Prefixes and suffixes
Read words containing common prefixes and suffixes from the Y3-4 programme, applying knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes (morphology and etymology) to read aloud and understand new words
What a learner can do afterwards
- Read words with common prefixes (dis-, mis-, re-, pre-) and suffixes (-ation, -ous, -ly) by identifying the root word first
- Apply morphological knowledge to attempt unfamiliar words (e.g. recognise 'happy' inside 'unhappiness')
- Explain how a prefix or suffix changes the meaning or word class of a root word (e.g. 'care' → 'careless' → 'carelessly')
The lesson
Every long word has a root word hiding inside it. The root word carries the main meaning. Sometimes letters get added to the front of it, called a prefix, like 'dis-', 'mis-', 're-', or 'pre-'. Sometimes letters get added to the end, called a suffix, like '-ation', '-ous', or '-ly'. The prefix or suffix changes what the word means, but the root word is still in there.
Start with the root word 'care'. Add '-less' and it becomes 'careless', a word that means without care. Add '-ly' to that and it becomes 'carelessly', a word that describes how someone does something.
When you meet a tricky word, cover up the letters at the start and end with your finger. Read the root word first, then think about what the prefix or suffix adds to its meaning.
Find the root word first, then work out what the prefix or suffix adds to its meaning.
Watch it
Where it sits
Learn first
This opens up
Nothing builds on it yet.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.