Activity:

Build Vocabulary with Prefixes and Suffixes

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Learning prefixes and suffixes is a great way to boost vocabulary quickly. However, these letter combos are best learned in the context of the words that they create. Here's a game to get your child thinking about these beginnings and endings—in between plenty of shouting and laughing!

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Grade

Third Grade

Subject

Reading & Writing

Word Structure
- Suffixes
  - Common Suffixes
- Prefixes
  - Common Prefixes

What You Need:

Index cards
Markers
Dictionary

What You Do:

Go over these lists of prefixes and suffixes with your child:

Common Prefixes
Prefix	Meaning	Example
pre-	before	preview
un-	not	unbelievable
dis-	not	disagree
re-	again	rewrite
mis-	not	misunderstood
im-	not	impossible
bi-	two	bicycle
de-	not	deregulated

Common Suffixes
Suffix	Meaning	Example
-er	doer	teacher
-able	able to	unbelievable
-ous	full of	dangerous
-ness	state of being	happiness
-ful	full of	wonderful
-ly or -y	like	gently
-ment	state of	government

Ask your child to take the stack of index cards and label each card with a prefix or suffix from the list above.
Shuffle all the cards and turn them face down in one pile. As the dealer, it's your job to flip over the top card and lay it face up. The first player who can shout out a word that uses the prefix or suffix correctly, and can provide the definition of the prefix or suffix, gets to keep that card for his pile. You may want to keep a dictionary handy, just in case some funny words come tumbling out. The person with the most cards at the end of the game wins!

For even more practice with prefixes and suffixes check out our word smash worksheet!

Start Lesson Guided Lesson: Vocabulary 1

Start Lesson

Guided Lessons are a sequence of interactive digital games, worksheets, and other activities that guide learners through different concepts and skills. They keep track of your progress and help you study smarter, step by step.

Guided Lessons are digital games and exercises that keep track of your progress and help you study smarter, step by step.

Vocabulary development helps second graders advance their reading and writing skills. This guided lesson uses exercises and techniques targeted to building vocabulary. Kids will be tasked with using descriptive adjectives, distinguishing between similar verbs and adjectives, and using context clues to determine the meaning of a word phrase. For more vocabulary boosters, check out the worksheets that align with this lesson.

Vocabulary development helps second graders advance their reading and writing skills.