Year 3 English Prefixes and suffixes: check-up and practice test questions

Method. Match the meaning to the word, then check its spelling.

1. Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.
   not taking care, so that mistakes happen
2. Find the word that matches. Think of the one word with this meaning.
   careless
3. Check the spelling. Care ends in e: the e is kept before less, as in careless.
   Tricky part: less
4. Write the answer.
   careless

Check. Read careless and check each letter against the word. ✓

Watch out. Care ends in e: the e is kept before less, as in careless.

Method. Think what the sentence means, then choose the word that fits the gap and its spelling.

1. Read the sentence with the gap. Think what the sentence means.
   It is ___ to see the wind, but we can see the leaves move.
2. Find the word that fits the meaning. not able to happen or be done
   impossible
3. Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.
   It is impossible to see the wind, but we can see the leaves move.
4. Write the answer.
   impossible

Check. Read the whole sentence with impossible in it. ✓

Watch out. In- becomes im- before p, as in impossible.

Method. Say the whole word, then fill the box with the tricky letters.

1. Say the whole word. Read every letter in order.
   information
2. Look at the empty box. The box stands for 5 letter(s) in a row.
   5 missing letter(s)
3. Write the missing letters. The -ation ending says the same sound as the end of station.
   ation

Check. Put ation back in the box and read information. ✓

Watch out. The -ation ending says the same sound as the end of station.

Method. Compare the wrong spelling with the word we want.

1. Look at musishun. Compare it with the word musician.
   musishun is not right
2. Find the tricky part. Music ends in c: add ian to make musician.
   Tricky part: cian
3. Write the word correctly.
   musician

Check. Read musician and check each letter. ✓

Watch out. Music ends in c: add ian to make musician.

Method. Look at the prefix and the meaning.

1. Look at automatic. Auto- means self.
   auto- = self
2. Think what it means. Automatic means working by itself, without a person.
   working by itself
3. Write the answer.
   No. Auto- means self, so automatic means working by itself.

Check. Automatic means by itself. ✓

Watch out. Learn the meaning of each prefix.

Method. Think what the sentence means, then choose the word that fits the gap and its spelling.

1. Read the sentence with the gap. Think what the sentence means.
   A ___ light glowed in the woods.
2. Find the word that fits the meaning. strange and hard to explain
   mysterious
3. Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.
   A mysterious light glowed in the woods.
4. Write the answer.
   mysterious

Check. Read the whole sentence with mysterious in it. ✓

Watch out. Mystery ends in y: change the y to i, then add ous.

Method. Match the meaning to the word, then check its spelling.

1. Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.
   from one side to the other
2. Find the word that matches. Think of the one word with this meaning.
   through
3. Check the spelling. The ough says the oo sound, as in too.
   Tricky part: ough
4. Write the answer.
   through

Check. Read through and check each letter against the word. ✓

Watch out. The ough says the oo sound, as in too.

Method. Compare the wrong spelling with the word we want.

1. Look at begining. Compare it with the word beginning.
   begining is not right
2. Find the tricky part. Begin is stressed on the end, so double the n before ing.
   Tricky part: nn
3. Write the word correctly.
   beginning

Check. Read beginning and check each letter. ✓

Watch out. Begin is stressed on the end, so double the n before ing.

Method. Take off the prefix from each word.

1. Take off un-. unhappy becomes happy.
   happy
2. Take off re-, mis- and dis-. rewrite becomes write, misread becomes read, and dislike becomes like.
   write, read, like
3. Write the answer.
   happy, write, read, like

Check. Each root word is a word on its own. ✓

Watch out. The root word is the part that is left after the prefix.

Method. Look at the end of each word.

1. Look at decision and station. Decision ends in -sion, and station ends in -tion.
   decision, station
2. Look at permission. Permit changes its t to ss, then ion.
   permit + ssion
3. Write the answer.
   permission, because permit becomes permission, with ss.

Check. Only permission ends in -ssion. ✓

Watch out. Check the root word before you choose the ending.

Method. Think what the sentence means, then choose the word that fits the gap and its spelling.

