Craneswater Junior School
Support for Spelling Overview for Parents
Year Group
Term
Year 4
Summer 2
Learning Objective
To revise and investigate links between meaning and spelling when
using affixes
Overview
An affix is placed at the beginning or end of a root word to change its meaning. An
affix cannot stand alone. For example, disappeared from the root appear has both a
prefix (dis-) and a suffix (-ed).
One of the reasons that the English language is so interesting is that there are many
other languages threaded through it. Many prefixes and suffixes derive from the
Germanic (old English), Latin, French and Greek languages. Understanding the
meaning of these affixes will support spelling.
Strategies
 Jigsaw pieces
Have a root word as the middle piece of a jigsaw puzzle.
Have prefix and suffix jigsaw pieces.
Join prefix or suffix to root words to see if they create a real word.

Pairs
Have a range of root words turned upside down.
In a second pile have a range or prefixes or suffixes.
Children to turn one card from each pile other.
Children keep pairs if they create a real word.

Affix trees
Examples/ Key word list
Mis- meaning not
misread
misfortune
misinform
misplace
auto
autograph
autobiography
automatic
automobile
Miniminibus
miniscule
miniature
mini-beasts
Ex- meaning outside
exclaim
exile
export
explode
circ
circumference
circus
circulate
circle
circular
Circumstance
-ette
kitchenette
cigarette
Re- meaning again
replay
return
retry
Retake
bi
bisect
bicycle
bifocals
biplane
tele
telephone
telegraph
telescope
television
telephoto
-ling
sapling
duckling
weakling
trans
transport
transfer
transparent
transplant
Transmit
micromicroscope
microchip
microfilm
microphone
Internet links
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/interactive/literacy.html#13
prefix and suffix games
http://www.funenglishgames.com/grammargames/prefixsuffix.html
Prefix and suffix game