Learn on PengiElements of Language, 2nd CourseChapter 16: Spelling: Improving Your Spelling

Lesson 2: Prefixes and Suffixes

In this Grade 5 lesson from Elements of Language, 2nd Course, students learn the spelling rules for adding prefixes and suffixes to base words, including when to drop a final silent e, when to keep it, and when to double the final consonant. The lesson covers specific rules such as keeping base word spelling unchanged when adding prefixes like un-, dis-, and mis-, and applying consonant-doubling rules based on syllable accent and vowel patterns. Practice exercises guide students through forming words like misspell, biting, hopeless, and beginner using these conventions.

Section 1

Adding Prefixes

Definition

A prefix is a letter or a group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. When adding a prefix to a word, do not change the spelling of the word itself.

Explanation

Think of a prefix as a little word part you stick on the front of a main word, like a hat! The best part is that you don't have to change the spelling of the main word at all. Just connect the two pieces like building blocks to make a new word with a new meaning.

Examples

  • re + write = rewrite
  • un + happy = unhappy
  • pre + school = preschool [Adding the prefix pre does not change the spelling of the word school.]
  • mis + place = misplace [Adding the prefix mis does not change the spelling of the word place.]

Section 2

Suffixes with Silent 'e' Words

Definition

Drop the final silent e before adding a suffix beginning with a vowel. Keep the final silent e before adding a suffix beginning with a consonant.

Explanation

When a word ends with a silent 'e' (like in 'bake'), check the suffix you're adding. If the suffix starts with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u), you drop the e. If the suffix starts with a consonant (any other letter), you get to keep the e. It all depends on the suffix's first letter!

Examples

  • Suffix begins with a vowel:
  • hope + ing = hoping [The suffix -ing begins with a vowel, so the final silent e is dropped.]
  • value + able = valuable [The suffix -able begins with a vowel, so the final silent e is dropped.]
  • Suffix begins with a consonant:
  • state + ment = statement [The suffix -ment begins with a consonant, so the final silent e is kept.]
  • use + less = useless [The suffix -less begins with a consonant, so the final silent e is kept.]

Section 3

Doubling the Final Consonant

Definition

Double the final consonant before adding a suffix beginning with a vowel if the word (1) has only one syllable or has the accent on the last syllable and (2) ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel.

Explanation

This rule looks tricky, but it's just a two-part check! Before you double a final letter, ask: First, is it a short word with one syllable? Second, does it end with just one vowel and one consonant? If you say 'yes' to both, then you double that last letter when adding a suffix like '-ing' or '-ed'.

Examples

  • stop + ed = stopped [The word is one syllable and ends in a single vowel (o) followed by a single consonant (p). The p is doubled.]
  • control + er = controller [The accent is on the last syllable (trol), and it ends in a single vowel and consonant. The l is doubled.]
  • eat + ing = eating [The word is one syllable, but it ends in a single consonant (t) that follows a double vowel (ea), so the t is not doubled.]

Book overview

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Chapter 16: Spelling: Improving Your Spelling

  1. Lesson 1

    Lesson 1: Words with ie and ei

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  2. Lesson 2Current

    Lesson 2: Prefixes and Suffixes

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  3. Lesson 3

    Lesson 3: Plurals of Nouns

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  4. Lesson 4

    Lesson 4: Words Often Confused A

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  5. Lesson 5

    Lesson 5: Words Often Confused B

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  6. Lesson 6

    Lesson 6: Words Often Confused C

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Lesson overview

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Section 1

Adding Prefixes

Definition

A prefix is a letter or a group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. When adding a prefix to a word, do not change the spelling of the word itself.

Explanation

Think of a prefix as a little word part you stick on the front of a main word, like a hat! The best part is that you don't have to change the spelling of the main word at all. Just connect the two pieces like building blocks to make a new word with a new meaning.

Examples

  • re + write = rewrite
  • un + happy = unhappy
  • pre + school = preschool [Adding the prefix pre does not change the spelling of the word school.]
  • mis + place = misplace [Adding the prefix mis does not change the spelling of the word place.]

Section 2

Suffixes with Silent 'e' Words

Definition

Drop the final silent e before adding a suffix beginning with a vowel. Keep the final silent e before adding a suffix beginning with a consonant.

Explanation

When a word ends with a silent 'e' (like in 'bake'), check the suffix you're adding. If the suffix starts with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u), you drop the e. If the suffix starts with a consonant (any other letter), you get to keep the e. It all depends on the suffix's first letter!

Examples

  • Suffix begins with a vowel:
  • hope + ing = hoping [The suffix -ing begins with a vowel, so the final silent e is dropped.]
  • value + able = valuable [The suffix -able begins with a vowel, so the final silent e is dropped.]
  • Suffix begins with a consonant:
  • state + ment = statement [The suffix -ment begins with a consonant, so the final silent e is kept.]
  • use + less = useless [The suffix -less begins with a consonant, so the final silent e is kept.]

Section 3

Doubling the Final Consonant

Definition

Double the final consonant before adding a suffix beginning with a vowel if the word (1) has only one syllable or has the accent on the last syllable and (2) ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel.

Explanation

This rule looks tricky, but it's just a two-part check! Before you double a final letter, ask: First, is it a short word with one syllable? Second, does it end with just one vowel and one consonant? If you say 'yes' to both, then you double that last letter when adding a suffix like '-ing' or '-ed'.

Examples

  • stop + ed = stopped [The word is one syllable and ends in a single vowel (o) followed by a single consonant (p). The p is doubled.]
  • control + er = controller [The accent is on the last syllable (trol), and it ends in a single vowel and consonant. The l is doubled.]
  • eat + ing = eating [The word is one syllable, but it ends in a single consonant (t) that follows a double vowel (ea), so the t is not doubled.]

Book overview

Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.

Continue this chapter

Chapter 16: Spelling: Improving Your Spelling

  1. Lesson 1

    Lesson 1: Words with ie and ei

    LearnPractice
  2. Lesson 2Current

    Lesson 2: Prefixes and Suffixes

    LearnPractice
  3. Lesson 3

    Lesson 3: Plurals of Nouns

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  4. Lesson 4

    Lesson 4: Words Often Confused A

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  5. Lesson 5

    Lesson 5: Words Often Confused B

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  6. Lesson 6

    Lesson 6: Words Often Confused C

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