'ir'

‘ir’ in the words irresponsible and irrational is a prefix in the adjectives responsible and rational. When ir is used with these words to describe someone, the prefix tells us that the person is not responsible nor rational respectively.

Everyone likes a person who is responsible. We are responsible when we know how to take care of our belongings and also the belongings of others. When we borrow things without returning them, we are being irresponsible. When we are careless and lose or damage what has been borrowed, we are irresponsible, too. Are you a responsible person? Can you give other examples of irresponsibility which you may have experienced with your friends and siblings? Do you think that it is important to be responsible?

An irrational person is one who does not think before taking action. He will follow his heart without paying heed to the consequences of his actions. Road bullies, for example, are irrational. When there is a mishap on the road, their emotions rule. They become angry with the other party even though they may have caused the mishap. I wonder if they ever regret their actions on hindsight or whether they feel justified for what they had done. Can you give more examples of irrational behavior?

To widen your vocabulary, look up the dictionary for more words which could have ‘ir’ as a prefix and share them with us.