NYSTCE English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Practice Test

What is a morpheme?

1. A type of grammatical error

2. The smallest unit of meaning in a language

3. A full sentence

4. An emotion expressed in language

The correct answer is: The smallest unit of meaning in a language

A morpheme is defined as the smallest unit of meaning in a language. This means that it is the most basic building block of language that carries semantic content. Morphemes can be individual words, like "cat" or "run," or they can be parts of words, such as prefixes and suffixes like "un-" in "undo" or "-ing" in "running." Understanding morphemes is crucial for analyzing how words are formed and how their meanings are modified. This concept is fundamental in linguistics as it helps in understanding word formation, syntax, and the overall structure of a language. In contrast, other options do not accurately capture the definition of a morpheme: a grammatical error does not serve as a unit of meaning, a full sentence consists of multiple morphemes, and an emotion expressed in language may relate to how language is used or conveyed but does not pertain to the definition of a morpheme itself.