Lesson 29: MOT / MOV
The Root
MOT and MOV come from Latin movere, meaning "to move."
When you see these roots in a word, think about movement—physical motion, emotional change, or the force that causes something to happen.
Word List
| Word | Parts | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| move | MOV (move) + -E | to change position; to cause emotion |
| motion | MOT (move) + -ION (act of) | the act of moving; a formal proposal |
| motor | MOT (move) + -OR (that which does) | a machine that produces movement |
| motive | MOT (move) + -IVE (tending to) | a reason that causes someone to act |
| motivate | MOT (move) + -IV- + -ATE (to cause) | to provide a reason or incentive to act |
| motivation | MOTIVATE + -ION (act/state of) | the driving force behind action |
| promote | PRO- (forward) + MOT (move) + -E | to advance or support; to raise in rank |
| demote | DE- (down) + MOT (move) + -E | to lower in rank or position |
| remote | RE- (back, away) + MOT (move) + -E | far away; operated from a distance |
| remove | MOV (move) + -E | to take away; to move something out |
| emotion | MOT (move) + -ION (act of) | a strong feeling that moves you |
| commotion | MOT (move) + -ION (act of) | noisy disturbance or agitation |
| locomotive | MOT (move) + -IVE (tending to) | a train engine that produces movement |
| automotive | MOT (move) + -IVE (tending to) | relating to self-moving vehicles |
| immobile | IM- (not) + MOB (variant of MOV) + -ILE (able to) | unable to move |
Practice 1: Multiple Choice
Choose the word that best completes each sentence.
- The detective tried to determine the __________ for the crime.
a) motion
b) motive
c) motor
d) motivation
- She spoke with such __________ that several audience members were in tears.
a) commotion
b) emotion
c) promotion
d) locomotion
- His injury left him temporarily __________, unable to walk for weeks.
a) remote
b) motivated
c) immobile
d) automotive
- The __________ industry is shifting toward electric vehicles.
a) locomotive
b) automotive
c) remote
d) demotive
- After years of hard work, she was finally __________ to senior vice president.
a) demoted
b) removed
c) promoted
d) motivated
- The __________ control stopped working when the batteries died.
a) emotion
b) motion
c) motor
d) remote
- What caused all that __________ in the hallway?
a) motive
b) promotion
c) commotion
d) emotion
- The old steam __________ pulled into the station.
a) motor
b) motive
c) locomotive
d) automotive
- A great teacher knows how to __________ students who have lost interest.
a) demote
b) remove
c) promote
d) motivate
- Please __________ your belongings from the conference room.
a) promote
b) demote
c) remove
d) motivate
- After the mistake, he was __________ from team captain to regular player.
a) promoted
b) demoted
c) motivated
d) removed
- Her __________ for studying medicine was watching her grandmother's illness.
a) emotion
b) commotion
c) motivation
d) locomotion
Practice 2: Fill in the Blank
Use each word from the word bank exactly once.
Word Bank: move, motion, motor, motive, motivate, motivation, promote, demote, remote, remove, emotion, commotion
The CEO made a __________ to adjourn the meeting.
Her only __________ was to help others—she expected nothing in return.
The boat's __________ failed in the middle of the lake.
He spoke without __________—his voice was flat and lifeless.
She lives in a __________ area with no cell service.
What will it take to __________ you to finish your homework?
The company's ad campaign is meant to __________ their new product.
Please don't __________ the evidence from the crime scene.
His poor performance led the coach to __________ him to the junior team.
I need you to __________ over so I can sit down.
Her __________ comes from wanting to prove her doubters wrong.
The protest caused quite a __________ downtown.
Practice 3: Reading Passage
When Kenji lost his job, at first he couldn't move. He sat on his couch, immobile, as if the news had removed all his energy at once. The emotion was overwhelming—anger, shame, fear, all mixed together in a commotion of feelings he couldn't sort out.
His wife tried to motivate him. "You have the skills," she said. "Find your motivation again." But Kenji's motive for working had always been external: the paycheck, the title, the promotion he had been expecting before the layoff. Without those, he felt demoted—not just professionally, but personally.
For weeks, his job search was remote—a few applications sent from his bedroom, no networking, no real motion. Then his daughter asked him to help fix her bicycle motor. "I don't know how this works," she admitted.
Something in Kenji shifted. Teaching her, he felt the old spark—the motive that had originally drawn him to engineering wasn't money or status. It was the joy of making things work, of solving problems, of movement and mechanics. That was his real motivation.
By month's end, Kenji was moving again. He started a small repair business, promoted it on social media, and found clients who valued exactly what he loved to do. The emotion he felt wasn't pride—it was something quieter. It was the feeling of being in motion once more.
Questions
- At first, Kenji was "immobile." This means:
a) He was moving quickly
b) He was unable to move
c) He was very emotional
d) He was promoted
- His feelings created an internal "commotion." This means:
a) A calm sense of peace
b) A chaotic disturbance of emotions
c) A clear motive
d) A remote feeling
- Kenji's original "motive" for working was:
a) Internal satisfaction
b) External rewards like money and titles
c) Helping his daughter
d) Starting a business
- What eventually "motivated" Kenji to start working again?
a) A promotion at his old job
b) Fear of poverty
c) Rediscovering his joy in mechanics through teaching his daughter
d) A remote job offer
- The passage says Kenji was "in motion once more." This means:
a) He was driving a motor vehicle
b) He was actively moving forward with his life again
c) He had a commotion
d) He was demoted again
Answer Key
Practice 1: Multiple Choice
- b
- b
- c
- b
- c
- d
- c
- c
- d
- c
- b
- c
Practice 2: Fill in the Blank
- motion
- motive
- motor
- emotion
- remote
- motivate
- promote
- remove
- demote
- move
- motivation
- commotion
Reading Passage Questions
- b
- b
- b
- c
- b