In strategies for struggling readers, which elements are identified to analyze word parts?

• A. Roots and affixes.
• B. Syllables only.
• C. Punctuation is the main focus.
• D. Typography determines meaning.

Answer: (A)

Understanding how words are built helps struggling readers decode and understand new vocabulary. Analyzing word parts means looking at the base word (the root) and any attached prefixes or suffixes to see how meaning changes. This approach gives clues to unfamiliar words and supports pronunciation and comprehension. For example, in a word like “unhappiness,” you can see the root “happy,” the prefix “un-” that means not, and the suffix “-ness” that turns the adjective into a noun describing a state. Knowing these parts helps you infer the overall meaning: a state of not being happy. Syllables focus mainly on sound and pronunciation, not on how meaning shifts with affixes, and punctuation or typography don’t provide information about the word’s internal parts.