnosis (knowledge gained from signs). The complete word’s definition is more specific than the word-part clue.

cogn + ition → cognition
The mental process of knowing or thinking. It works as a noun in this example.

The map and matrix show established words. Matching letters alone do not prove a meaningful relationship.

Explore cogn/gnos · map, matrix & checks

cognitiverelated to knowing or thinking
diagnosisknowledge gained from signs

Word-family cluster map: cogn/gnos

Follow one root into related words. Read each connection and explain how the shared meaning develops. Select a word to load its path in the matrix below.

cogn/gnosknow

cogn + itionnoun

The mental process of knowing or thinking.
cogn + itiveadjective

Related to knowing or thinking.
re + cogn + itionnoun

The act of identifying something known before.

Explain the connection: “These words share ___. In ___ it helps mean ___; in ___ it helps mean ___.”

Build with cogn/gnos 3 word paths

cogn/gnos: know. Choose parts from left to right, or choose a word below. Dimmed choices do not continue a word in this matrix.

Prefix / leading part

Root or whole base

Suffix / ending

cogn + ition → cognition

The mental process of knowing or thinking.

noun

Compare two paths

cognition: The mental process of knowing or thinking.
recognition: The act of identifying something known before.

Say which parts stay and which change. Explain how the meaning or word job changes.

Read every word sum and meaning

Word sum	Word	Meaning
cogn + ition	cognition	The mental process of knowing or thinking.
cogn + itive	cognitive	Related to knowing or thinking.
re + cogn + ition	recognition	The act of identifying something known before.

Check your understanding

Use the map and matrix as needed. A wrong answer gives you a clue; try again or open the explanation.

0 of 3 answered correctly

corp

body

The gist: corpse means a body after death. The clue corp connects it to body.

Why it works · examples & details

The shared clue is the core meaning: body. Compare corpse (a body after death) with corporation (an organized body or group). The complete word’s definition is more specific than the word-part clue.

corp + oreal → corporeal
Having a physical body. It works as a adjective in this example.

The map and matrix show established words. Matching letters alone do not prove a meaningful relationship.

Explore corp · map, matrix & checks

corpsea body after death
corporationan organized body or group

Word-family cluster map: corp

Follow one root into related words. Read each connection and explain how the shared meaning develops. Select a word to load its path in the matrix below.

corpbody

corp + orealadjective

Having a physical body.
in + corp + orateverb

To include something as part of a larger body or group.
in + corp + orate + ionnoun

The process of including something in a whole.

Drop the final silent e before the vowel suffix: incorporate + ion → incorporation.

Explain the connection: “These words share ___. In ___ it helps mean ___; in ___ it helps mean ___.”

Build with corp 3 word paths

corp: body. Choose parts from left to right, or choose a word below. Dimmed choices do not continue a word in this matrix.

Prefix / leading part

Root or whole base

Suffix / ending

corp + oreal → corporeal

Having a physical body.

adjective

Compare two paths

corporeal: Having a physical body.
incorporation: The process of including something in a whole.

Say which parts stay and which change. Explain how the meaning or word job changes.

Read every word sum and meaning

Word sum	Word	Meaning
corp + oreal	corporeal	Having a physical body.
in + corp + orate	incorporate	To include something as part of a larger body or group.
in + corp + orate + ion	incorporation	The process of including something in a whole.

Check your understanding

Use the map and matrix as needed. A wrong answer gives you a clue; try again or open the explanation.

0 of 3 answered correctly

psych

mind

The gist: psychology means the study of the mind. The clue psych connects it to mind.

Why it works · examples & details

The shared clue is the core meaning: mind. Compare psychology (the study of the mind) with psychological (related to the mind or behavior). The complete word’s definition is more specific than the word-part clue.

psych + ology → psychology
The study of the mind and behavior. It works as a noun in this example.

The map and matrix show established words. Matching letters alone do not prove a meaningful relationship.

