Which word contains a bound morpheme?

Which word contains a bound morpheme?

• A. sidewalk
• B. cat
• C. walking
• D. book

Answer: (C)

A bound morpheme is a piece of a word that cannot stand alone and must attach to something else. The ending -ing is a bound morpheme because it can’t be used by itself; it only makes sense when attached to a base verb. In walking, you can see the base word walk plus the suffix -ing. The base walk can stand on its own, but -ing cannot, so this word contains a bound morpheme. sidewalk is a compound built from side and walk, both free morphemes, so there isn’t a bound affix there. cat and book are single, intact words with no affixes attached.

A bound morpheme is a piece of a word that cannot stand alone and must attach to something else. The ending -ing is a bound morpheme because it can’t be used by itself; it only makes sense when attached to a base verb.

In walking, you can see the base word walk plus the suffix -ing. The base walk can stand on its own, but -ing cannot, so this word contains a bound morpheme.

sidewalk is a compound built from side and walk, both free morphemes, so there isn’t a bound affix there. cat and book are single, intact words with no affixes attached.