All Ears English Podcast AEE 2507: Pesky Prefixes Part 2: Inconvenient English Vocabulary
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Nov 4, 2025 Explore the quirks of English prefixes like 'in' and 'un,' where native speakers often trip up. Discover why 'inconvenient' is the correct form, while 'unconvenient' is a common mistake. Dive into the expressive power of words like 'indescribable,' and why 'incapable' and 'inaccurate' hold their ground in conversation. Through playful role-play, the hosts illustrate how to use these terms naturally. Ultimately, they emphasize that connection matters more than perfection in communication.
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Use The Correct Negative Prefix
- Avoid adding the prefix 'un-' when the correct opposite uses 'in-'.
- Learn common chunks like inconvenient, indescribable, incapable, inaccurate, indefensible to sound natural.
Common Native-Speaker Errors Aren't Always Right
- Native speakers often make the same prefix mistakes learners copy.
- Don't assume frequency in speech equals correctness; some errors are common but wrong.
Memorize Problematic Word Chunks
- Practice specific example words rather than guessing prefixes from logic.
- Memorize pairs like inconvenient (not