Roots of English

Coordinated with Latina Christiana

Roots of English: Latin and Greek Roots for Beginners

Docere, Delectare, Movere




We are often asked if we have a program that includes the study of both Latin and Greek roots. We do now! Roots of English is an introduction to English, designed for students as young as third grade, but it is also a great test prep program for older students planning on taking any test with a vocabulary section. Most of the Latin roots covered in this book correspond to the Latina Christiana I Latin vocabulary set. The course also introduces Greek roots commonly found in English words.



Words with Latin and Greek roots are longer and more difficult than the short words for ordinary objects that form the first layer of an English-speaking child's vocabulary. Their meanings are more nuanced, more specialized. In order to acquire these words and learn how to use them appropriately, a young student needs to understand the meanings of their roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Roots of English presents careful analysis of these word elements so that the student learns not only the modern meanings of the words but also their underlying, ancient meanings. Context exercises and periodic quizzes help the student learn the correct and appropriate uses of these words.