Intermediate prefixes. 45 questions on over-, under-, inter-, co-, anti-, and post- with meaning and form distinctions.
What this test covers
- over- and under-
- inter-, co-, and anti-
- post-, sub-, and trans-
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All 45 questions with answers
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Q1The staff were completely exhausted because they had been ___ for two weeks straight.
Answer: A. overworked
The prefix 'over-' means 'too much' or 'excessively.' The context clues 'completely exhausted' and 'two weeks straight' indicate that the staff worked far more than is healthy. 'Underworked' would be the opposite, meaning they didn't have enough to do.
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Q2The manager ___ the time required for the project, so they finished two days late.
Answer: C. underestimated
The prefix 'under-' means 'less than' or 'below.' Because the project 'finished two days late,' we know the manager guessed a shorter time than was actually needed. To 'underestimate' is to judge something to be smaller or lower than it really is.
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Q3The expensive new machinery is currently ___ because the staff haven't been trained to use it.
Answer: A. underutilized
The prefix 'under-' means 'not enough.' The context explains that the staff cannot use the machinery yet, meaning it is 'underutilized' (not used as much as it could be). 'Overlooked' means failed to notice, which doesn't fit the context of equipment usage.
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Q4It is unprofessional to ___ when a client makes a small mistake during a meeting.
Answer: C. overreact
To 'overreact' means to respond with too much emotion or intensity. The context of a 'small mistake' suggests that a large, angry, or emotional response would be inappropriate. 'Overlook' would mean to ignore the mistake, which is the opposite of reacting too much.
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Q5The research project was ___ and had to be cancelled due to a lack of money.
Answer: D. underfunded
The prefix 'under-' means 'insufficient.' The context clue 'lack of money' directly points to the project being 'underfunded' (not having enough financial support). 'Overfunded' would mean it had too much money, which wouldn't lead to cancellation.
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Q6She was so ___ that she ignored the warnings and failed the final exam.
Answer: C. overconfident
The prefix 'over-' means 'too much.' Being 'overconfident' means having an excessive belief in your own abilities. The context of 'ignoring warnings' and 'failing' suggests she thought she was better prepared than she actually was.
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Q7He chose to ___ the severity of the crisis in his report to avoid causing panic.
Answer: D. understate
To 'understate' is to describe something as smaller or less important than it actually is. The goal 'to avoid causing panic' tells us he made the crisis seem less serious. 'Overstate' would mean making it sound more serious, which would cause more panic.
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Q8The website crashed because the server was ___ with too many user requests at once.
Answer: A. overloaded
The prefix 'over-' means 'excessive.' An 'overloaded' server has been given more work or data than it can handle. The clue 'too many user requests' explains why the server crashed.
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Q9Analysts ___ the company's annual profits, expecting double the actual results.
Answer: A. overestimated
To 'overestimate' means to guess that a value is higher than it really is. Since the analysts expected 'double the actual results,' their prediction was too high. 'Underestimated' would mean the actual results were surprisingly higher than the prediction.
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Q10Women are still ___ in many top-level executive positions in the tech industry.
Answer: C. underrepresented
The prefix 'under-' means 'below' or 'insufficient.' 'Underrepresented' describes a group that does not have as many members in a specific area as would be expected based on their numbers in the general population.
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Q11The auditor ___ a significant error in the accounts during the first check.
Answer: B. overlooked
The verb 'overlook' means to fail to notice or see something. The context suggests the error was missed during the initial inspection. 'Overruled' means to reject a decision using authority, which does not fit an auditor finding an error.
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Q12The board decided to ___ the CEO's decision and implement a new strategy.
Answer: B. overrule
To 'overrule' means to use official power or authority to reject or cancel a previous decision. Here, the board uses its authority to change the CEO's plan. 'Overcome' means to successfully deal with a problem or obstacle.
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Q13The travel agency tried to ___ us for the hotel room, but we checked the original price.
Answer: B. overcharge
The prefix 'over-' means 'too much.' To 'overcharge' is to ask for more money than the correct or agreed price. The context of checking the 'original price' shows they were trying to take too much money.
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Q14Many experts believe that entry-level workers are severely ___ in this sector.
Answer: A. underpaid
The prefix 'under-' means 'less than what is normal or fair.' 'Underpaid' means receiving a salary that is too low for the work done. In economic discussions about entry-level jobs, 'underpaid' is a common critical term.
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Q15We had to work a lot of ___ last month to finish the urgent assignment.
