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What is a suffix?

A suffix is a letter or group of letters that goes on the end of a word and changes the word's meaning.

Sometimes they also change the original word's spelling.

When adding a suffix you might have to double the last letter. For example, when adding -ed to 'drop', you need to double the 'p'.

drop → dropped

Some suffixes have specific uses.

Adding -ing can change a noun into a verb.

garden → gardening

While -ed can put a verb in the past tense.

jump → jumped

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Watch: Using the suffixes -ed and -ing

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Activity 1

Use the following words to fill in the gaps in the sentences below. The first one has been done for you.

  • playing
  • played
  • sitting
  • moved
  • danced
  1. My friend is sitting next to my parents.

  2. I _ _ _ _ _ _ a game with my friends earlier.

  3. I was _ _ _ _ _ _ outside earlier because it was sunny.

  4. Last night I _ _ _ _ _ _ to a new song.

  5. My family _ _ _ _ _ _ house last week.

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Activity 2

First, read the words below.

  • skipping
  • skipped
  • working
  • worked
  • painting
  • painted
  • looking
  • looked
  • dropping
  • dropped
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Now choose one word and write a sentence using that word. For example:

I painted a picture of a sunflower.

Try to do three sentences.

Don’t forget your capital letter to start the sentence and full stop, exclamation mark or question mark at the end.

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Activity 3

  1. Choose one of the root words below and add either -ing or -ed to give it a new meaning.
  • wish
  • sort
  • lean
  • watch

For example, ‘wish’ could become ‘wished’ or ‘wishing’.

  1. Now write a sentence using your new word correctly. For example:

When I blew out the candles, I wished for a new bike.

  1. Can you do this with one more word?
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More on Prefixes and suffixes

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