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Ken Lackman & Associates
Educational Consultants
Word Formation
Games
Preapwork
f or
Activities
with Prefixes and Suffixes
Teaching Writing
Ken Lackman
Methods and activities for more effective teaching with less preparation
Word Formation Games
Contents
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Introduction
Suggested Teaching Approach
Activities
Guess the Affixed Word
Papers on Walls
Categorizing Suffixes on the Board
Four Walls
Circle Brainstorm
FCE-style Gap Fill
Word formation Scavenger Hunt
Jeopardy
Word Building Card Game
Word Formation Family Feud
Guess the Affix
Bibliography
Appendix
Copyright Ken Lackman 2010. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be
shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials
and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written
permission from the author.
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Word Formation Games
Introduction
Affixation is the process of adding suffixes and prefixes to a base to change
the meaning of the word and/or change it to another part of speech.
Prefixes primarily affect the meaning of a word, the most common being the
ones which form opposites, like -un, -in, -im, -il, -ir, etc. However, in this
group are also those which add more specific meaning, like -de, which can
indicate the removal of something (de-ice, destabilize, dehydrate, etc.) and
-mis, which refers to things which are done wrongly or badly (miscalculate,
misquote, misuse, etc.). In addition, there are numerous prefixes with
specific connotation (-bi = two, -co = with, -pre = before, etc.)
Suffixes, on the other hand, primarily classify words. There are two types of
suffixes, inflectional suffixes, which denote the word’s grammatical function,
(-s indicates plural, -est, the superlative, -ed, -past tense and participles)
and derivational suffixes, which classify the part of speech. For example,
the suffix -al turns nouns into adjectives (accidental, regional, musical, etc.)
and –ion changes verbs into nouns (action, creation, exhibition, etc.).
However, in this group there are still some that impart some semantic
notion, like –er and –or which form nouns to refer to people (actor,
drummer, etc.) and others like –ence, which form nouns which refer to the
action, state or process connected to the original verb (insistence,
correspondence, preference). Then there are suffixes whose semantic
contribution is much more obvious, like -less, indicating the lack of
something (careless, endless, flawless) and –proof, which indicates
protection against something (waterproof, foolproof, soundproof).
From the student’s perspective, affixation is a valuable aspect of English to
understand and use. Attention to meaning, even if it’s merely recognizing
the part of speech of an affixed word, will lead to improved receptive skills,
while understanding structural patterns would enhance production. Most, if
not all, students would agree that expanding their lexicon is a priority.
Affixation provides a relatively easy way of achieving that. The following
example, taken from an upper-intermediate class, shows the lengths that a
student had to go to because he lacked a relatively simple affixed word to
express a concept he was trying to describe. Had he known the affixed
word, “outnumbered”, he could have expressed himself a lot more clearly
and efficiently.
The Polish Army had only 4,000 soldiers. The Swedes were 10,000. There
were too many of the Swedes. But the Polish Army won the battle.
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Word Formation Games
Suggested Teaching Approach
A systematic approach, especially in regards to the form and meaning of
affixed words and their interrelationship, would aid students both receptively
and productively. Although there are a limited number of rules for affixation,
there are many patterns and raising student awareness of these patterns
will help them understand affixed words when they come across them and
also help them create them by applying appropriate prefixes and suffixes to
root words.
Michael Lewis, in Implementing the Lexical Approach, said that “...it is
easier to remember patterns than random lists...we recognise wholes to be
broken down, not parts to be built up.”(1998:56) The application of the
strategy that the Lexical Approach takes to semi-fixed expression could
provide a suitable system for teaching affixation. Consider the following
sample from Implementing the Lexical Approach:
Could you pass the ...., please?
The expression with the slot unfilled still carries clear meaning and filling the
slot reveals similarity among the items. Once we fill it, we realize that the
items we have chosen are all likely to belong on a dining table (salt, butter,
wine, etc.) Similarly, we could do the same sort of thing with affixation.
inform
pronounce
mis read
quote
hear
-mis + verb = to do wrongly or badly (verb)
believe
predict
un fathom
imagine
think
able
-un + verb + able = you can’t do it (adjective)
In both the above cases the item(s) that are fixed carry some meaning and
the slot fillers are words that are similar. This is not to say that all words that
could fill the slots would bear similarity (consider misadventure, misgiving)
but that certain patterns can be established. Also, it is not necessary,
although perhaps preferable, that the fixed elements always carry meaning.
Although McCarthy suggests the teaching value of “...isolating a small
group of highly productive prefixes or suffixes”, he also refers to research
that maintains that “the general shape of the incoming word is important,
not every minute contour of its make-up.” He points out that awareness of
the im___ly structure aids speakers in producing words like the following:
immediately, impossibly, impatiently, imperviously (1996:5,35).
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Word Formation Games
Gairns and Redman assert that “for lower level students...the best policy is
to treat the derivatives as individual items and teach those which are most
important for their productive (or receptive) vocabulary.” (1996:49) However,
affixation which occurs in high frequency words at their level should be
explicitly pointed out. Using the example mentioned above, it wouldn’t be
difficult to mention that the prefix -im creates the opposite of ‘possible and is
stronger than “not possible’. Not only should this be corrected to avoid
fossilization, but low level students should be encouraged to use simple
affixes and discouraged from going around them, hence opening them up to
acquiring more affixes. McCarthy points out that the suffixes –er and –or are
highly productive as they can be attached to a large number of words and
lower level students can be made aware of the concept of affixation with
simple examples of this (write/writer, act/actor, read/reader, etc.)
