diff --git a/src/path/helpers.js b/src/path/helpers.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9dc1e6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/path/helpers.js
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import {ABSOLUTE_START} from './constants.js';
+import {isAbsolute, isRelative} from './predicates.js';
+
+/**
+ * Make a path explicitly absolute when it is not already.
+ *
+ * @param {string} path - Path to make explicitly absolute
+ * @returns {string} Absolute path (i.e. starts with `$.`)
+ */
+export const absolute = (path) => isAbsolute(path) ? path : ABSOLUTE_START + path;
+
+/**
+ * Make a path relative when it is not already.
+ *
+ * @param {string} path - Path to make relative
+ * @returns {string} Relative path (i.e. does not start with `$.`)
+ */
+export const relative = (path) => isRelative(path) ? path : path.slice(2);
+
+/**
+ * Extract root field from path, excluding absolute path prefix `$.`.
+ *
+ * @param {string} path - Field path from which to extract root field
+ * @returns {string} Root field identifier
+ */
+export const root = (path) => path.match(/^(?:\$\.)?([a-zA-Z0-9_]+)/)?.[1];
diff --git a/src/path/helpers.test.js b/src/path/helpers.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a363e5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/path/helpers.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import {absolute, relative, root} from './helpers.js';
+
+describe('absolute', () => {
+  test.each([
+    ['field1', '$.field1'],
+    ['$.field1', '$.field1'],
+    ['$.level1.level2', '$.level1.level2'],
+    ['level1.level2', '$.level1.level2'],
+    ['collection[0]', '$.collection[0]'],
+    ['$.collection[0]', '$.collection[0]'],
+  ])(`should path '%s' be root: %s`, (path, expectedAbsolute) => {
+    expect(absolute(path)).toBe(expectedAbsolute);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('relative', () => {
+  test.each([
+    ['field1', 'field1'],
+    ['$.field1', 'field1'],
+    ['$.level1.level2', 'level1.level2'],
+    ['level1.level2', 'level1.level2'],
+    ['collection[0]', 'collection[0]'],
+    ['$.collection[0]', 'collection[0]'],
+  ])(`should path '%s' be root: %s`, (path, expectedRelative) => {
+    expect(relative(path)).toBe(expectedRelative);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('root', () => {
+  test.each([
+    ['$', undefined],
+    ['$.', undefined],
+    ['field1', 'field1'],
+    ['$.field1', 'field1'],
+    ['$.level1.level2', 'level1'],
+    ['level1.level2', 'level1'],
+    ['collection[0]', 'collection'],
+    ['$.collection[0]', 'collection'],
+  ])(`should path '%s' be root: %s`, (path, expectedRoot) => {
+    expect(root(path)).toBe(expectedRoot);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/path/index.js b/src/path/index.js
index 3b98b2a..375e77a 100644
--- a/src/path/index.js
+++ b/src/path/index.js
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 export * from './constants.js';
+export * from './helpers.js';
 export * from './predicates.js';
diff --git a/src/path/predicates.js b/src/path/predicates.js
index 3581160..67d749c 100644
--- a/src/path/predicates.js
+++ b/src/path/predicates.js
@@ -1,8 +1,31 @@
 import isMetadata from '../metadata/is-metadata.js';
 import {ABSOLUTE_START} from './constants.js';
 
+/**
+ * Test whether a path is explicitly absolute.
+ *
+ * @param {string} path - Path to be tested
+ * @returns {boolean} Whether the path is explicitly absolute (i.e. starts with `$.`)
+ */
 export const isAbsolute = (path) => path.slice(0,2) === ABSOLUTE_START;
 
+/**
+ * Test whether a path is relative.
+ *
+ * @param {string} path - Path to be tested
+ * @returns {boolean} Whether the path is relative (i.e. does not start with `$.`)
+ */
+export const isRelative = (path) => !isAbsolute(path);
+
+/**
+ * Test whether a path points to a root field.
+ * Note: This will return true for relative paths targeting top-level members for relative to current location.
+ *
+ * @param {string} path - Path to be tested
+ * @returns {boolean} Whether the path points to a root field
+ */
+export const isRoot = (path) => !!path.match(/^(?:\$\.)?[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$/);
+
 export {
   // Reexport `isMetadata()` for convenience
   isMetadata,
diff --git a/src/path/predicates.test.js b/src/path/predicates.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7b01c3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/path/predicates.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import {isAbsolute, isRelative, isRoot} from './predicates.js';
+
+describe('isAbsolute', () => {
+  test.each([
+    ['field1', false],
+    ['$.field1', true],
+    ['$.level1.level2', true],
+    ['level1.level2', false],
+    ['collection[0]', false],
+    ['$.collection[0]', true],
+    ['collection[0]', false],
+  ])(`should path '%s' be root: %s`, (path, expectedAbsolute) => {
+    expect(isAbsolute(path)).toBe(expectedAbsolute);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('isRelative', () => {
+  test.each([
+    ['field1', true],
+    ['$.field1', false],
+    ['$.level1.level2', false],
+    ['level1.level2', true],
+    ['collection[0]', true],
+    ['$.collection[0]', false],
+    ['collection[0]', true],
+  ])(`should path '%s' be root: %s`, (path, expectedRelative) => {
+    expect(isRelative(path)).toBe(expectedRelative);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('isRoot', () => {
+  test.each([
+    ['field1', true],
+    ['$.field1', true],
+    ['$.level1.level2', false],
+    ['level1.level2', false],
+    ['$.collection[0]', false],
+    ['collection[0]', false],
+  ])(`should path '%s' be root: %s`, (path, expectedRoot) => {
+    expect(isRoot(path)).toBe(expectedRoot);
+  });
+});