Grade 5Englisheasy
Prefixes and Suffixes Explorer
This worksheet helps students identify common prefixes and suffixes, understand their meanings, and use them to figure out word meanings.
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What Your Child Will Learn
- Identify common prefixes (un-, re-, pre-, dis-, mis-) and suffixes (-ing, -ed, -er, -est, -ly, -tion) in 15 given words and explain their basic meanings
- Apply knowledge of prefix and suffix meanings to determine the definitions of unfamiliar words without using a dictionary
- Demonstrate understanding that adding prefixes and suffixes to root words changes their meaning and part of speech by completing word analysis activities
- Recognize how prefixes and suffixes work as word-building tools to create new words with related but distinct meanings from the same base word
How to Use This Worksheet
- Step 1: Before starting, review the prefix and suffix definitions provided in the worksheet. Have your student read each prefix and suffix aloud with its meaning, pointing to the word part each time. This pre-teaching activates their background knowledge and reduces confusion during problem-solving.
- Step 2: Work through the first 3-4 problems together as examples. Model the thinking process: identify the root word, find the prefix or suffix, recall its meaning, and combine them to define the whole word. Talking through your reasoning helps students understand the strategy before working independently.
- Step 3: Have your student complete problems 5-12 independently. Encourage them to write the root word and the prefix/suffix separately before writing the full definition. This step-by-step approach prevents careless errors and keeps their thinking organized.
- Step 4: Review problems 13-15 together if they present more complex or unfamiliar words. These final problems often combine multiple skills or use less common prefixes/suffixes, so guided practice here prepares them for advanced work.
- Step 5: After completion, have your student create 2-3 new words using the prefixes and suffixes they learned, and write their definitions. This application step deepens understanding and shows that they can use word parts creatively, not just recognize them.
Tips for Parents & Teachers
Encourage students to create a personal 'prefix and suffix chart' while completing the worksheet, listing each prefix/suffix with an example word. This visual reference helps them see patterns and makes the abstract concept more concrete. Many G5 students struggle because they memorize definitions rather than understanding that prefixes go at the beginning and suffixes go at the end—this chart reinforces structure.
Common mistake: Students often confuse similar-looking word parts (like 're-' in 'read' vs. just part of the word). Have them highlight or underline the prefix/suffix separately from the root word to physically separate the components. This makes it clear that 'un-happy' is 'un' + 'happy,' not a single unit.
When working through the 15 problems, have your student say the meaning aloud after identifying the prefix or suffix (example: 'un- means not, so unhappy means not happy'). This verbal processing helps cement the connection between word parts and meanings, and you can quickly catch misunderstandings.
Use real-world examples from your student's daily life—unfair rules, replaying video games, or the fastest runner—to show that these word-building patterns appear everywhere. This relevance motivates students and shows why learning prefixes and suffixes matters beyond the worksheet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do G5 students need to learn prefixes and suffixes?
Prefixes and suffixes are the building blocks of thousands of English words. By understanding how these word parts work, your student can unlock the meanings of new words they encounter in reading without needing a dictionary every time. This skill dramatically improves reading comprehension and vocabulary growth. Additionally, recognizing patterns in language helps students spell and write more confidently.
What's the difference between a prefix and a suffix, and how do I help my student remember?
A prefix is added to the beginning of a word (think 'pre-' as in 'before'), and a suffix is added to the end of a word (think 'suffix' itself—the 'fix' part is at the end). An easy memory trick: 'Prefix' has 'pre' which means 'before,' so prefixes come before (at the start). Help your student use this pattern to remember: PRE = before = beginning of the word.
My student keeps confusing the meaning of similar prefixes like 'un-' and 'dis-'. How can I help?
Both un- and dis- mean 'not,' so this confusion is very common at the G5 level. Instead of fighting it, acknowledge the similarity and teach that many words use un- while others use dis- (often with different root words: 'unfair' but 'dishonest'). Create two lists showing which prefix pairs with which words, and focus on recognition rather than memorizing which is 'better.' Over time, exposure to both in context will solidify the distinction naturally.
Some words have both a prefix AND a suffix (like 'unhappily'). Should my G5 student be expected to break these apart?
If the worksheet includes words with both, yes, this is an excellent challenge for advanced G5 learners! Model the process: identify the root word first ('happy'), then find the prefix ('un-') and the suffix ('-ly'). Explain how they work together to change the word's meaning: 'happy' → 'unhappy' (not happy) → 'unhappily' (in a not-happy way). This teaches that word parts combine systematically, but only require this skill if it appears in your specific worksheet problems.
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