Answer: D. overtime
The noun 'overtime' refers to time worked beyond one's standard contracted hours. The clue 'finish the urgent assignment' explains the need for these extra hours. 'Overload' is usually a verb or a noun referring to the work itself, not the hours.
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Q16The ___ between the two departments has improved significantly since the new manager arrived.
Answer: B. interaction
The prefix 'inter-' means 'between.' 'Interaction' (written as one word) refers to the communication and cooperation between groups. 'Inter-action' with a hyphen is rarely used, and 'sub-operation' is not a standard term in this context.
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Q17Staff can access company documents via the internal ___ network.
Answer: A. intranet
The prefix 'intra-' means 'inside' or 'within.' An 'intranet' is a private computer network that can only be accessed by people within a specific organization. The 'internet' (inter- meaning 'between') is the global public network.
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Q18The two companies agreed to ___ on the new software development project.
Answer: D. cooperate
The prefix 'co-' means 'together' or 'with.' To 'cooperate' means to work together toward a shared goal. 'Conoperate' and 'suboperate' are not valid English words.
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Q19The surface was treated with an ___ spray to kill bacteria.
Answer: D. antibacterial
The prefix 'anti-' means 'against.' 'Antibacterial' describes something that acts against or kills bacteria. An 'antidote' is used specifically to counteract poison, and 'antisocial' refers to behavior that lacks consideration for others.
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Q20The global economy is now so ___ that a crisis in one country affects everyone.
Answer: B. interdependent
The prefix 'inter-' means 'between,' and 'dependent' means relying on something. 'Interdependent' describes a situation where multiple parties rely on each other. The clue 'crisis in one country affects everyone' perfectly illustrates this mutual reliance.
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Q21The company's swift apology and reform acted as an ___ to the company's declining reputation.
Answer: D. antidote
While 'antidote' usually refers to a medicine that counteracts poison, it is often used metaphorically to mean a way of preventing or correcting a bad situation. An apology 'cures' the bad reputation like an antidote cures a poison.
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Q22The famous scientist decided to ___ with his colleague on the research paper.
Answer: D. co-author
The prefix 'co-' means 'together.' To 'co-author' a paper means to write it together with someone else. 'Sub-author' is not a standard term, and 'anti-author' would imply being against authors.
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Q23The ___ conference attracted diplomats from over fifty countries.
Answer: D. international
The prefix 'inter-' means 'between.' 'International' describes something involving two or more nations. The context clue 'diplomats from over fifty countries' confirms the event was between many different nations.
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Q24His ___ behaviour at the party made everyone feel uncomfortable.
Answer: B. antisocial
The prefix 'anti-' means 'against.' 'Antisocial' behavior is behavior that is harmful to or lacks consideration for others, often making people feel uncomfortable in a group setting. 'Anticlockwise' refers only to a direction of movement.
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Q25We need to ___ our efforts to ensure the event runs smoothly.
Answer: D. coordinate
To 'coordinate' (often using the 'co-' prefix for 'together') means to organize different parts of an activity so that they work together effectively. 'Co-ordinating' is the present participle, but the sentence requires the infinitive 'coordinate' after 'need to.'
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Q26Identify the error in this sentence: 'The clinic provides ante-bacterial soap in every room.'
Answer: A. ante-bacterial
The prefix 'anti-' means 'against' (as in 'against bacteria'), whereas the prefix 'ante-' means 'before' (as in 'anteroom'). Therefore, the correct spelling is 'antibacterial.' This is a common spelling mistake.
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Q27The company installed powerful ___ software to protect against cyberattacks.
Answer: C. antivirus
The prefix 'anti-' means 'against.' In computing, 'antivirus' software is designed to detect and destroy computer viruses. 'Antibiotic' is used for medical infections, and 'antidote' is used for poisons.
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Q28It is important that you do not ___ in the investigation process.
Answer: A. interfere
To 'interfere' means to get involved in a situation where your involvement is not wanted or where it hinders the process. 'Inter-' means 'between,' and 'interfere' implies getting in between the facts and the outcome of the investigation.
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Q29The two cultures managed to ___ peacefully for centuries.
Answer: B. co-exist
The prefix 'co-' means 'together.' 'Co-exist' means to exist at the same time or in the same place. The context of 'two cultures' living 'peacefully' indicates they lived alongside each other.
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Q30The college organizes ___ sports competitions between students from different departments.