(1996:100) Generally, the exercise which appears in the Headway
Elementary workbook, where students are asked to form nouns with –ion
from given verbs and vice-versa, is a good example of an easy low-level
activity which will familiarize students the form and function of affixes.
For levels above elementary, affixation should be dealt with by highlighting
the affix and looking at groups of words which can be fit into the slot next to
it/them. Keeping to Michael Lewis’s restriction of 5 frame fillers is a good
idea as it is a sufficiently low enough number to allow for selection of words
of similar nature. Once this pattern has been established, it would be a
good idea to let the students to pick out other words which fit the model
orthographically, phonologically or semantically. This could be done
receptively (listening or reading text) or they could be given lists of words
which they would have to sort according to their potential to fit into slots
provided by the teacher. For example, ‘recognize’ would be more likely to fit
into the un______ able slot than to the one next to over__________. The
point is that students recognize the patterns.
A useful production activity could be to have the students use selected
groups of affixed words in context in a piece of writing. A collaborative effort
would be more likely to produce discussion about the correct use of the
particular items. For more communicative speaking practice, a pair of
students could try to use affixed words from a list in a conversation, with
production being monitored by another student.
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Word Formation Games
Activities
Guess the
Affixed Word
Speaking
Vocabulary
Listening
Grammar
Reading
Pronunciation
Writing
Warmer/Icebreaker
A simple activity would be to have the student - once they were introduced
to an affixation pattern - think of a situation in which they could apply a word
from that pattern and then they would explain the situation, without the
word, to a partner who would have to apply the word to it. For example, if
the un_______able structure was being featured, a student might tell
another about seeing a friend in a costume and not realizing who it was.
The intention would be that the partner would say the friend was
'unrecognizable'. Students can quiz each other this way and they get a
point for each affixed word that is guessed correctly. The game could also
be played in threes, where one student gives the clue and the other two
compete to see how can say it first. This concept is observable in the game
below, where each student would be give a strip with a gap fill and they
have to mingle and say their sentence with a gap to another student, who
would then have to figure out the affixed word that belongs in the gap.
Fill in the spaces with a negative adjective. The negative prefixes are dis, im, in, ir and un.
1. He never agrees with anyone. He is very _______________________able.
2. He and his brother are never separate. They are ______________________able.
3. I cannot use that old computer. It is ________________________able.
4. I wouldn’t advise you go there. Going there is _________________________able.
5. They are so different you can’t compare them. They are __________________able.
6. You cannot escape the truth. The truth is _____________________able.
7. Nobody loves him. He is ______________________able.
8. Her company never makes a profit. The company is _______________________able.
9. You cannot move that heavy object. It is _______________________able.
10. You cannot break that glass. It is _________________________able.
Samples from guessing game with neg. prefix______able First Choice B2, Cornelsen, 2009
5
Word Formation Games
The above activity could be made more challenging for students by not
mentioning the root word in the clue and instead by using synonyms or
other words to get the same meaning across. For example:
1. He always argues with anyone. He is very _______________________able.
2. He and his brother are never apart. They are ______________________able.
And the above version of the activity could be simplified by only using the
same negative prefix. Consider the example below, which could be used by
learners at a lower level to elicit the words unhappy and unlike.
1. He is very sad. He is very un _______________________.
2. He is not the same as his brother. He is un ______________________ his brother.
Card version
Cards could be made for a game where the students could just turn over a
card with a clue and the answer. They would give the clue to the other
student(s) they would be playing against who would have to guess the
affixed word on the card. Cards could be prepared by the teacher or by
groups of students for other groups of students to use. Words with prefixes
can easily be located in a dictionary while words with the same suffix can
be found at http://onelook.com/. Type in an asterisk and then your suffix
(e.g., *ment) and then hit SEARCH. Then hit COMMON WORDS only.
This word is used to
describe the caps that
drug manufacturers put
on bottles so children
cannot open them.
This word is used to
describe the process of
treating metal so it will
not decay.
childproof
This word is used for
material that has been
treated so it will not
burn.
This word is used to
describe glass which
has been specially
made not to break
into small little
pieces on impact.
rustproof
Shatterproof
This word is used to
describe something that
is designed to survive
bad weather in general.
fireproof
This word is used to
describe a something
that has been treated
so liquids will not go
through it.
weatherproof
leakproof
Sample cards for guessing game from First Choice A2, Cornelsen, 2009
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Word Formation Games
Papers on
Walls
Speaking
Vocabulary
Listening
Grammar
Reading
Pronunciation
Writing
Warmer/Icebreaker
This is a really useful activity to find out what students already know and to
get them familiarized with common affixes and certain affixed words. It can
It can be a great warmer for any lesson featuring affixed words. To prepare
for the activity, decide on which affixes you want to deal with (all prefixes,
all suffixes, a mixture of both, negative prefixes, etc.). Write each affix on
top of a sheet of paper and spread the papers out on the walls of the
classroom. You should have at least 6 different affixes/papers. Divide the
students into pairs or small groups and give each team a different coloured
marker. Explain that when you say to start, they will write some examples of
words on each sheet that feature the affix written on the top. The only rules
are they cannot write one that is on the sheet already and they can’t write
two in a row in their colour (so that they don’t just stand at one sheet). In
the end, whoever has contributed the most words, wins. Give teams a
minute to discuss their strategy (I’ve seen students throwing the marker
around the room) then tell them to start. When they’ve finished, eliminate
the incorrect words, provide explanation of others, if necessary, and have
each group total up their contributions to determine the winning team.
