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Unit 9: Adding suffixes: the spelling rules

Page 3 of 19

Unit 9: Suffixes: why we need to double letters, change them or drop 'e'

Unit StartCourse Test: Vowel and consonant suffixes. Spelling testPage 2: Vowel and consonant suffixes. Spelling testPage 3: Vowel and consonant suffixes. Spelling testCourse Test: The doubling rule, part 1. Spelling testPage 5: The doubling rule, part 1. Spelling testCourse Test: The doubling rule, part 2. Spelling testPage 7: The doubling rule, part 2. Spelling testCourse Test: The doubling rule, part 3. Spelling testPage 9: The doubling rule, part 3. Spelling testCourse Test: When to drop the letter e. Spelling testPage 11: When to drop the letter e. Spelling testCourse Test: The 'Change y' rule, part 1. Spelling testPage 13: The 'Change y' rule, part 1. Spelling testCourse Test: The 'Change y' rule, part 2. Spelling testPage 15: Rules and rule breakersCourse Test: Changing -f to -ves. Spelling testPage 17: Changing -f to -ves. Spelling testCourse Test: A final Spelling test on all the suffix rulesPage 19: A final Spelling test on all the suffix rulesUnit End

Page 3 of 19

The Spelling Rules for Adding Suffixes

In the last test, you did not need to change the root word when you added the suffix.

For example:

word lists
 
painful cleaned thicken dusty
 
word lists
word lists word lists

Teaching point It is not always so easy!

First - remember that there are two kinds of suffix.

  • Vowel suffixes – that start with a vowel.
  • Consonant suffixes – that start with a consonant.

Sometimes we need to double a letter:

word lists word lists
run + ing = running spot + ed = spotted mad + er = madder
word lists word lists

Sometimes we need to drop the letter e:

word lists word lists
date + ing = dating froze + en = frozen shine + y = shiny
word lists word lists

And sometimes, we have to change the root word:

word lists word lists
copy + ed = copied happy + ness = happiness leaf + s = leaves
word lists word lists


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