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Lesson planB280 minsNew. New: checked automatically for level, grammar, facts and originality; a teacher's review is still to come. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Students form negative words with un-, in-, im-, il-, ir-, dis- and mis-, including words with a prefix and a suffix, and practise them in two exam-style Part 3 texts.
Word formation · Prefixes · Negative
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Download all (ZIP, 2 PDFs)Which prefix makes the opposite of each word? Put each word in the right group.
usual
experienced
honest
spell
fair
correct
agree
understand
happy
complete
appear
lead
visible
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence.
It is ___ to drive a car without a licence.
'Go' is an ___ verb: its past form is 'went'.
The jacket was cheap because it was slightly ___: one button was missing.
He never tells the truth: he's completely ___.
It's ___ to see snow here in April: it hardly ever happens.
My little brother is very ___ for his age: he still cries when he loses a game.
Your handwriting is ___: I can't read a single word.
You think the plan is great, but I ___: I think it's far too expensive.
It's ___ to swim in the lake in January: the water is frozen.
Use the word in capitals to form a word that fits the gap.
Many young people are because there are very few jobs in the town.
EMPLOYYour answer is : check the spelling again.
CORRECTLeaving a small child alone at home is very .
RESPONSIBLEThe form is : you haven't written your address.
COMPLETEI cooking, so I usually buy ready meals.
LIKEIt was of you to read my messages without asking.
POLITEThe coin seemed to into thin air.
APPEARWithout my glasses, the small print is almost .
VISIBLEAdverts often customers: the phones look much bigger in the photos.
LEADEach sentence has one mistake in the spelling or prefix of a word. Write the correction.
It was irresponsable to leave the door unlocked.
Please don't mispell my name again.
I think it's unecessary to bring an umbrella today.
Jeans are fine: it's an unformal party.
It was inpolite to leave without saying goodbye.
My keys seem to dissappear every morning.
These words need a prefix AND a suffix. Use the word in capitals to form a word that fits the gap.
The story sounds , but every word of it is true.
BELIEVETo my , the concert was cancelled at the last minute.
DISAPPOINTThe level of has risen since the factory closed.
EMPLOYThere was a about the time, so half the team arrived late.
UNDERSTANDSome of the comments were so that I decided not to answer them.
PLEASEI felt when everyone in the room turned to look at me.
COMFORTThe museum, , had just closed when we arrived.
FORTUNERead the text. Use the word in capitals to form a word that fits each gap.
Exam task: Reading and Use of English, Part 3
Tip: Look for words that show a problem or a contrast, such as but, however or not, before you decide whether the word needs a negative prefix.
When I started my first job in a busy restaurant, I was completely 1EXPERIENCE and made a lot of mistakes. At first, I thought my manager was 2FAIR, because she always gave me the worst jobs. She often said that my questions were 3RELEVANT to the task, which made me feel stupid.
Later I realised that I tended to 4UNDERSTAND her instructions because I was so nervous. When customers had to wait, some of them became 5PATIENT and complained. Many new staff feel 6HAPPY in their first month, a colleague told me, but it soon passes.
Now I can see that my mistakes were 7AVOID for a beginner, and that my worries were 8LOGIC: nobody expected me to be perfect.
Read the text. Use the word in capitals to form a word that fits each gap.
Exam task: Reading and Use of English, Part 3
Tip: Some answers need two changes: a prefix and a suffix. Check both parts, then check the spelling.
I used to buy almost everything online, but last year I had a series of 1DISAPPOINT experiences. First, a pair of boots arrived in the wrong size, and the instructions for returning them were completely 2CLEAR. Then a jacket that looked smart in the photos turned out to have sleeves of 3EQUAL length.
When I complained, the company's reply was 4HELP: it simply repeated the same advice. They even claimed that my receipt was 5VALID, although I had printed it myself.
I was so 6SATISFY that I decided to buy from local shops instead, and it is now very 7LIKELY that I will ever go back to shopping online. Looking back, buying so much without reading the reviews was a little 8WISE.
Write 80–110 words.
Write about a day when things went wrong: a trip, a first day somewhere, or something you bought. Say what happened, how you felt and what you learnt. Use at least five words with a negative prefix from this lesson, including one that also has a suffix.
Suggested minimum: 80 words
Before you hand it in
0 words · aim for at least 80
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The 44 words and phrases this lesson teaches, in 5 sets.
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