Build Vocabulary with Prefixes and Suffixes

Build Vocabulary with Prefixes and Suffixes

Learning prefixes and suffixes is a great way to boost vocabulary quickly. But, 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 a lot of shouting and laughing.

What You Need:

• Index cards
• Markers
• Dictionary

What You Do:

Step 1: 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

Step 2: Ask your child to take the stack of index cards and label each card with a prefix or suffix from the list above.

Step 3: 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 their 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!

Jane Oh has taught third and fourth grades for 8 years. She has worked with many diverse groups of students. Most recently, she has written teacher textbook guides.

© Copyright 2006-2012 Education.com All Rights Reserved.

http://www.education.com/activity/article/build_vocabulary_prefixes_suffixes_third/