Grade 4 students explore the Latin suffix -ible/-able ("able to be") and the Greek suffix -ize ("to cause to be") in Lesson 15 of Vocabulary from Classical Roots Book 6. Students learn ten vocabulary words built from these suffixes, including illegible, identifiable, predictable, colonize, generalize, and vocalize. Exercises guide students to use suffix clues to decode meaning, identify antonyms, apply words in context, and distinguish when to spell the suffix as -ible versus -able.
Section 1
The Suffix -ible/-able: Able to Be
These words use the suffix -ible or -able, from the Latin suffix -ibilis, which means "able to be" or "worthy of." They describe a quality or a potential for something to be acted upon.
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| horrible | (adj.) very bad or awful |
| identifiable | (adj.) able to be recognized |
| illegible | (adj.) not able to be read |
| predictable | (adj.) able to be guessed or known in advance |
Section 2
The Suffix -ize: To Cause or To Act
These action words all end with the suffix -ize, from the Greek suffix -izein, which means "to cause to be" or "to act in a special way." It's a powerful tool for turning ideas into verbs!
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| colonize | (v.) to settle in a new place and form a colony |
| generalize | (v.) to draw a broad conclusion from a few facts |
| socialize | (v.) to talk and interact with other people |
| trivialize | (v.) to make something seem unimportant |
| visualize | (v.) to picture something in your mind |
| vocalize | (v.) to make sounds with your voice |
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Section 1
The Suffix -ible/-able: Able to Be
These words use the suffix -ible or -able, from the Latin suffix -ibilis, which means "able to be" or "worthy of." They describe a quality or a potential for something to be acted upon.
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| horrible | (adj.) very bad or awful |
| identifiable | (adj.) able to be recognized |
| illegible | (adj.) not able to be read |
| predictable | (adj.) able to be guessed or known in advance |
Section 2
The Suffix -ize: To Cause or To Act
These action words all end with the suffix -ize, from the Greek suffix -izein, which means "to cause to be" or "to act in a special way." It's a powerful tool for turning ideas into verbs!
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| colonize | (v.) to settle in a new place and form a colony |
| generalize | (v.) to draw a broad conclusion from a few facts |
| socialize | (v.) to talk and interact with other people |
| trivialize | (v.) to make something seem unimportant |
| visualize | (v.) to picture something in your mind |
| vocalize | (v.) to make sounds with your voice |
Book overview
Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.
Continue this chapter