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Word roots

spect spekt Respect and suspect are the same eye, aimed differently An eye leaning in close to look at something. Only the direction of the look changes. English 5 uses

port pɔːrt One person carrying a load unlocks ten words A person shouldering a load and walking it from one place to another. Only the cargo and the destination change. English 5 uses

duc/duct duːs · dʌkt A hand out front, pulling everything along Someone walking in front, hand held, taking you somewhere. People, air and work all get led this way. English 5 uses

ject dʒekt One throwing hand: the shot, the refusal, the screen The moment something in your hand is hurled away. Where it is thrown is the whole difference. English 5 uses

tract trækt One pulling hand, from a tooth to a contract A hand taking hold of something and hauling it your way. Teeth, customers, attention — all get dragged. English 5 uses

mit/miss mɪt · mɪs The moment a closed hand opens and lets go A hand that was gripping something opens and sends it away. Forms, people and signals all leave the hand the same way. English 5 uses

scrib/script skraɪb · skrɪpt The hand that scratched a mark became writing A hand dragging something sharp across a surface, leaving a groove. That groove became the letter. English 5 uses

pos/pon poʊz · poʊn Where you set it down is what the word means The moment you set down what you were holding. Where it lands is the whole story. English 5 uses

fer fɜːr One thing handed from this hand to that one Something lifted out of one hand and passed into another. Money, jobs and patients all travel that way. English 5 uses

ced/cess siːd · ses One step forward turns into process and excess A foot going down in front of the other, again and again. Only how far you walk changes. English 5 uses

ven/vent viːn · vent Footsteps coming your way: events, inventions, and all Footsteps approaching from over there and arriving here. People and happenings both come this way. English 5 uses

press pres One firm push becomes speech and admiration A palm pushing straight down. Whatever is under it shrinks, squeezes out, or keeps the mark. English 5 uses

struct strʌkt Why a manual and a skyscraper share one root Hands stacking pieces one on top of another until a frame stands. Build it up and you have a structure; pull it down and you have destruction. English 5 uses

form fɔːrm Forms, uniforms and information walk out of one mold One mold that decides the outside of whatever you pour in. Fill the mold and you get a form; give everyone the same mold and you get a uniform; swap the mold and the thing becomes something else. English 5 uses

gress/grad ɡres / ɡræd Graduating and getting aggressive are the same step A single step taken with one foot. Forward it is progress; one stair at a time it is gradual; straight at another person it turns into aggression. English 5 uses

vert/vers vɜːrt / vɜːrs Reverse gear and radio ads are the same turn A body pivoting on the spot to face somewhere else. What the word means depends only on which way the turn goes. English 5 uses

cap/cept kæp / sept Accept and except: the same hand, opposite directions A hand reaching out and closing on something. Which word you get depends only on which way the hand pulls. English 5 uses

dict dɪkt A dictionary, a forecast and a verdict are all one spoken word A word going out of the mouth and landing on its target. Where and when it lands is what changes the meaning. English 5 uses

fac/fect fæk / fekt A factory, an effect and perfection are all one making Hands making something that did not exist a moment ago. What comes out of the making is an effect; making it all the way to the end is perfect. English 5 uses

lect/leg lekt / leɡ An election and neglect are decided at the same fingertip Eyes choosing one thing out of many and a hand picking it up. Gather what you pick and it's a collection; lift one person up and it's an election; never pick it up at all and it's neglect. English 5 uses

ten/tain ten / teɪn Containing something and paying attention are the same grip A hand closed tight around something and not letting go. What the word means depends on what is being held, and where. English 5 uses

pend/pens pend / pens Why expensive comes from hanging something up A thing hanging from a string, still swinging, not yet settled on the ground. Nothing is decided while it hangs. English 5 uses

flu fluː Being fluent and catching the flu run in the same stream Water running on and on with nothing blocking it. Words running is fluency, the stream rising and falling is fluctuation, water seeping into someone else is influence. English 5 uses

sist/sta sɪst / stɑː Helping and holding out are the same stance A body standing firm on two feet. Stand beside someone and you are helping; stand your ground and you are insisting; stand facing them and you are resisting. English 5 uses