Alternate version
Categorizing
Suffixes on the
Board
Have enough sheets with affixes on them for every team in the class. Post
them on the walls. Each team has a different coloured marker. Tell each
team to start in front of a different sheet on the wall. When you say to start,
they race to write an affixed word on each sheet in succession (in a
clockwise direction) and the first team to finish all of the sheets wins. You
can have teams play for second and third place also.
Speaking
Listening
Reading
Writing
Vocabulary
Grammar
Pronunciation
Warmer/Icebreaker
This is a good game for getting students familiar with suffixes used to
create the different parts of speech. To prepare you’ll need a sheet of
words with common suffixes relative to the students’ level. There is a
sample sheet in the appendices that can be used with students who are
intermediate and above. Slice the sheet of paper up into individual words
and put them on your desk. Put a box or similar container next to them for
the ones that students finish with. Then divide the board up into four
columns, labeled VERBS, NOUNS, ADJECTIVES and ADVERBS. Put
students into pairs or threes and give each one a different coloured board
marker. Students then race to take a word from your desk, write it in the
correct column and then discard it in the box and take another. When they
are finished with all the words, erase and rewrite the ones on the board that
are in the wrong columns and have each team then count up how many
they did correctly to determine a winner.
In the next phase of this activity, students should work in their pairs/threes
and make a list in their notebooks of the suffixes in each part-of-speech
category. Then they should make some conclusions, with your guidance,
7
Word Formation Games
about the suffixes, e.g., “ness” is the most popular noun suffix, “ly” is really
the only adverb suffix, “al” can be used for adjectives and nouns and there
are relatively few verb suffixes, other than “ed” and “ing”, which, of course,
are used for adjectives also.
Four Walls
Speaking
Vocabulary
Listening
Grammar
Reading
Pronunciation
Writing
Warmer/Icebreaker
This is a very simple game that can be used as a warmer and a review of
suffixes used for different parts of speech. To prepare, you need four
sheets of paper labeled with the four main parts of speech and you need a
list of words with suffixes. You can use words that the students have dealt
with already or, if you want to make it more challenging, you can use new
words. It’s possible to use words they are unfamiliar with as long as long as
they end in a suffix that would determine its part of speech. You could even
throw in words that could be more than one part of speech like professional
or acting. Just before you start the activity, you need to post each part-ofspeech sheet on a wall in the classroom. Then ask the students to stand up
and when you say a word from the list, they have to move to the wall
representing the part of speech it is. Let them know if they are correct.
Continue with other words.
Circle
Brainstorm
Speaking
Vocabulary
Listening
Grammar
Reading
Pronunciation
Writing
Warmer/Icebreaker
This is a brainstorming game is useful because it encourages students to
experiment with adding suffixes and prefixes. Students are in small groups
and sit in circles. The object is to go around the circle with each person
saying an affixed word which connects to the one before it. Every time a
word is added it should be written on the paper so it can be checked later
by the teacher. The group will be awarded a point for each correct word.
The game can be played in different ways determined by the way each
word connects to the one before it. The simplest way is to have the
students brainstorm all the words they know with the same affix. The list
below provides an example of words ending with –ness:





happiness
sadness
darkness
illness
fitness
For higher level classes you can make the game more challenging by
having them alternate between matching affixes and matching the root
word. Following is an example:
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Word Formation Games






information
organization
disorganized
disapprove
approval
professional
(suffix matched)
(root matched)
(prefix matched)
(root matched)
(suffix matched)
Alternately, you can allow them to match any part of the word. Example
below:
 information
 education
 organization
 organizer
 player
 replay
To make this game more challenging, disallow using –ed and –ing as
affixes. Make sure students that realize that in order to keep the game
going, if they can’t think of a word, they should make one up. This is a very
useful activity because it encourages students to speculate by using their
basic knowledge of affixation to create affixed words that they are unsure
of.
FCE-style
Gap Fill
Speaking
Listening
Reading
Writing
Vocabulary
Grammar
Pronunciation
Warmer/Icebreaker
This activity is based on an a section of the Cambridge FCE and CAE
exams where the students are given a gapped text and root words which
have to be changed by adding suffixes or prefixes in order to properly fit in
the gap. The strategy students should use for this is to read the text first
and consider, using the context, which part of speech goes in each gap.
Teachers can train them to look for context clues like a gap after an article
(likely indicating a noun), a gap before a noun (likely an adjective), etc.
Once they have done that, they think of some common prefixes or suffixes
and try them with the root words to see if they “sound right”. It’s always a
good idea to encourage students to take guesses even if they end up being
wrong, as that’s how they will learn.
For many people punctuality is a big issue. Parents are often
keen to impress upon their children the ____________(1) of being
punctual because they see it as an aspect of ____________(2) and
consideration for others. It is also a quality that ____________(3)
regard as very positive, and those who are _____________(4) unpunctual
may end up being ____________(5) in their careers as a result
Sample with first 5 gaps from an FCE test
9
IMPORTANT
POLITE
EMPLOY
USUAL
SUCCESS
Word Formation Games
A great way to use this in class is to get students to write the gap-fill
exercises themselves. This not only saves the teacher lots of work but it
gives the students writing practice and a chance to attach affixes to words
and then work them into a context. Then, of course, once they’ve written
the exercises, they can switch with other students and get practice filling in
the gaps. A good way to prepare students for this is to put them in pairs and
give each pair list of 5 or 10 root words, depending on how long a text you
want them to create. You can use the list in the appendices for this (page
20). Then students work in pairs and have to contextualize the root words –
in different forms – in a text. They can write about anything they want as
long as they can fit the words in. They use dictionaries to help them change
the form of the word and they write the root word in the margin and number
the gaps just like in the sample above. Students should write the exercises
on sheets of paper and when they are finished, they write their names on it
and hand it to you. When all students are finished put their papers in a pile
and start a race to see who can do the most gap fills correctly. Each pair
comes up at takes a paper. They cannot write on the papers so they must
write their affixed words in their notebooks instead. When they they’ve
chosen an affixed word for each gap, they check with the team who wrote it
to see if they got them correct and they award themselves a point for each
correct affixed word. Then they take another paper and continue. When I do
this, I also write one which I contribute to the pile (with my name on it). This
ensures that there is always an extra exercise available for students to do.
