Negative Prefixes

We use the negative prefixes un- / in- /im- /il- /ir-

For example:

John and James are brothers. John is reliable, you can trust him to do anything you ask. James, on the other hand, is unreliable, you cannot rely on him.

By adding un to reliable we change the meaning of the word to not reliable.

Dis gives the adjective the opposite meaning: "I know you all agree with the plan, but I still disagree."

Use un- prefix before words that start with a vowel or consonant.
Use il- prefix before words that start i: illegal.
Use im- prefix before words that start with m or p: impossible.
Use ir- prefix before words that start with r: irregular.
Use in- prefix with words that start with consonants and vowels, but not i or u.

Now choose the correct word to complete each sentence:

• 1) They say he has a ___ face.
  
  inhonest
  dishonest
  ilhonest
  
  
• 2) I have an ___ fear of mice.
  
  disrational
  inrational
  irrational
  
  
• 3) The Joker character in Batman is ___.
  
  irsane
  insane
  ilsane
  
  
• 4) In the UK it's ___ to smoke in bars and restaurants.
  
  imlegal
  inlegal
  illegal
  
  
• 5) It's ___ that we have to work while they are on holiday.
  
  infair
  disfair
  unfair
  
  
• 6) I am too ___ to go fishing.
  
  unpatient
  impatient
  inpatient
  
  
• 7) He's so ___ even after all the help we gave him.
  
  imgrateful
  ungrateful
  ingrateful
  
  
• 8) He still acts like a child, he's so ___.
  
  immature
  irmature
  inmature
  
  
• 9) I think the information in this report is ___. It doesn't look right.
  
  inaccurate
  unaccurate
  iraccurate
  
  
• 10) His attempt to break the world record was ___.
  
  insuccessful
  dissuccessful
  unsuccessful