---
title: "Spelling Simple Suffixes"
description: "Spell words with common suffixes (-s/-es for plurals and third person verbs, -ing, -ed, -er, -est) where no change to the root word is needed"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/spelling-simple-suffixes-mt_QdMMLRYWhn
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/spelling-simple-suffixes-mt_QdMMLRYWhn.md
retrieved: 2026-09-12
---

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# Spelling Simple Suffixes

Spell words with common suffixes (-s/-es for plurals and third person verbs, -ing, -ed, -er, -est) where no change to the root word is needed

Subject: English · Area: Spelling & Word Study · Ages 5 to 6
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/spelling-simple-suffixes-mt_QdMMLRYWhn

## Ready when they can

- Add -s or -es correctly to make plurals (e.g. 'cats', 'boxes')
- Spell words with -ing and -ed endings (e.g. 'jumping', 'helped')
- Add -er and -est to adjectives (e.g. 'quicker', 'quickest')

## Lesson: Adding word endings

Some words grow a new ending. The word does not change. You just add letters, like -s or -ing. Endings can mean more than one, or happening now.

*(drawing: cat becomes cats. box becomes boxes, because it ends in x.)*

*(drawing: jump becomes jumping. help becomes helped, to show it already happened.)*

**Example.** Add -er to show more of something: quick becomes quicker. Add -est to show the most of all: quick becomes quickest.

The root word stays the same. You just add the ending to the end. Use -es after s or x, like box becomes boxes.

**Recap.** Just add the ending; the root word never changes.

## Practice

24 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Segmenting words into sounds](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/segmenting-words-into-sounds-mt_BhYJZUsErp)
- [Phonics Vocabulary](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/phonics-vocabulary-mt_EqXlZfB4jp)

## Opens up

- [Suffixes](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/suffixes-mt_FYK8m6eHQm)
- [Suffixes (age 7+)](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/suffixes-age-7-mt_tHtjfjjFrl)