Which statement about prefixes is accurate?

• A. Prefixes are always negative.
• B. Prefixes always create suffixes.
• C. Prefixes are added to the end of the base word.
• D. Prefixes are added to the front of the base word to modify meaning.

Answer: (D)

Prefixes attach to the beginning of a base word to modify its meaning. Because they sit at the front, prefixes are added to the front of the base word, not the end, and they can signal negation, time or order, repetition, or relationship. For example, un- changes a word to mean not, pre- indicates before, and re- can mean again or back. Not all prefixes convey negativity—some simply shift meaning, like co- meaning together or sub- meaning under. They are not suffixes, which attach to the end of a word. So the statement that prefixes are added to the front of the base word to modify meaning is accurate.