1. Read the sentence with the gap. Think what the sentence means.
   Mum put a little ___ on my graze.
2. Find the word that fits the meaning. a liquid that kills germs on a small cut
   antiseptic
3. Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.
   Mum put a little antiseptic on my graze.
4. Write the answer.
   antiseptic

Check. Read the whole sentence with antiseptic in it. ✓

Watch out. Anti- means against: an antiseptic works against germs.

Method. Say the whole word, then fill the box with the tricky letters.

1. Say the whole word. Read every letter in order.
   creature
2. Look at the empty box. The box stands for 4 letter(s) in a row.
   4 missing letter(s)
3. Write the missing letters. The -ture ending says the ch sound in chip, then a quiet uh.
   ture

Check. Put ture back in the box and read creature. ✓

Watch out. The -ture ending says the ch sound in chip, then a quiet uh.

Method. Compare the wrong spelling with the word we want.

1. Look at forgeting. Compare it with the word forgetting.
   forgeting is not right
2. Find the tricky part. Forget is stressed on the end, so double the t before ing.
   Tricky part: tt
3. Write the word correctly.
   forgetting

Check. Read forgetting and check each letter. ✓

Watch out. Forget is stressed on the end, so double the t before ing.

Method. Match the meaning to the word, then check its spelling.

1. Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.
   a strong feeling of being eager and happy
2. Find the word that matches. Think of the one word with this meaning.
   excitement
3. Check the spelling. Excite ends in e: drop the e, then add ment.
   Tricky part: ment
4. Write the answer.
   excitement

Check. Read excitement and check each letter against the word. ✓

Watch out. Excite ends in e: drop the e, then add ment.

Method. Think what the sentence means, then choose the word that fits the gap and its spelling.

1. Read the sentence with the gap. Think what the sentence means.
   The ___ of the lamp is to give light.
2. Find the word that fits the meaning. the reason why something is done or made
   purpose
3. Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.
   The purpose of the lamp is to give light.
4. Write the answer.
   purpose

Check. Read the whole sentence with purpose in it. ✓

Watch out. Say it in parts: pur-pose, with an e at the end.

Method. Look at each prefix and what it means.

1. Look at inexpensive. In- means not, so inexpensive means not expensive.
   in- = not
2. Look at impatient. Im- is in- before p, and it also means not.
   im- = not
3. Write the answer.
   Yes. Both start with a form of in-, which means not. Impatient uses im- before p.

Check. Both prefixes mean not. ✓

Watch out. The spelling changes, but the meaning does not.

Method. Use automobile in a sentence that makes sense.

1. Think of a car. An automobile is a car.
   a car
2. Write the sentence. Check the auto- at the start.
   The red automobile stopped at the gate.
3. Write the answer.
   Any correct sentence with automobile, for example: The red automobile stopped at the gate.

Check. Automobile starts with auto-. ✓

Watch out. Check the spelling of automobile.

Method. Use each word in a sentence that makes sense, with the correct spelling.

1. Use subtitle. A subtitle is words shown at the bottom of a film.
   The subtitle helped us follow the film.
2. Use occasionally. Occasionally means now and then.
   We occasionally walk to school.
3. Write the answer.
   Any two correct sentences, for example: The subtitle helped us follow the film. We occasionally walk to school.

Check. Check the double c in occasionally. ✓

Watch out. Occasionally has a double c.

Method. Look at the ending of some -ful words.

1. Look at helpful. Helpful ends in -ful, with one l.
   help + ful
2. Look at playful. Playful also has one l at the end.
   play + ful
3. Write the answer.
   No. The -ful ending has one l, as in helpful and playful.

Check. Full has two l letters, but the -ful ending has one. ✓

Watch out. Full is a word on its own, with two l letters.

Method. Look at the letter that comes after the prefix.

1. Look at impossible. Possible starts with p, so in- becomes im-.
   im + possible
2. Look at incorrect. Correct starts with c, so the prefix stays in-.
   in + correct
3. Write the answer.
   Im- is used before p, so in- becomes im- in impossible. Incorrect starts with c, so it keeps in-.

Check. The prefix changes before p, but not before c. ✓

Watch out. Look at the first letter of the root word.