Word
Formation
Scavenger
Hunt
Speaking
Vocabulary
Listening
Grammar
Reading
Pronunciation
Writing
Warmer/Icebreaker
This activity is unusual because it is a competitive game that involves
receptive skills rather than productive ones. You can use this game with
any text that is appropriate to the students’ level, i.e., at their level or even
above it. Students are given a checklist of certain types of affixed words
and they go over a text and try to find examples of each one. Ones that are
rarer or more difficult to find or categorize can be assigned higher point
values. You can write the scavenger list based on the affixed words that
you find in a certain text or you can use a general, “all-purpose” one as the
fact that some items may not appear in the text makes it even more
challenging for students. An example of a scavenger hunt list is below.
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Word Formation Games
CATEGORY
POINT
VALUE
a noun with a suffix
1
an verb with a suffix (not with
–ed or –ing)
25
an adjective with a suffix
1
an adverb with a suffix
1
an adverb of opinion
5
a word with a negative prefix
2
a prefix that has a specific
meaning (not just to negate)
a word with a negative prefix
with a positive meaning
a noun formed from an
adjective
a noun formed from a verb
a verb formed from an
adjective
an adjective formed from a
noun
an adjective formed from a
verb
an adverb formed from an
adjective
WORD 1
LINE
TOTAL
WORD 2
15
25
10
10
20
10
10
2
Total
To play this game, put students in pairs or threes and give each group a
copy of the text you have chosen and a copy of the scavenger list. They
work together and scan the text to find as many of the items as they can.
End the hunt and elicit the examples in each category to make sure they
are correct. After students have eliminated their wrong answers, get each
group to total their score to determine the winners. Note that you can
choose to have more than two columns for each category.
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Word Formation Games
Jeopardy
Speaking
Vocabulary
Listening
Grammar
Reading
Pronunciation
Writing
Warmer/Icebreaker
This game is fun and a great way to get students familiar with the meaning
and/or use of affixes and the types of words that go with them. You can
create your own games or you can use the ones included in the appendices.
If you are creating a game for suffixes, you may want to use
http://onelook.com/. Type in an asterisk and then your suffix (e.g., *ment)
and then hit SEARCH. Then hit COMMON WORDS only (under SEARCH).
But the best idea is to have your students create the game. Decide how
many categories (affixes) you are going to have and put students into small
groups and give them each one category (or two, depending on the number
of groups you have relative to the number of categories). Then using the
dictionary, they look up five (or three, if you want to create a quicker game)
words with the same affix, write the clues and arrange them in order of
difficulty. Once all students have done that, draw the game grid on the board
with columns for each affix (write the affix on the top) and then rows below
with the dollar amounts (100, 200, 300, etc.). Then one team starts and
picks any category other than their own. Then erase the dollar value for that
square. The team that wrote that category gives them the clue in the dollar
range they indicated. If they get it right, write the answer in the square and
write their points on the board, beside the team name. Continue in this way.
Word Building
Card Game
Speaking
Vocabulary
Listening
Grammar
Reading
Pronunciation
Writing
Warmer/Icebreaker
This is a fun and challenging game that familiarizes students with the most
common affixes and common root words that go with them. It provides an
excellent opportunity for student to use their knowledge and make educated
guesses about the formation of words. This game is probably best suited to
students at intermediate level and up. There are two versions of the game,
Game 1 which is fairly simple to understand and play and Game 2, which is
a bit more complicated but a lot more challenging and fun. The cards are on
photocopiable sheets in the appendices.
Game 1
Arrange students in groups of 3 to 6 players. You will need more than one
deck for larger classes unless you want to have students play as a pair.
One student is the judge and takes the set of cards with all the affixed
words on them. The judge places the cards with the affixed words in front of
him/her. The student to the left of the judge is the dealer. The dealer deals
four cards to each player. Each player chooses their worst card and passes
it face down to the player on the right, who then picks it up and adds it to
their hand. The dealer then puts a card down in the centre of the table. Next
player puts down another card on top of it to form a word by combining
either of the two words on the first card with a suffix /prefix on his/her card
or vice versa, meaning they combine the affix on the card in the centre with
either of the two words on their card. The judge checks the word on the
Judge’s Cards and if the word is legitimate, the student uses that word in a
sentence. Play continues to the left in the same way. If a player cannot
12
Word Formation Games
play, he/she places a card face down in front of his/herself. Once all cards
have been played, each player counts the cards they placed face down in
front of them and that number is subtracted from 4 (total number of cards
they started with) to give them the final score for that round. The scores for
each player are written on a score sheet. For the subsequent rounds, all
cards are collected and shuffled and the judge and dealer roles move one
player to the left.
