Finding Common Roots

This vocabulary-focused worksheet helps students strengthen root word analysis, decoding skills, morphological awareness, and reading comprehension by identifying shared roots within related word groups. Students examine sets such as credible / incredulous / credit or transport / import / export and analyze meaning and structure to uncover the common root that connects them.

Learning Goals

• Vocabulary & Root Word Analysis – Students identify shared roots and explain how they connect word meanings.
• Morphology & Word Study – Learners examine prefixes, roots, and overall structure to understand how words are built.
• Contextual Understanding of Word Parts – The activity reinforces using word parts to infer meaning in unfamiliar vocabulary.
• Reading for Word Relationships – Students recognize patterns that link related academic and everyday terms.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Designed by educators to support upper elementary and middle school ELA standards.
• Builds Decoding Strategies – Helps students break down complex words with confidence.
• Supports Academic Vocabulary – Especially useful for content-area reading in science and social studies.
• Flexible Classroom Use – Ideal for independent practice, small groups, vocabulary study, or assessment.
• Low-Prep Printable – Ready to use in classroom and homeschool settings.

This printable worksheet gives students meaningful practice with roots, word relationships, and vocabulary structure. By identifying common roots across related words, learners deepen their understanding of how English vocabulary is formed and connected. Whether used in a classroom lesson or a homeschool environment, this activity supports stronger decoding skills, improved comprehension, and long-term vocabulary growth.

This worksheet is part of our Root Word Families collection.