Answer: A. inter-departmental
The prefix 'inter-' means 'between.' 'Inter-departmental' specifically describes activities happening between different departments. 'International' would mean between countries, which doesn't fit the context of a single college.
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Q31The ___ economic recovery has been slower than many experts initially predicted.
Answer: C. post-pandemic
The prefix 'post-' means 'after.' 'Post-pandemic' refers to the period after a pandemic has ended. This fits the context of an 'economic recovery' following a major global event.
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Q32The materials used for the building were clearly ___, leading to safety concerns.
Answer: A. subpar
The prefix 'sub-' means 'below.' 'Subpar' means below an average or required level of quality. The clue 'safety concerns' tells us the materials were not good enough. 'Understandard' is not a standard English word; the correct term is 'substandard' or 'subpar.'
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Q33The new technology will ___ the various regional networks to improve global communication.
Answer: B. interconnect
To 'interconnect' means to connect different things with each other. The prefix 'inter-' (between) combined with 'connect' fits the goal of linking 'various regional networks' together.
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Q34Due to the storm, the organizers had to ___ the outdoor concert.
Answer: D. postpone
The prefix 'post-' means 'after' or 'later.' To 'postpone' an event is to delay it and reschedule it for a later time. This is the standard term used when weather or other problems delay a scheduled event.
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Q35The poster was ___ and the words could not be read from more than a few metres away.
Answer: C. under-sized
The prefix 'under-' can mean 'below the required size.' 'Under-sized' describes something that is physically smaller than appropriate for its intended purpose. A poster that is 'under-sized' is too small to be legible at a normal viewing distance. 'Under-written' would suggest the poster lacks sufficient written content, which does not explain a visibility problem. 'Under-typed' and 'under-read' are not standard English words.
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Q36The ___ flight took 12 hours to reach the other side of the ocean.
Answer: D. intercontinental
The prefix 'inter-' means 'between.' 'Intercontinental' describes a journey between continents. A 12-hour flight across an ocean typically moves from one continent to another (e.g., Europe to North America).
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Q37After finishing his degree, he decided to enrol in a ___ course.
Answer: B. postgraduate
The prefix 'post-' means 'after.' A 'postgraduate' course is one that you take after you have already graduated with your first university degree (undergraduate degree). 'Subgraduate' is not a real term.
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Q38The main construction firm had to hire a ___ to finish the electrical work.
Answer: D. subcontractor
The prefix 'sub-' can mean 'secondary' or 'under.' A 'subcontractor' is a person or company hired by a main contractor to do a specific part of a larger project. The clue 'main construction firm had to hire' indicates this secondary level of hiring.
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Q39The two departments need to ___ their research findings to identify common themes.
Answer: D. inter-relate
The prefix 'inter-' means 'between' or 'together.' To 'inter-relate' means to connect things or show how they are related to one another. The goal of identifying 'common themes' requires looking at how the two sets of findings relate.
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Q40The ___ movement campaigned against the new law.
Answer: A. anti-government
The prefix 'anti-' means 'against' or 'opposed to.' An 'anti-government' movement is one that opposes the current ruling power or its policies. The clue 'campaigned against' clearly points to this prefix.
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Q41The manager felt ___ because he had too many tasks.
Answer: C. overwhelmed
To be 'overwhelmed' means to feel buried or defeated by an excessive amount of something, such as work or emotions. The prefix 'over-' signifies 'too much.' 'Underwhelmed' is the opposite—feeling disappointed because something was not as good as expected.
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Q42Many writers became famous in the ___ era following the major conflict.
Answer: A. post-war
The prefix 'post-' means 'after.' The 'post-war' era refers to the period of time immediately following the end of a war. 'Inter-war' would mean the period between two wars.
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Q43The ___ meeting was held after the main event.
Answer: D. post-conference
The prefix 'post-' means 'after.' A 'post-conference' meeting is one that takes place after the main conference has finished. 'Inter-conference' would imply a meeting between different conferences.
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Q44The ___ student is one who has not yet earned a bachelor's degree.
Answer: B. undergraduate
The prefix 'under-' in this context refers to someone who is below the rank of a graduate. An 'undergraduate' is a student at a college or university who is studying for their first (bachelor's) degree. 'Post-graduate' is for someone who has already graduated.
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Q45The two countries signed an ___ agreement to share resources.
Answer: B. intergovernmental
The prefix 'inter-' means 'between.' 'Intergovernmental' means involving or conducted between two or more governments. The clue 'two countries' shows that the agreement exists between their respective governments.
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