Note: any word which uses the root card and a suffix/prefix card is allowed.
Thus, the “profess” card is combinable with “al” to form “professional” even
if the player does not have the “ion” card. The winner of the game is the
one with the highest score at the end.
Game 2
Arrange students in groups of 3 to 6 players. You will need more than one
deck for larger classes unless you want to have students play as a pair.
One student is the judge and takes the set of cards with all the affixed
words on them. The judge places the cards with the affixed words in front of
him/her. The player to the left of the judge is the dealer. The dealer deals 4
cards to each player, puts the pile in the centre and then picks up the top
card from the pile and adds it to his/her hand. Dealer then chooses one
card from his/her hand and puts it in the centre. Play moves to the left as
players must use the prefix/suffix on that card to form words with one of the
two words on their cards. Each card is played on top of the first card so that
the affix on the first card remains visible and is always the one that is
played upon. If a player cannot combine a word from one of his/her cards,
they place one of their cards upside down on the pile, still allowing the
original affix on the first card to show. Judge determines legitimacy of each
word and each player uses it in a sentence. The dealer plays last card. The
last card played face-up takes the trick, meaning that all cards in played in
that round are given to the last player to successfully form an affixed word.
The winner of each trick starts play again by picking a card from the pile
and choosing a card to start with. Tricks taken are totaled at the end of
each round and each player’s points are written down. The maximum score
will be 4. Then dealer and judge roles move to the left. Tricks where no
cards are played face-up are not won by anyone and are placed to one
side. The object of this game is to take as many tricks as you can while you
are dealer and to “steal” as many from other dealers when you are not
Another wrinkle you can add to this game is to ask the judge to write down
the sentences used by the players. This way you can check them for
accuracy after the game and take up any wrongly used words with the
class.
13
Word Formation Games
Word
Formation
Family Feud
Speaking
Vocabulary
Listening
Grammar
Reading
Pronunciation
Writing
Warmer/Icebreaker
This activity is based on the popular game show where there are two teams
(usually two families) who each take turns trying to guess all the items in a
certain category (e.g., fruits that begin with ‘O’). In this version, there are
two teams and the teams try to name all the common affixed forms of a
certain root word. What the common forms actually are, is up to you. What
you need to do to prepare for this game is to choose a group of root words
– you can use the Judge’s cards from Word Building Card Game, if you’d
like. Usually a round of play with one word takes around 5 minutes so that
will determine how many words you will need when you do it in class. Then
you select your root words and choose a group of at least 4 affixed forms
for each that you feel your students should know or learn, e.g., excite,
excitement, exciting, excited, excitedly, excitable, unexciting.
To play the game in class, divide the students into two teams. For large
classes, you can go with three. Write the list of root words on the board.
One team decides to go first and they choose one of the root words to
attempt. Then list on the board the part of speech of each affixed word for
the root word. Below is the example for excite (including ‘excite’ itself):
V
N
Adj/V
Adj/V
Adv
Adj
Adj
Then the team members guess one word each, in turn, that might go with
any of the parts of speech listed on the board. If the first member guesses
one correctly, write it on the board next to the part of speech designation
(example below). If a member gets it wrong, then give them an X, which is
written on the board. When they get 3 X’s, their turn is over but they get
points for each affixed word that they guessed. At that point, you can allow
the other team(s) one or more guesses (your choice) as to what the other
words are that they missed. Award them points for each one they guess.
Play then moves to another team who chooses another root word from the
list.
V
N
excitement
Adj/V
Adj/V
Adv
Adj
Adj
14
Word Formation Games
Guess the
Affix
Speaking
Vocabulary
Listening
Grammar
Reading
Pronunciation
Writing
Warmer/Icebreaker
This game provides students with a list of 10 root words which all take the
same affix. They have to guess what affix it is by listening to the words and
thinking about which affix they could apply to all of them. An easy way to
play this game is to put the students in teams of two to four and give each
team some strips of paper and a marker. Then you read out the list of 10
root words and they have to think of what affix would go with all of them.
You can choose to read less than 10, if you’d like to make it more
challenging. Give them a time limit to think of the affix and then a warning
that they have 10 seconds left. They have to write the affix on the strip of
paper with the marker and when you say “Go”, they hold it up. Look at what
each group wrote and award teams with the correct affix a point. Play again
with another group of words.
Sample with root
words for ‘-ment’
…MENT
1. Govern
2. Develop
3. Depart
4. Treat
5. Manage
6. Move
7. Environ
8. Agree
9. Invest
10. Equip
Alternative version
In this more challenging version, teams can write whatever affix they think it
is at any point while you are reading the root words. Read the list out
slowly, allowing time for students to write the affix before you say the next
word. Each time you say a word you say the number it is, going from 10
backwards. Students have to write whatever number you have just said
when they write the affix on their strip. That number represents the points
they will get if they are correct. So, for example, if the suffix was “ment” and
you said “Ten, invest” and they wanted to guess “ment” at that point, they
would write “10 ment” on their strip of paper and hold it up before you gave
the number 9 word. The thing is they only get one guess and by going for
10 points, they are taking a chance they will get nothing if they are wrong.
Other students may decide to wait for more words before hazarding a
guess, but they will get fewer points. When you have read the final root
word, ask all teams to hold up their strips and those that got it right, award
themselves the number of points indicated by the number on their strip.
