Question

Which of the following prefix can be added to the word 'regular' to form its opposite ?

• A. in -
• B. ir -
• C. im -
• D. il-

Answer 1

Answer:

B. ir -

• To form the opposite of the word "regular," we need to understand how prefixes work in English to create antonyms.

• The word "regular" means normal, usual, or conforming to a standard pattern. To make it mean the opposite, we add a negative prefix.

• Let's examine each option:

  • Option A (in-): This prefix is used before words starting with certain consonants (e.g., incorrect, incomplete)

  • Option B (ir-): This prefix is specifically used before words starting with 'r' (e.g., irregular, irresponsible, irrational)

  • Option C (im-): This prefix is used before words starting with 'm', 'p', or 'b' (e.g., impossible, immature)

  • Option D (il-): This prefix is used before words starting with 'l' (e.g., illegal, illogical)

• Since "regular" starts with the letter 'r', the correct prefix to use is ir-, forming the word "irregular" which means not regular, uneven, or not conforming to rules.

• This follows the standard phonetic rule in English where the prefix adapts to match the first letter of the root word for easier pronunciation.