Websink Prep UKKS2 EnglishYear 4 chaptersEnglish textbooksReceptionYear 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5Year 6Year 7Year 8Year 9Browse allPast papersFind a tutorBecome a tutor
Primary English · Year 4Chapter 3 · Prefixes, suffixes and word families
Year 4 English · Prefixes, suffixes and word families · Lesson 3.5

Year 4 English: The suffixes -ous, -sure, -ture and the endings -tion, -sion, -ssion and -cian

Part of the Year 4 English prefixes, suffixes and word families chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page

3.5

The suffixes -ous, -sure, -ture and the endings -tion, -sion, -ssion and -cian

Year 4
Add the suffix -ous to a root word, and change the root word first where it needs it, Spell the endings -sure, -ture, -tion, -sion, -ssion and -cian, and say which root word each comes from
Story. The school council holds an election on Monday. Ella reads the notice, and she sees that the admission to the play is free. An electrician checks the lights in the hall before the show begins.

The suffix -ous turns a noun into an adjective, which describes a thing. It means full of or having: adventurous means full of adventure. Some root words change first: glory becomes glorious, and mischief becomes mischievous.

The endings -sure and -ture are spelt in different ways, so learn each word. Exposure, enclosure and closure come from roots that end in e. Furniture, mixture and texture end in -ture.

The endings -tion, -sion and -ssion all sound alike, so check the root word. Revise becomes revision. Admit becomes admission, because the t changes to ss. The ending -cian is added to a root word that ends in c, as in electric and electrician.

EndingExampleRoot word and change
-ousadventurousadventure: drop the e
-ouspoisonouspoison: add -ous, no change
-sureexposureexpose: drop the e, add -ure
-turemixturemix: add -ture
-sionrevisionrevise: drop the e, add -ion
-ssionadmissionadmit: t changes to ss, add -ion
-cianelectricianelectric: add -ian
Endings from this section, with the root word and the change that each one needs.

Key ideas

  • Adventure ends in e, so drop the e and add -ous: adventurous.
  • Glory ends in y, so change the y to i and add -ous: glorious.
  • Expose ends in e, so drop the e and add -ure, spelt -sure: exposure.
  • Expand changes its d to s, then -ion is added: expansion.
  • Admit changes its t to ss, then -ion is added: admission.
  • Electric ends in c, so add -ian: electrician.
Worked example 3.5.1
Write the word that means: willing to try new and exciting things.

Method. Match the meaning to the word, then check the prefix or suffix.

  1. Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.
    willing to try new and exciting things
  2. Find the word that matches. Think of the one word with this meaning.
    adventurous
  3. Check the affix. Adventure ends in e. Drop the e and add -ous.
    Affix letters: ous
  4. Write the answer.
    adventurous

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

Watch out. Adventure ends in e. Drop the e and add -ous.

Worked example 3.5.2
Write the missing word: The ticket gives you   to the museum.

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 ticket gives you ___ to the museum.
  2. Find the word that fits the meaning. permission to go into a place, or to be let in
    admission
  3. Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.
    The ticket gives you admission to the museum.
  4. Write the answer.
    admission

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

Watch out. Admit ends in t. The t changes to ss, then -ion is added.

Worked example 3.5.3
Write the missing letters: mix 

Method. Read the whole word, then fill the box with the affix letters.

  1. Say the whole word, and look at each part. Read every letter in order.
    mixture
  2. Look at the empty box. The box stands for the letters in a row, 4 in all.
    4 missing letters
  3. Write the missing letters. Mix ends in x. Add -ture: mixture.
    ture

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

Watch out. Mix ends in x. Add -ture: mixture.

Watch out

Watch out: revision ends in -sion, but admission ends in -ssion. Check the root word first: revise gives -sion, and admit gives -ssion. Do not write poisonus: poison ends in n, and -ous is added straight on.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Write each root word on a card, and the new word on the other side. Ask your child to say what changed. Sort the cards into the endings: -sure, -ture, -sion, -ssion, -cian and -ous.

Exercise 3E  Practice: -ous, -sure, -ture, -tion, -sion, -ssion and -cian

1
FWrite the word that matches each meaning.
(a)Write the word that means: willing to try new and exciting things.
(b)Write the word that means: able to cause harm or death if it is eaten or touched.
(c)Write the word that means: happy to share and give things to other people.
(d)Write the word that means: very beautiful or splendid.
(e)Write the word that means: dangerous, and likely to cause harm.
2
FWrite the missing word in each sentence.
(a)Write the missing word: The   kitten hid the ball under the sofa.
(b)Write the missing word: Too much sun   can harm your skin, so wear a hat.
(c)Write the missing word: The goats stay in the   by the old barn.
(d)Write the missing word: We bought new   for the living room.
(e)Write the missing word: Stir the   until the sugar has dissolved.
3
FWrite the missing letters.
(a)Write the missing letters: tex 
(b)Write the missing letters: clo 
(c)Write the missing letters: revi 
(d)Write the missing letters: confu 
(e)Write the missing letters: explo 
4
PSWrite each word correctly.
(a)Ali writes expanshion. Write it correctly.
(b)Mia writes admision. Write it correctly.
(c)Sam writes impresion. Write it correctly.
(d)Ben writes electritian. Write it correctly.
(e)Ella writes electon. Write it correctly.
(f)Ravi writes optitian. Write it correctly.
5
FWrite the adjective made from the noun hazard with the suffix -ous.
6
FWhich word ends in -sure: exposure, texture or furniture?
7
RMia says that mixture and furniture both end in -ture. Is she right? Explain.
8
PSWhat is the ending of electrician and of optician? Write one word for both.
9
PSSort these into their endings: revision, admission, election, optician. Write each word under -sion, -ssion, -tion or -cian.
10
RBen says that expansion and admission have the same ending. Is he right? Explain.
11
PSExplain why poisonous keeps the root word poison the same before -ous.

Websink Prep UK is an independent site. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, WJEC, Eduqas, CCEA, SQA, GL Assessment, CEM or the Department for Education. All exam board names and trademarks belong to their owners. Past papers are linked from the exam boards' own websites and are not hosted here.

About Websink Prep UK · Find a tutor · Privacy · Terms · Cookie settings