Question

How is the word befriended broken down into morphemes?a. be+friendedb. be+friend+edc. be+fri+end+edd. befriend+ed

Answer 1

Answer:

If the word is a noun, first determine whether it is compound, like “hedgehog” or “headhunter.” Then examine whether it is plural, possessive or part of a contraction, and whether it has a prefix, like “anti-” or “para-.” Each part of a compound noun and each suffix or prefix is a separate morpheme, which is why “hedgehogs” has three morphemes, two of them free. Both "hedge" and "hog" are free morphemes, because they can act as words on their own. The suffix "-s" is a bound morpheme, because it cannot stand on its own as a word. “Paralegals,” which includes the prefix “para-,” also has three morphemes, but only one of them, “legal,” is free. "Para-" and "-s" are both bound morphemes.