8 MENT
Sample strip for 8 points with ‘ment’
15
Word Formation Games
Finding root words
The best way to find root words for this game is to go to a corpora website
like http://www.americancorpus.org/ You will need to register to use it but it
is free and it’s a great tool for language learners and instructors. Simply
type in the affix with an asterisk in the WORD(S) box to get the words with
that affix. So, for example, if you type in *ment, and hit SEARCH, you will
get the following list:
1. Government
2. Moment
3. Development
4. Department
5. Treatment
6. Management
7. Movement
8. Environment
9. Agreement
10. Investment
11. Equipment
Note that “moment” is not actually an affixed word, so you can eliminate it
and replace it with ‘equipment’ to get 10 words. If you scroll down you will
find a lot more words. The words are in order according to how frequently
they occur in the corpora databank. So, it would appear that the most
popular word with the suffix “ment” is ‘Government’. You can write “ment”
on the top of your list and just write the root words below, without “moment”,
of course.
…MENT
1. Govern
2. Develop
3. Depart
4. Treat
5. Manage
6. Move
7. Environ
8. Agree
9. Invest
10. Equip
16
Word Formation Games
Corpora Website
http://www.americancorpus.org/
Bibliography
Gairns, Ruth & Redman, Stuart Working with Words CUP, 1996
Lewis, Michael Implementing the Lexical Approach LTP, 1998
McCarthy, Michael Vocabulary OUP 1996
Sinclair, John ed. Collins Cobuild English Guides 2: Word Formation
Harper Collins 1996
Lackman, Ken First Choice A2 Teaching Guide Cornelsen 2009
17
Word Formation Games
Appendix
Words for Categorizing Suffixes on the Board
fame
dependency
famous
excitable
action
independent
profession
excited
active
direct
professor
unexciting
actor
direction
professional
exciting
variety
director
professorship
excitedly
actively
directness
professionally
use
activist
directly
professionalism
useful
activism
directional
specify
useless
activate
personalize
decision
useable
compete
personality
undecided
usefulness
competition
various
indecision
uselessness
competitive
variable
decisive
approve
competitor
specific
decisiveness
approval
competitiveness
independence
specifically
disapprove
competitively
dependant
excite
approvingly
depend
dependability
excitement
approving
dependable
shortness
shortly
shorten
18
Word Formation Games
Jeopardy Games
Grid for Negative Prefixes (upper-intermediate - advanced level)
de
dis
il
im
in
mis non
ir
un
100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200
300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300
400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400
500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500
19
Word Formation Games
Negative Prefixes Answer Sheet
de
dis
il
im
in
de-ice
to remove
frozen water
from
something,
esp. airplane
dishonest
adj. for
someone who
doesn’t tell the
truth
illegal
against the law
impolite
someone who
is rude
inaccurate
something
which is not
100 % correct,
esp. statistics
devalue
to decrease the
worth of
something,
esp. currency
disable
to take from
something the
power to work
or function
illogical
something
which makes
no sense
imperfect
something that
isn’t 100% - it
has some small
flaws or
mistakes
indirect
not straight,
roundabout
decentralise
to remove
power from
one place and
distribute
equally, esp.
gov.
displeasure,
dissatisfaction
a noun for
unhappiness
about
something
illiterate
adj. to describe
someone who
can’t read or
write
immature
an adult who
acts like a child
deodorise
to remove the
smell from
something
discomfort
the feeling of
just a little bit of
pain or
physical
unpleasantness
illegible
adj. to describe
handwriting
which cannot
be read
immeasurable
something very
big – cannot be
measured
decompose
break down or
separate into
small parts,
esp. after
death
disobey
to not do what
someone
orders you to
do
illegitimate
contrary to
laws or rule,
esp. children of
unmarried
parents
improbable
something
which is not
likely to happen
ir
un
non-alcoholic
drinks without
anything which
makes you
drunk, e.g.
some kinds of
beer
irresponsible
adj. for one
who doesn’t
care about the
results of their
actions
unfair
not right
according to a
set of rules or
principles
misfortune
bad luck
non-fiction
literature which
is true stories
irresistible
adj. for something which you
have an
uncontrollable
attraction to
unused
something
(esp.
manufactured
which is new
indefinite
undecided or
uncertain, no
fixed limits, like
the article “a”
or “an”
misbehave
to act badly,
esp. for
children
non-profit
companies
which are
designed not to
make money
irregular
not straight, or
according to
rules or in rate
of occurrence
unwelcome
uninvited
adj. for guests
that you don’t
want
infinite
not having an
end
misinform
to tell someone
something
wrong
non-violent
someone who
doesn’t believe
in physical
force esp. to
get civil rights
irrelevant
something that
is not
connected to
what is being
talked about
unbeaten
adj. for a sports
team which has
not yet lost a
game
inflexible
rigid, not
moveable, esp.
for people’s
opinions
misadventure
an exciting
experience
which turns out
badly
non-resident
someone who
lives
somewhere but
without a
permit
irreversible
adj. for something which
cannot be
changed back
to what it was
unborn
word for a child
that a pregnant
woman is
carrying
20
mis non
mispronounce
verb for saying
words, esp. in
another language with the
wrong sound
Word Formation Games
Prefixes (intermediate - advanced)
inter
over
under
pre
international
between or among
different countries
overtime
noun for when you
work later than your
scheduled hours
underground
adj. to describe
something which is
below the surface of
the earth
prefix
noun for something
which is attached to
the beginning of a
word to change its
meaning
rewrite
to write something
again
subtitles
translated words
under the screen in
foreign language
films
transcontinental
word to describe
something, (e.g.
train) which goes
across Europe,
Africa, North
America, etc.
