{"id":24310,"date":"2025-07-07T08:42:27","date_gmt":"2025-07-07T08:42:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ec.itmonks.dev\/en\/?post_type=free_lesson&#038;p=24310"},"modified":"2025-07-07T08:42:29","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T08:42:29","slug":"prefixes-un-dis-im-mis","status":"publish","type":"free_lesson","link":"https:\/\/ec.itmonks.dev\/en\/learn-english-for-free\/confusing-words\/prefixes-un-dis-im-mis\/","title":{"rendered":"Prefixes: Un, Dis, Im, Mis\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"\">Unstoppable fans, unmistakable passion! In today&#8217;s lesson learn how un-, dis-, im-, and mis- change a word&#8217;s game!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a prefix?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">A prefix is placed at the beginning of a word to change its meaning. They\u2019re a quick way to create new words and express the opposite of something.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">&nbsp;For example, the prefix <em>re-<\/em> generally means either \u201cagain\u201d:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>redecorate (to decorate again): <em>We\u2019re going to redecorate our bathroom.<\/em>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>remake (to make again): <em>They\u2019re remaking \u2018Lilo and Stitch\u2019.<\/em>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>reread (read again): <em>I love that book, I\u2019ll probably reread it soon.&nbsp;<\/em>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">In this lesson, we\u2019re looking at four prefixes that often cause confusion: <em>un<\/em>, <em>dis<\/em>, <em>im<\/em>, and <em>mis. <\/em>These prefixes all give words a <strong>negative<\/strong> or <strong>opposite<\/strong> meaning.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>un-<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">The prefix <strong>un<\/strong> usually means <em>not<\/em>, <em>the opposite of<\/em>, or <em>to reverse an action<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"content-type-h6\"><strong>Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>unfair<\/em> (not fair)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>unable<\/em> (not able)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>untie<\/em> (to reverse the action of tying)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>mis-<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>mis<\/strong> means <em>wrong<\/em> or <em>badly<\/em> \u2014 it often suggests a mistake or misunderstanding.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"content-type-h6\"><strong>Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>mistake<\/em> (a wrong action or decision)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>misunderstand<\/em> (to understand incorrectly)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>misplace<\/em> (to put something in the wrong place)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>dis-<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>dis<\/strong> also means <em>not<\/em> or <em>the opposite of<\/em>. It can suggest a lack of connection or agreement.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"content-type-h6\"><strong>Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>disagree<\/em> (to not agree)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>disconnect<\/em> (to break a connection)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>disapprove<\/em> (to not approve)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>im-<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>im<\/strong> means <em>not<\/em> or <em>the opposite of<\/em> \u2014 it\u2019s often used before words that start with <strong>m<\/strong> or <strong>p<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"content-type-h6\"><strong>Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>impossible<\/em> (not possible)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>impolite<\/em> (not polite)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>impatient<\/em> (not patient)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Tip<\/strong>: Even though these prefixes all show a kind of <em>negative<\/em> meaning, they can\u2019t always be used interchangeably. Some words just \u201csound right\u201d with one prefix and not another. Reading and listening regularly helps you get a natural feel for them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-rich-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-74a0fa9bf165b582ce879189be205fe4\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Unstoppable fans, unmistakable passion! In today&#8217;s lesson learn how un-, dis-, im-, and mis- change a word&#8217;s game! What is<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":3831,"parent":0,"template":"","free_lesson_category":[285,280],"class_list":["post-24310","free_lesson","type-free_lesson","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","free_lesson_category-confusing-words","free_lesson_category-vocabulary"],"acf":{"related_posts":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Learn Prefixes: Un, Dis, Im, Mis | EC English Schools<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how the prefixes un-, dis-, im- and mis- change word meanings. 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