Grade by Grade
B. Foundations of Language · Reading Words: Sounds, Patterns and Meaning

Word Parts: Base Words, Prefixes and Suffixes

B2.3 B2.4About 45 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can find the base word in a longer word.
  • I can read and tell the meaning of prefixes like un-, re-, dis-, mis-, pre-, bi- and tri-.
  • I can read and tell the meaning of suffixes like -ed, -ing, -er, -est, -ful, -less, -ness, -ly and -y.
  • I can read words where the base word changed a little, like hopping, baking and cried.

Words to know

base word
The main part of a word that has meaning on its own. In unhappy, the base is happy.
prefix
A word part added to the beginning of a base word. It changes the meaning: un + happy = unhappy.
suffix
A word part added to the end of a base word, like -ful in helpful.
morpheme
The smallest part of a word that has meaning. Un, help and ful are all morphemes.

Words are like building blocks

You can build a tower with blocks. You can build words with parts too!

help → helpful → unhelpful

The main block is the base word. A prefix goes on the front. A suffix goes on the end. Each part has a meaning, so knowing the parts helps you read and understand big words.

unhelpfulprefixbase wordsuffixunhelpful = not full of help
unhelpful has three parts: un + help + ful.
PrefixMeaningExamples
un-not, or the oppositeunhappy, unlock, untie
re-againredo, reread, refill
dis-not, or the oppositedislike, disagree, disappear
mis-wrongly, badlymisread, misspell, misplace
pre-beforepreheat, preschool, preview
uni-oneunicycle, unicorn
bi-twobicycle 🚲
tri-threetricycle, triangle 🔺
Prefixes go at the front
SuffixMeaningExamples
-s, -esmore than onecats, boxes
-edit already happenedjumped, played, painted
-inghappening now (or ongoing)jumping, skating
-ermore; or a person who does somethingtaller; teacher, skier
-estthe mosttallest, coldest
-fulfull ofhelpful, careful, joyful
-lesswithoutcareless, fearless, endless
-nessbeing somethingkindness, sadness, darkness
-lyin a ___ wayslowly, quickly, quietly
-yfull of, or likesnowy, windy, sandy
Suffixes go at the end
Worked example

Let's read and understand a big word

Read and explain: disagreement

  1. Look for a prefix at the front: dis- (not, the opposite).
  2. Look for a suffix at the end: -ment (the act of doing something).
  3. Find the base: agree.
  4. Read the parts: dis + agree + ment → dis-a-gree-ment.
  5. Put the meaning together: not agreeing.

disagreement: when people don't agree. Breaking it into parts made a big word easy!

The three sounds of -ed

The ending -ed means it already happened. But it can make three sounds:

  • /t/: jumped, kicked, splashed
  • /d/: played, rained, smiled
  • /id/ (a new syllable!): painted, planted, needed (after t or d)

Your mouth usually picks the right sound. Just read the word and listen!

When the base word changes a little

Sometimes the base word changes when a suffix is added. Look carefully!

  • Doubled letter: hop → hopping, run → runner, big → biggest. Two consonants tell you the vowel is short.
  • Dropped e: bake → baking, skate → skater, hope → hoped. One consonant tells you the vowel was long.
  • y changes to i: cry → cried, happy → happiness, baby → babies.
hop+ inghoppingdouble the pbake+ ingbakingdrop the silent ecry+ edcriedchange y to i
Three ways a base word can change when a suffix is added: hop → hopping (double the last letter), bake → baking (drop the e) and cry → cried (y changes to i).
Worked example

Let's figure out the base word

Read hopping and hoping. What is the base word of each?

  1. hopping has a double pp. A double letter means the vowel is short. Base word: hop (jump on one foot).
  2. hoping has one p. The silent e was dropped. The vowel is long. Base word: hope (wish for something).

hopping comes from hop. hoping comes from hope. One letter makes a big difference!

Just for fun

Riddle: What word gets shorter when you add two letters to it?

short → shorter! The suffix -er strikes again.

Hands-on activity

Word-part builder

You need: index cards or paper squares in three colours (or mark them with a star, circle and square).

  1. On colour 1, write prefixes: un, re, dis, pre.
  2. On colour 2, write base words: lock, pack, like, heat, fill, kind, help, play.
  3. On colour 3, write suffixes: ful, less, ness, ing, ed, er.
  4. Build as many real words as you can. Read each one and say what it means.

Some real words: unlock, unpack, repack, dislike, preheat, refill, kindness, unkind, helpful, helpless, playful, replay, player, unlocked, refilling.

What to look for: your child can say the meaning using the parts, like "refill means fill again".

Your turn

1

Read unlock. What does it mean?

2

Read reread. What does it mean?

3

Read helpful. What is the base word?

4

Read fearless. What does it mean?

5

Read jumped. Does -ed sound like /t/, /d/ or /id/?

6

Read painted. Does -ed sound like /t/, /d/ or /id/?

7

Read tricycle. How many wheels? How do you know?

More practice: warm-up

1

What is the base word in kindness?

2

What is the prefix in unhappy?

3

What does -est mean in coldest?

4

Read: slowly

5

Read: windy

More practice: on your own

1

Read preheat. When do you preheat an oven?

2

Read misspell. What does it mean?

3

Read running. What is the base word, and why are there two n's?

4

Read cried. What is the base word?

5

Read disappear and reappear. How are they different?

Challenge

1

Read unbreakable. Break it into parts and tell what it means.

2

Read bicycle and unicycle. How many wheels does each have? Explain using the prefixes.

3

Make three words from the base play with prefixes and suffixes. Tell what each means.

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

What does the prefix re- mean?

2.

What is the base word in unhelpful?

3.

What does careless mean?

4.

Which word means heat before?

5.

In which word does -ed add a whole new syllable (/id/)?

6.

What is the base word of hoping?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Grade 2 students use morphemes (bases, prefixes and suffixes) to read and understand words (B2.3) and to work out the meaning of new words in context (B2.4). New this year are prefixes like pre-, mis-, dis-, uni-, bi-, tri- and suffixes like -ful, -less, -ness, -y, plus noticing spelling changes when a suffix is added (doubling, dropping e, y to i).

How to help at home:

  • When you meet a long word, ask: "Is there a prefix? A suffix? What's the base?"
  • Play "word sums": re + fill = refill. Say the meaning together.
  • Point out related words: help, helper, helpful, helpless, unhelpful.

Common difficulties:

  • Seeing a "prefix" that isn't one (thinking uncle = un + cle). Check that the base is a real word.
  • Missing the base change (reading hoping as hopping). Look at one consonant vs. two.
  • -ed sounds. Children may say "jump-ed" as two syllables. Say both versions and ask which sounds like real talking.

Spelling these words (choosing to double or drop e) is practised in the writing unit; this lesson focuses on reading and meaning.