interpersonal
adj. to describe
relations between
people
overweight
adj. to describe
someone who is
heavier than they
should be
undergraduate
noun for someone
who has not yet
completed university
prehistoric
adj. used to describe
something that
existed before
history was recorded
refill
to pour some more
liquid to the top of a
something after it
has been emptied
subplot
not the main story in
a film or play, but a
lesser one that also
happens
transform
verb to describe a
change in
appearance, shape
or character
interracial
adj. for between or
among different
races of people
overcrowded
adj. to describe
somewhere where
there are too many
people
underdeveloped
adj. used esp. to
describe agricultural
countries without
much industry
preview
to see something,
esp. a film before it
is released for the
general public
reappear
when something
goes away or you
can’t see it and then
you can
subhuman
adj. to describe a
person who is more
like an animal than a
person
transplant
to move something
growing in the
ground to somewhere else. Also
used for organs
interplanetary
between or among
planets
overflow
verb for when water
or other liquid runs
out of something
because it is too full
undercharge
verb for when
someone asks you
to pay less than you
should for something
prejudge
to form an opinion
about a person
before you really
know them, esp.
based on ethnicity
reconstruct
to rebuild something
sub-standard
adj. to describe
something that is
below the usual
acceptable level
transaction
a business deal
intersection
place where two
lines or roads meet
overestimate
verb for guessing the
price something will
be or the time it will
take and you guess
too much
underestimate
verb for guessing the
price something will
be or the time it will
take and you guess
too little
predate
verb to say
something existed
before a certain time
in history.
reconsider
to think about
something again,
esp. a decision
subdivide
to separate
something into equal
parts a second time
transcribe
to write down notes
into complete
sentences, or from
spoken language
21
re
sub
trans
Word Formation Games
Suffixes (intermediate – advanced)
...ment
...less
...ness
…ship
…ize
…able
…ity
…ism
a thing or
substance, often
related to
something else
without
something
a state or
condition
state, condition or
quality an art or
skill
to make or create
having the ability
name of a quality
a belief or
practice
payment
money given to
someone usually
for a service
harmless
something that
won't hurt you
blindness
a condition where
a person cannot
see
friendship
the state of being
in a relationship
which is not
family, romantic
or sexual
apologize
to make a
statement saying
you are sorry for
something
comfortable
when something
makes you feel
relaxed, for
example a piece
of furniture
creativity
the quality of
making new
things or ideas
racism
a belief that some
people are better
than others
depending on the
colour of their
skin
basement
part of a building
which is below
ground level
fearless
not at all afraid
weakness
the condition of
having very little
strength
dictatorship
the state of living
in a country
where one person
has all the power
equalize
to make two or
more things the
same
affordable
something you
are able to buy
because you
have enough
money
infinity
the quality of
going on forever
journalism
the practice of
reporting news for
the media
judgement
a decision or
evaluation made
about someone
or something
worthless
describing
something that
has no value
closeness
the state of two
things or people
being near each
other, physically
or emotionally for
people
ownership
The state of
possessing
something
magnetize
to make a piece
of metal so it
attracts another
piece of metal
unforgettable
memorable
a word to
describe
something you
will always
remember
maturity
the quality of
acting your age or
even older than
you are
optimism
the belief that
everything will get
better
treatment
a substance used
to care for an
illness or wound
speechless
describing
someone who
cannot or will not
talk, usually just
for the moment
likeness
the state of
resembling
something
companionship
the state of
having someone
with you to keep
you from being
lonely
penalize
to punish
someone for
doing something
wrong
disposable
Something you
can throw away
humidity
the quality the air
has when it is
very moist
anarchism
the belief in a
country without
government
fragment
a piece or part
broken off of
something
mindless
describing
something not
requiring or
displaying any
intelligence
dullness
the state of being
boring, stupid or,
for objects, not
sharp
apprenticeship
the state of being
an assistant while
learning a job or
profession
monopolize
to take complete
possession or
control of
something, esp. a
conversation
arguable
a statement or
position you are
able to disagree
with
mobility
the quality of
being able to
move
liberalism
a belief in
progress and
reform, especially
in politics
22
Word Formation Games
Common Root Words from FCE Exam Word Formation
able
accept
accommodate
accurate
act
active
actual
adequate
admire
advertise
advise
affect
agent
agree
allow
ambition
appear
apply
acquaint
arrange
arrive
attract
authority
base
beauty
behave
believe
bore
breath
build
care
centre
certain
champion
change
child
choose
collect
commerce
common
compete
concentrate
confident
consider
construct
contribute
convenient
convince
correct
cost
courage
cure
danger
dark
day
decide
defend
deport
depressed
design
desire
detect
develop
difficult
direct
discover
distant
drama
early
educate
else
employ
engage
enjoy
entertain
enthusiastic
equal
excite
exhibit
exist
expect
expense
explain
extend
fail
fair
famous
fault
finance
fit
fortunate
fortune
free
frequent
friend
full
generate
grand
harm
heavy
help
hide
high
honest
hope
imagine
important
impress
improve
increase
influence
inhabit
injure
intelligent
intend
invite
judge
know
legal
like
