问题：

How to distinguish root and stem?

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答案：

Root is that part of a word-form that remains when all the inflectional and derivational affixes have been removed. Thus in the word undesirables the root is desire. Stem is the part of a word-form that remains when all inflectional affixes have been removed. So in the word undesirables the stem is undesirable. The stem of a word may be: a) a simple stem consisting of only one morpheme or root e. g. work; b) a root plus a derivational affix e. g. worker; c) two or more roots e. g. workshop. Rootisthatpartofaword-formthatremainswhenalltheinflectionalandderivationalaffixeshavebeenremoved.Thusinthewordundesirables,therootisdesire.Stemisthepartofaword-formthatremainswhenallinflectionalaffixeshavebeenremoved.Sointhewordundesirables,thestemisundesirable.Thestemofawordmaybe:a)asimplestemconsistingofonlyonemorphemeorroot,e.g.work;b)arootplusaderivationalaffix,e.g.worker;c)twoormoreroots,e.g.workshop.