Explore psych · map, matrix & checks

psychologythe study of the mind
psychologicalrelated to the mind or behavior

Word-family cluster map: psych

Follow one root into related words. Read each connection and explain how the shared meaning develops. Select a word to load its path in the matrix below.

psychmind

psych + ologynoun

The study of the mind and behavior.
psych + olog + icaladjective

Related to the mind or behavior.
psych + icadjective

Related to the mind or claimed mental powers.

Explain the connection: “These words share ___. In ___ it helps mean ___; in ___ it helps mean ___.”

Build with psych 3 word paths

psych: mind. Choose parts from left to right, or choose a word below. Dimmed choices do not continue a word in this matrix.

Prefix / leading part

Root or whole base

Suffix / ending

psych + ology → psychology

The study of the mind and behavior.

noun

Compare two paths

psychology: The study of the mind and behavior.
psychic: Related to the mind or claimed mental powers.

Say which parts stay and which change. Explain how the meaning or word job changes.

Read every word sum and meaning

Word sum	Word	Meaning
psych + ology	psychology	The study of the mind and behavior.
psych + olog + ical	psychological	Related to the mind or behavior.
psych + ic	psychic	Related to the mind or claimed mental powers.

Check your understanding

Use the map and matrix as needed. A wrong answer gives you a clue; try again or open the explanation.

0 of 3 answered correctly

sens/sent

feel

The gist: sensitive means able to feel. The clue sens/sent connects it to feel.

Why it works · examples & details

The shared clue is the core meaning: feel. Compare sensitive (able to feel) with sentiment (a feeling or attitude). The complete word’s definition is more specific than the word-part clue.

sense → sense
An awareness, understanding, or feeling about something. It works as a noun in this example.

In a sentence: Democratic lessons gave students a sense that plantation inequality could be questioned.

The map and matrix show established words. Matching letters alone do not prove a meaningful relationship.

Explore sens/sent · map, matrix & checks

sensitiveable to feel
sentimenta feeling or attitude

Word-family cluster map: sens/sent

Follow one root into related words. Read each connection and explain how the shared meaning develops. Select a word to load its path in the matrix below.

sens/sentfeel

sensenoun

An awareness, understanding, or feeling about something.

Democratic lessons gave students a sense that plantation inequality could be questioned.
sens + ationnoun

A feeling produced through the body or a striking emotional experience.

The sensation of hunger was one cost workers endured during the prolonged strike.
sens + oryadjective

Connected to seeing, hearing, touch, taste, or smell.

Sensory details about cold and ice make the Choctaw journey more concrete.
sens + itiveadjective

Aware of and responsive to feelings, needs, or changes.

A sensitive account of removal recognizes family suffering alongside the policy’s economic purposes.
sens + itive + itynoun

Awareness of and responsiveness to feelings, needs, or changes.

Sensitivity to migrants’ own accounts helps a reader see people beyond the label of labor supply.
Drop the final silent e before the vowel suffix: sensitive + ity → sensitivity.
con + sentnoun

Freely given agreement or permission.

The blocked announcement and jailed chief raise serious questions about Cherokee consent to the treaty.

Explain the connection: “These words share ___. In ___ it helps mean ___; in ___ it helps mean ___.”

Build with sens/sent 6 word paths

sens/sent: feel. Choose parts from left to right, or choose a word below. Dimmed choices do not continue a word in this matrix.

Prefix / leading part

Root or whole base

Suffix / ending

sense → sense

An awareness, understanding, or feeling about something.

noun

Democratic lessons gave students a sense that plantation inequality could be questioned.

Compare two paths

sense: An awareness, understanding, or feeling about something.
consent: Freely given agreement or permission.

Say which parts stay and which change. Explain how the meaning or word job changes.

