Which of the following best describes the term "word analysis" in reading?

The term "word analysis" refers to the process of breaking down words into their individual components—such as prefixes, suffixes, and root words—to understand their meanings and how they relate to one another. This skill is crucial in reading as it helps students decode unfamiliar words and enhances their vocabulary comprehension. Through word analysis, learners can grasp how altering certain parts of a word can change its meaning, thereby deepening their understanding of language and improving their reading fluency.

In contrast, creating new words from existing ones focuses more on word formation rather than understanding meanings, which is not the essence of word analysis. Identifying the genre of a text pertains to categorizing literature and does not involve a breakdown of the words themselves. Writing summaries reflects comprehension and synthesis of ideas rather than analyzing the words that convey those ideas.