Think of it this way:
* Words are like sentences. They have meaning.
* Morphemes are like individual words within a sentence. They have meaning, but often can't stand alone.
Here are some examples:
Free Morphemes:
* Cat: This is a complete word, meaning a feline animal. It can stand alone.
* Run: This is also a complete word, meaning to move quickly on foot. It can stand alone.
Bound Morphemes:
* -s: This is a morpheme that means "plural." It cannot stand alone, but it changes the meaning of a word. For example, "cat" becomes "cats."
* -ing: This is a morpheme that indicates present continuous action. It cannot stand alone, but it changes the meaning of a word. For example, "run" becomes "running."
* un-: This is a morpheme that means "not." It cannot stand alone, but it changes the meaning of a word. For example, "happy" becomes "unhappy."
Types of Morphemes:
* Free Morphemes: Can stand alone as words (e.g., cat, run).
* Bound Morphemes: Must be attached to other morphemes to have meaning (e.g., -s, -ing, un-).
Understanding Morphemes is Important Because:
* It helps us understand the structure of words.
* It helps us understand the meaning of words.
* It helps us learn new words.
* It helps us identify patterns in language.
Let me know if you have any other questions!