What is the benefit of familiarizing oneself with prefixes and suffixes?

Familiarizing oneself with prefixes and suffixes provides significant benefits, particularly in understanding unfamiliar words. By recognizing these components, one can break down a word into its meaningful parts, allowing for educated guesses about its definition. For instance, knowing that 'un-' typically means 'not' and '-able' indicates something can be done can help deduce that 'unthinkable' refers to something that cannot be conceived or imagined. This skill enhances vocabulary comprehension and improves overall reading ability, as readers become equipped to tackle new and complex terms with increased confidence. Such knowledge empowers learners to grapple with texts that may otherwise seem daunting due to the presence of unfamiliar vocabulary.