What does understanding affixes help with in structural analysis?

Understanding affixes significantly enhances the ability to identify the meaning of root words. Affixes, which include prefixes and suffixes, modify a root word's meaning and can provide essential clues about its definition. For instance, knowing that the prefix "un-" means "not" can help a reader deduce that "unhappy" means "not happy." This structural analysis allows students to break down complex words into recognizable parts, facilitating comprehension and vocabulary development. As a result, students can derive meanings of unfamiliar words more efficiently, which is a crucial skill in both reading comprehension and language mastery.