Here's why:
* Morpheme: The smallest unit of meaning in a language.
* Free Morpheme: A morpheme that can stand alone as a word. Examples: "cat," "run," "happy."
* Bound Morpheme: A morpheme that cannot stand alone and must be attached to another morpheme. Examples: "-ing" (running), "un-" (unhappy).
Root: This term typically refers to the core of a word, often containing the primary meaning. While roots can sometimes be free morphemes, they aren't always. For instance, the root "graph" (meaning "writing") is not a free morpheme on its own. You need to attach it to something like "-y" to form the word "graphy".
Let me know if you have any other questions!