prefix ex

Rule Core

The prefix ex- comes from Latin, meaning “out, away, or thoroughly.” In phonics, it is most commonly pronounced /eks/ at the beginning of words and signals separation or completion.

Pronunciation Guide

/e/ is a short front vowel with relaxed lips; /k/ is a voiceless velar stop with a brief burst of air; /s/ is a voiceless alveolar fricative with steady airflow.

Word Analysis

experiment = ex (out) + peri (try) + ment (noun). Here, ex is reduced to /ɪk/ because it appears in an unstressed syllable before a vowel.

Pitfall Alert

Do not assume ex is always /eks/. Stress patterns often reduce it to /ɪk/ or /ɛgz/.