Prefixes and Suffixes

5th Grade

What are prefixes?

A prefix is a group of letters we add at the beginning of a word.

• Prefixes change the meaning or purpose of the word, e.g.

• un + kind = unkind

How has the word meaning been altered?

The word has become its opposite meaning (antonym)

The prefix ‘un’

• Jerry seemed unhappy that the cat was by his hole.

The word has become its opposite meaning (antonym)

How has the word meaning been altered?

Let’s change the meaning to not or the opposite

fold

tie

do

real

unfold

untie

undo

unreal

The prefix ‘dis’

•Sally disagreed with Tom over who threw the snowball.

How has the word meaning been altered with this prefix?

agree-----disagree

Again the word has become an antonym (opposite) of the root word.

Let’s change the words to their opposites

connectapprove

respect

honest

disconnect

disapprovedisrespect

dishonest

Prefix ‘im-’

The word means not or the opposite.

Debby was impolite with her mom sticking her toungue out.

Let’s change the words to their opposites

mortal

impossible

mature

proper

possible

immortal

immatureimproper

The prefix ‘re-’

Danny had to refill

the bucket.

The prefix re- means to do something again

Let’s change these words so they mean to do something

again

reappearrebuild

reconsider

rejoin

appear

build

consider

join

What are suffixes?

• Suffixes are a group of letters that Suffixes are a group of letters that are added at the end of the words.are added at the end of the words.

• Suffixes Suffixes change the meaningchange the meaning or or purpose purpose of the word.of the word.

• Example:Example:

Care + Care + fulful = care = carefulful

It meansIt means full of full of carecare..

Suffixes: -ful / -ous / -or /-er• Success + -ful = successful (full of

success)

• Courage + -ous = courageous (full of or having courage)

• Sail + -or= sailor (the one who does the action = sails)

• Paint + -er = painter (who one who does the action= paints)

Let’s practice

Color + -ful =

colorful (Full of color)

nerve + -ous =

director

(Full of nerves)

write + -er =

nervous

Person who directs

direct + -or =

writer Person who writes