Read every word sum and meaning

Word sum	Word	Meaning
sense	sense	An awareness, understanding, or feeling about something.
sens + ation	sensation	A feeling produced through the body or a striking emotional experience.
sens + ory	sensory	Connected to seeing, hearing, touch, taste, or smell.
sens + itive	sensitive	Aware of and responsive to feelings, needs, or changes.
sens + itive + ity	sensitivity	Awareness of and responsiveness to feelings, needs, or changes.
con + sent	consent	Freely given agreement or permission.

Check your understanding

Use the map and matrix as needed. A wrong answer gives you a clue; try again or open the explanation.

0 of 3 answered correctly

path

feeling or disease

The gist: sympathy means feeling with another person. The clue path connects it to feeling or disease.

Why it works · examples & details

The shared clue is the core meaning: feeling or disease. Compare sympathy (feeling with another person) with pathology (the study of disease). The complete word’s definition is more specific than the word-part clue.

sym + path + y → sympathy
Concern for another person’s feelings or suffering. It works as a noun in this example.

The map and matrix show established words. Matching letters alone do not prove a meaningful relationship.

Explore path · map, matrix & checks

sympathyfeeling with another person
pathologythe study of disease

Word-family cluster map: path

Follow one root into related words. Read each connection and explain how the shared meaning develops. Select a word to load its path in the matrix below.

pathfeeling or disease

sym + path + ynoun

Concern for another person’s feelings or suffering.
em + path + ynoun

The ability to understand another person’s feelings.
path + ologynoun

The study of disease.

Explain the connection: “These words share ___. In ___ it helps mean ___; in ___ it helps mean ___.”

Build with path 3 word paths

path: feeling or disease. Choose parts from left to right, or choose a word below. Dimmed choices do not continue a word in this matrix.

Prefix / leading part

Root or whole base

Suffix / ending

sym + path + y → sympathy

Concern for another person’s feelings or suffering.

noun

Compare two paths

sympathy: Concern for another person’s feelings or suffering.
pathology: The study of disease.

Say which parts stay and which change. Explain how the meaning or word job changes.

Read every word sum and meaning

Word sum	Word	Meaning
sym + path + y	sympathy	Concern for another person’s feelings or suffering.
em + path + y	empathy	The ability to understand another person’s feelings.
path + ology	pathology	The study of disease.

Check your understanding

Use the map and matrix as needed. A wrong answer gives you a clue; try again or open the explanation.

0 of 3 answered correctly

aut/auto-

self

The gist: autobiography means a life story written about oneself. The clue aut/auto- connects it to self.

Why it works · examples & details

The shared clue is the core meaning: self. Compare autobiography (a life story written about oneself) with automatic (working by itself). The complete word’s definition is more specific than the word-part clue.

auto + biography → autobiography
A life story written by the person who lived it. It works as a noun in this example.

The map and matrix show established words. Matching letters alone do not prove a meaningful relationship.

Explore aut/auto- · map, matrix & checks

autobiographya life story written about oneself
automaticworking by itself

Word-family cluster map: aut/auto-

Follow one root into related words. Read each connection and explain how the shared meaning develops. Select a word to load its path in the matrix below.

aut/auto-self

auto + biographynoun

A life story written by the person who lived it.
auto + graphnoun

A person’s signature written by that person.
auto + cracynoun

Government in which one ruler holds power.

Explain the connection: “These words share ___. In ___ it helps mean ___; in ___ it helps mean ___.”

Build with aut/auto- 3 word paths

aut/auto-: self. Choose parts from left to right, or choose a word below. Dimmed choices do not continue a word in this matrix.

Prefix / leading part

Root or whole base

Suffix / ending

auto + biography → autobiography

A life story written by the person who lived it.

noun

Compare two paths

autobiography: A life story written by the person who lived it.
autocracy: Government in which one ruler holds power.

Say which parts stay and which change. Explain how the meaning or word job changes.

Read every word sum and meaning

Word sum	Word	Meaning
auto + biography	autobiography	A life story written by the person who lived it.
auto + graph	autograph	A person’s signature written by that person.
auto + cracy	autocracy	Government in which one ruler holds power.

