4th Grade Greek and Latin Roots Worksheets
Many English words are built from ancient Greek and Latin parts: tele (far), port (carry), graph (write), photo (light), auto (self), bio (life). Fourth graders learn the most common roots and use them to take apart words like photograph and transport instead of memorizing each one cold.
Free printable PDF, aligned to Common Core L.4.4.b. One skill per page, answer key on page two.
Every sheet is one of a kind and prints with a version code, so you can reprint the exact same one later. New version every click.
The kind of sentences you'll get
Circle the letter of the word built from the right root.
-
The root meter means measure, so a speedometer measures ______ .
sound · speed · time
Answer: speed
- Check your ______ chart results with the school nurse. visit · version · vision
- The ______ checked every smoke alarm in the building. spectator · respecter · inspector
Every print draws a fresh mix of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different sheet.
What's on each sheet
- Choose the word. Circle the letter of the word built from the right root. 10 questions per page.
Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.
How to teach this
Teach a root as a family reunion: write port in the center and collect its relatives (transport, export, portable) around it. The aha moment is realizing the meaning threads through all of them. A few roots a week, always inside real words, beats a long list memorized bare.
Watch for: A root isn't a prefix; it's the core of the word. Prefixes and suffixes attach to it (in-spect-ion). Knowing one root unlocks a family of words, not just one: port gives transport, export, import, and portable.
Common questions about greek and latin roots
- Which roots should a 4th grader learn first?
- The high-frequency dozen: tele, port, graph, photo, auto, bio, geo, phon, meter, scope, dict, and rupt. They appear in words kids already half-know (telephone, photograph, automatic), so the meanings feel like discoveries rather than memorization.
- What's the difference between a root and a prefix?
- The root is the core that carries the main meaning; prefixes and suffixes clip onto it. In transportation, port (carry) is the root, trans- (across) is the prefix, and -ation makes it a noun. Students who can find the root can usually crack the whole word.
Related worksheets
Ready to print one?
One page, answer key included. A fresh version every time you click.
Aligned to Common Core L.4.4.b. Reviewed by the One More Sheet curriculum team. Content version 68, updated July 2026.