Word Detective Files

Students act as “linguistic detectives” as they break down complex words into their morphemes, including prefix, root, and suffix. For each word, they record what each part means and then use that information to determine the full meaning of the entire term. This task builds deep morphological awareness and shows students how small units of meaning combine to create sophisticated vocabulary. By examining scientific and academic terms, students strengthen word analysis skills frequently used in content-area reading. This worksheet supports decoding, comprehension, and confident interpretation of unfamiliar multisyllabic words.

Curriculum Matched Skills

English Language Arts – Morphological Analysis (Prefix/Root/Suffix)

English Language Arts – Determining Word Meaning Using Word Parts

English Language Arts – Academic Vocabulary Development

English Language Arts – Structural Analysis of Complex Words

This worksheet is part of our Root Words Worksheets collection.