Word beginnings that change meaning: un-, re-, dis-, pre-, mis-
Prefix + base word (usually no spelling change)
Same structure
Same structure
💡 Usually no hyphen. Some words need hyphen to avoid confusion: re-cover vs recover.
✓I misunderstood the question.
✗I mis-understood the question.
Usually no hyphen with mis-.
✓Please reread the instructions.
✗Please re-read the instructions.
Usually no hyphen, but re-read is also acceptable.
✓It's impossible to finish.
✗It's unpossible to finish.
Im- (not un-) before p: impossible.