A free morpheme is best described as:

A free morpheme is best described as:

• A. A bound suffix that cannot stand alone
• B. A lexical content word that can stand alone with meaning
• C. A closed-class word like a function word
• D. A morpheme that changes the word class

Answer: (B)

Free morphemes are the units that can stand alone as words and still carry meaning. The best description is a lexical content word that can stand alone with meaning because it captures the main semantic load of a word, like dog, run, or bright. Bound morphemes, such as suffixes like -ed or -s, cannot stand alone and must attach to a base, so they aren’t free. Descriptions focusing on a closed-class (function) word or on changing word class point to other characteristics (word class or derivational processes) rather than the core property of being able to stand alone with meaning.

Free morphemes are the units that can stand alone as words and still carry meaning. The best description is a lexical content word that can stand alone with meaning because it captures the main semantic load of a word, like dog, run, or bright. Bound morphemes, such as suffixes like -ed or -s, cannot stand alone and must attach to a base, so they aren’t free. Descriptions focusing on a closed-class (function) word or on changing word class point to other characteristics (word class or derivational processes) rather than the core property of being able to stand alone with meaning.