Check your understanding

Use the map and matrix as needed. A wrong answer gives you a clue; try again or open the explanation.

0 of 3 answered correctly

vol/volv

roll or turn

The gist: revolve means turn around. The clue vol/volv connects it to roll or turn.

Why it works · examples & details

The shared clue is the core meaning: roll or turn. Compare revolve (turn around) with revolution (a full turn around). The complete word’s definition is more specific than the word-part clue.

re + volve → revolve
To turn around a central point. It works as a verb in this example.

The map and matrix show established words. Matching letters alone do not prove a meaningful relationship.

Explore vol/volv · map, matrix & checks

revolveturn around
revolutiona full turn around

Word-family cluster map: vol/volv

Follow one root into related words. Read each connection and explain how the shared meaning develops. Select a word to load its path in the matrix below.

vol/volvroll or turn

re + volveverb

To turn around a central point.
re + vol + utionnoun

A complete turn, or a major political change.
e + volveverb

To develop or change over time.

Explain the connection: “These words share ___. In ___ it helps mean ___; in ___ it helps mean ___.”

Build with vol/volv 3 word paths

vol/volv: roll or turn. Choose parts from left to right, or choose a word below. Dimmed choices do not continue a word in this matrix.

Prefix / leading part

Root or whole base

Suffix / ending

re + volve → revolve

To turn around a central point.

verb

Compare two paths

revolve: To turn around a central point.
evolve: To develop or change over time.

Say which parts stay and which change. Explain how the meaning or word job changes.

Read every word sum and meaning

Word sum	Word	Meaning
re + volve	revolve	To turn around a central point.
re + vol + ution	revolution	A complete turn, or a major political change.
e + volve	evolve	To develop or change over time.

Check your understanding

Use the map and matrix as needed. A wrong answer gives you a clue; try again or open the explanation.

0 of 3 answered correctly

DECODE · FOLLOW THE CLUES

Use the clue without overtrusting it

A word part gives you a strong clue—not always a complete definition.

Spot the part.Underline the exact letters you recognize.
Recall the clue.Say the meaning you learned for that part.
Test the whole word.Combine the clue with the other parts and the sentence.

Decode animal

Spot animal. The root anim carries the clue spirit or life. Here, it helps you understand: a living being.

Decode diagnosis

Spot diagnosis. The root cogn/gnos carries the clue know. Here, it helps you understand: knowledge gained from signs.

Decode corporation

Spot corporation. The root corp carries the clue body. Here, it helps you understand: an organized body or group.

Open the matching word builder →

MEANING & GRAMMAR

What changes when the word changes?

Compare the meanings, then test which form fits the sentence.

animate

bring to life or make lively

inanimate

not alive

Explain the difference

Anim keeps its connection to life. In- signals not in inanimate. Say the complete meanings, because these words also do different jobs.

A common mistake—and how to avoid it

Path can connect to feeling in empathy and to disease in pathology. A root may have related senses; choose the sense that fits the complete word.

CHECK IN CONTEXT

Make sense of a new word

Use both the word parts and the sentence. Open a hint if you need a starting point.

The speaker ignored how hurt the families felt. His insensitive remarks made the situation worse.

Expand your thinking · explain it or use it

Which word part helped? Which words in the sentence confirmed the meaning? Use a word from this lesson in a sentence about a reading, a historical event, or your own experience.

Check your sentence

Does the word’s established meaning fit your idea?
Does its form fit the grammar of your sentence?
Can you identify a meaningful part and explain its contribution?

These optional notes are not saved, graded, or submitted.

COME BACK · RETRIEVE IT AGAIN

Remember after a break

Return in two days, then about a week later. Before opening the notes, recall a meaning, rebuild two words, and use one in a new sentence.

Start with anim. What does it mean? Which two words connect to it?

Check after you recall

anim: spirit or life. For example: animate and animal. Explain how each connects to the meaning.

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You checked the parts and applied them.