Which phrase best defines morphological analysis?

Which phrase best defines morphological analysis?

• A. The study of the structure of words and meaningful components, such as roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
• B. The analysis of punctuation usage.
• C. The speed of reading words.
• D. The comprehension of sentences.

Answer: (A)

Morphological analysis is about how words are built from smaller meaningful parts. It looks at the structure of words and their components—roots that carry core meaning and affixes like prefixes and suffixes that modify that meaning or show grammar. This helps readers decode unfamiliar words by recognizing pieces they already know. For example, in "unhappiness," the prefix "un-" means not, the root "happy" carries the core idea, and the suffix "-ness" turns the idea into a noun. That’s why the phrase describing the study of word parts and how they combine is the best fit. Punctuation, how fast you read, or understanding whole sentences aren’t about breaking words into meaningful pieces. They’re separate reading skills.

Morphological analysis is about how words are built from smaller meaningful parts. It looks at the structure of words and their components—roots that carry core meaning and affixes like prefixes and suffixes that modify that meaning or show grammar. This helps readers decode unfamiliar words by recognizing pieces they already know. For example, in "unhappiness," the prefix "un-" means not, the root "happy" carries the core idea, and the suffix "-ness" turns the idea into a noun. That’s why the phrase describing the study of word parts and how they combine is the best fit. Punctuation, how fast you read, or understanding whole sentences aren’t about breaking words into meaningful pieces. They’re separate reading skills.