Glossary · Word parts and vocabulary
What is a base word?
Definition
A base word is a word that can stand on its own and take prefixes or suffixes, such as kind in unkindly or play in replaying.
Base words are where morphology starts. The student already knows the word, so adding parts is just a small step: play, plays, played, playing, player, replay.
The spelling of the base can change when a suffix is added. Hope loses its e in hoping, run doubles its n in running, happy changes y to i in happiness. Those changes follow the suffix rules and are worth pointing out every time, since students often fail to recognize the base after the change.
Asking “What's the base word?” is a quick, useful habit during reading. It turns a long unfamiliar word into a short familiar one plus a part or two.
In a lesson
Write happiness. Ask the student to find the base. If they say happi, show that the y changed to i when -ness was added. The base is happy.
Examples
Each word with its spelling units, one per sound.
- happinessh·a·pp·i·n·e·ss
- runningr·u·nn·i·ng
- unhappyu·n·h·a·pp·y
- playersp·l·ay·er·s
Words come from our lexicon, checked against a pronouncing dictionary. Words a student sees in our assessments are left out.
Why does this matter for the record?
Note if a student loses the base when spelling changes. It usually means the suffix rules need more work.
Rate each skill as you teach it
Needs support, Developing, Secure. The rating schedules the review and builds the report.