Prefix EX- means “out of”,  “without”, or “away”, and its sound can be determined by the letter that follows it.

When the ending X in Prefix EX- is followed by a non-vibrating, unvoiced consonant, the X will also make a quiet sound, as in “extra”.

When the ending X in Prefix EX- is followed by a vibrating, voiced vowel or consonant, the X will also make a vibrating, voiced sound, as in “exotic”.

Look at this image and decide how it can help you remember the sounds of Prefix EX-.

Prefix EX- makes two sounds that are produced naturally by native English speakers. Being aware of the different sounds can help with encoding; however, it is not an important focus; instead, it is more helpful to focus on its meaning and how it changes the base word.