Y05W05VC Word Roots — pre- (before)

To preview something is to look at or experience it before it is officially shown or released.

Example: The students were excited to preview the new library books before the official reading week began.

Synonyms: look at in advance, sample, view early

Collocations: preview the film, a preview of, preview before

To prepare means to get ready for something that is going to happen.

Example: She spent the evening preparing her notes and equipment before the science experiment.

Synonyms: get ready, plan, organise

Collocations: prepare for, prepare in advance, prepare carefully

To predict something is to say what you think will happen before it actually occurs, based on what you already know.

Example: He used the graph to predict what the temperature would be by the end of the week.

Synonyms: forecast, anticipate, expect

Collocations: predict the outcome, predict what will happen, predict accurately

To create something is to make or produce something new that did not exist before.

Word family: creation (n.), creative (adj.), creator (n.)

Example: She used coloured pencils and recycled materials to create a model of the solar system.

Synonyms: make, produce, design

Collocations: create a plan, create something new, create an opportunity

To represent something is to stand for it or to act as a symbol or example of it.

Word family: representation (n.), representative (n./adj.)

Example: The blue ribbon on the map represents a river flowing through the valley.

Synonyms: stand for, symbolise, show

Collocations: represent an idea, represent a group, represent the school

To explore something is to travel through or look at it carefully in order to find out more about it.

Word Breakdown: ex- (prefix meaning ‘out or outward’)

Word family: exploration (n.), explorer (n.)

Example: The class was asked to explore the theme of friendship in the story they had just read.

Synonyms: investigate, discover, examine

Collocations: explore ideas, explore the topic, explore and discover

To discover something is to find it or learn about it for the first time.

Word family: discovery (n.), discoverer (n.)

Example: Scientists continue to discover new species of insects in the rainforests of Australia.

Synonyms: find, uncover, come across

Collocations: discover a fact, discover for the first time, discover that

To imagine something is to form a picture or idea of it in your mind.

Word family: imagination (n.), imaginative (adj.)

Example: He closed his eyes and tried to imagine what it would feel like to stand at the top of a mountain.

Synonyms: picture, visualise, think of

Collocations: imagine that, imagine what, hard to imagine

‘For example’ is used to introduce a specific instance that illustrates or supports a general point.

Example: Many animals have adapted to survive extreme conditions; for example, camels can go several days without water.

Synonyms: such as, for instance, to illustrate

Collocations: for example, this shows; for example, animals such as; for example, consider