Suffixes

0 When suffixes are added to a root word, they can change the meaning of the word or the way that it can be used.

Suffixes that form nouns0 er – player, singer

0 or – conductor, instructor

0 eer – engineer, mountaineer

0 ist – pianist, artist

0 ship – fellowship, hardship

0 hood – sisterhood, childhood

0 ness – kindness, happiness

0 ism – favouritism

0 What are the root words?

Suffixes that form nouns0 ment – enjoyment, temperament

0 ice – service, practice

0 age – marriage, passage

0 ance – endurance

0 ence – coincidence

0 ation - conversation

0 ition – competition

0 What are the root words?

Suffixes that form adjectives

0 able – understandable

0 ible – sensible

0 al – musical, medical

0 y – noisy, funny

0 ish – selfish

0 ous – nervous

0 less – careless tuneless

0 What are the root words?

Suffixes that form adjectives

0 ful – harmful, tuneful

0 ary – cautionary

0 ery – stationery

0 ory – exploratory

0 ic - athletic

0 What are the root words?

Suffixes that form verbs with different tenses

0 ed – banged, whistled

0 ing – following, hearing

0 ise – advertise, practise

0 AND OF COURSE – ly forms adverbs!

The Rules

0 Sometimes the spelling of the end of a root word changes a little when a suffix is added.

NO CHANGE!If the root word ends in a consonant and the suffix begins with a

consonant, you just join them together

1

Cat + like = catlikeContent + ment = contentment

DOUBLING!If the root word ends in a consonant and the suffix begins with a

vowel (including y), you may need to double the consonant

ASK: does the last syllable of the root word have a short vowel sound?

Does it end with a single consonant?

If the answer to both is yes, double the consonant.If any of the answers are no, they stay as they are.

2

Doubledcut + ing = cuttingstop + ed = stoppedbig + er = biggerfun + y = funny

Not Doubledpluck + ing = pluckingrain + ed = rainedrich + er = richersleep + y = sleepy

SILENT ‘E’If the root word ends in a silent e and the suffix begins with a

consonant,The root word DOES NOT CHANGE

If the root word ends in a silent e and the suffix begins with a vowel,DROP THE ‘E’ from the root word

3

tune + ful = tunefulstate + ment = statementsore + ness = sorenesssmoke + less = smokeless

hope + ing = hopingbake + ed = bakedstyle + ish = stylishmake + er = maker

WATCH OUT!!!If the root word ends with the soft sounds ce or ge and the suffix

begins with a or o, DON’T DROP THE ‘E’!notice + able = noticeable courage + ous = courageous

WORDS ENDING IN ‘Y’A root word ending in y DOES NOT CHANGE when you add –ing.

A root word ending in a vowel and y also DOES NOT CHANGE when you add any other suffix.

4

hurry + ing = hurryingcry + ing = cryingplay + er = playerenjoy + ment = enjoyment

A FEW EXCEPTIONSpay + ed = paidday + ly = dailylay + ed = laid

WATCH OUT!!!If the root word ends with a consonant then y, Change the y to i before all suffixes except ing.

happy+ ness = happiness lucky+ er = luckier

Can you add the suffix to each of these words?

0 art + ist =

0 child + like =

0 temperament + al =

0 drum + ing =

0 thump + ing =

0 run + ing =

0 notice (ed, able, ing)

0 tune (er, ful, ed)

0 serve (ice, ant, ing)

0 please (ing, ant, ed)

0 close (ness, ly, ing)

0 place (ed, ing, ment)

Activity

0 Make a list of words with full at the end as a suffix.

0 Start with masterful…

0 You have 1 minute.

0 Now, let’s make a list of them…

0 What do you notice about what happens to the suffix?

Word Search

0 Now use the list to make a word search of ‘full’ words.

0 Every time you put a word in the grid, list it at the bottom of the page.

0 When you think you have put enough words on the grid, fill up the spaces with other random letters.

0 Make sure you use all CAPITALS or all lower case letters, not a mixture of both!

Plenary

0 What have you learned about when we add full to the end of a root word?

0 What else have you learned about adding suffixes?