likely
literate
live
logic
lonely
long
luck
manage
marry
mature
medicine
member
memory
migrate
miss
modern
move
nature
necessary
notice
occasion
23
operate
oppose
organize
origin
paint
patient
perfect
permit
please
polite
politic
popular
possible
praise
predict
prefer
prepare
press
pride
probable
produce
profession
pronounce
protect
publish
qualify
rain
rare
rational
react
real
reason
recognize
relate
relation
religion
remark
remove
require
repute
research
responsible
ripe
risk
round
sad
safe
scarce
science
secure
select
sell
sense
settle
shock
short
shy
sign
similar
skill
slip
sociable
solve
south
speak
special
spell
state
steady
strong
stubborn
success
sufficient
sure
surprise
suspect
tact
through
tradition
train
treat
true
upset
use
usual
value
various
warn
wide
will
win
wise
wonder
worth
in
affect
certain
effect
generate
attract
understand
quality
dictate
compete
perfect
success
in
wonder
dis
patient
able
equip
a / t / ion
famous
al
use
ible
value
acy
settle
ence / ency
addict
ive
predict
ment
sense
allow
verb
accurate
modern
explain
equal
nature
tradition
educate
occasion
or
invite
ness
adequate
al
recognize
ment
legible
ive
habit
ity
solve
im
expect
ive
manage
a / t / ion
precise
ive
convenient
vary
exist
oppose
detect
require
friend
organize
agree
imagine
cure
un
observe
able
forget
mis
member
less
courage
im
popular
acy
resent
un
person
ant
develop
or
accommodate
ness
correct
advise
help
scarce
impress
state
treat
react
repute
relate
please
ful
depend
ful
admire
in
taste
less
notice
in
profess
un
select
ity
honest
dis
probable
a / t / ion
act
ity
construct
desire
entertain
produce
care
engage
mature
operate
expense
politic
move
less
arrange
ence / ency
improve
able
prepare
ful
literate
dis
judge
able
concentrate
ship
secure
ness
fortunate
ible
able
im
employ
consider
similar
skill
reason
present
perfect
lonely
possible
like
place
ship
logic
a / t / ion
real
a / t / ion
train
il
pronounce
non
acquaint
mis
social
un
defense
ment
tact
ment
harm
less
pure
appear
remark
frequent
enjoy
believe
direct
excite
exhibit
change
polite
ful
fair
il
contribute
non
accept
un
prefer
ness
edit
in
legal
ity
important
un
luck
ant
separate
able: ability, disability, inability, unable, enable,
accept: acceptable, unacceptable, acceptance,
acceptability
accommodate: accommodation,
accommodating
accurate: accuracy, inaccurate, inaccuracy,
accurately, inaccurately
acquaint: acquaintance, acquainted,
acquaintanceship, unacquainted, reacquaint
act: action, active, inactive, inaction, actor,
acting, actively, inactively, actionable, activist,
activism, acted, enact, enactment
addict: addictive, addiction, non-additive
adequate: inadequate, (in)adequately, admire:
admirable, admiration, admirer, admirably,
admired
advertise: advertisement, advertiser,
advertised, advert, adverts
advise: advisable, inadvisable, advisor,
advisedly, advisory
affect: affective, unaffected, affection,
affectation, disaffected, disaffection,
affectionately
agree: agreement, agreeable, disagreeable,
disagreement, agreeably, agreed, agreeing
allow: disallow, allowance, allowable,
allowably, allowed, allowedly, allowing
appear: appearance, appearances
disappear, disappearance, disappeared,
apply: application, applicable, inapplicable,
applied, applying
acquaint: acquaintance, unacquainted,
acquainting, acquainted
arrange: arrangement, unarranged, arranging,
arranged, arranger
attract: attractive, attraction, unattractive,
attracted, attracting
believe: believable, unbelievable, disbelief,
non-believer, believed, believer, believing
care: careful, careless, uncaring, caring,
certain: uncertain, certainty
change: changeable, unchangeable,
unchanged, changed, changing, unchanging
collect: collective, collection, collectible,
collector, collecting, collected
compete: competition, (un)competitive, noncompetitive, competitor, competitiveness,
competitively, competently, competency,
competence, competing
concentrate: concentration, concentrated
consider: considerable, consideration,
considerate, considerately, considerably
inconsiderate, considering, considered
construct: construction, reconstruction,
reconstruct, reconstruction, constructive,
deconstruct, deconstruction, constructor,
unconstructed
contribute: contribution, contributor
convenient: convenience, inconvenient,
conveniently, inconveniently
correct: corrective, correction, correctness,
corrector, incorrect, correctly, correctitude,
courage: discourage, discouragement
cure: curable, incurable, cured, curing
defense: defensive, defensible, defensiveness,
indefensible, defenseless
depend: dependable, dependability,
independence, independent, dependence,
dependant, dependency, undependable,
interdependent, independently
desire: desirable, undesirable, desirous,
desirability, desirableness
detect: detectable, detective, detection,
detector, undetected
develop: development, undeveloped,
developer, developmental, non-development
decide: decision, undecided, indecision,
decisive, decisiveness, indecisiveness,
indecisive, decidedly
dictate: dictator, dictatorship, dictation,
dictatorial
direct: direction, indirect, directive, director,
misdirect, directness, directly, redirect,
directional, directory, directorate
edit: editor, edition, editorial, editorship, reedit
educate: education, educator, uneducated,
educational, educable
effect: effective, effectiveness, effectual,
effectualness, ineffective, ineffectual ,
effectively, effectuate
employ: employment, employable, unemployed, unemployment, employee, employer
engage: engagement, disengage, engaging,
enjoy: enjoyable, enjoyment,
entertain: entertainment, unentertaining,
entertainer, entertained
equal: equality, inequality, unequal, equalling,
equalize, equalization, equalizer
equip: equipment, unequipped, equipped,
equipping
exhibit: exhibitor, exhibition, exhibiting,
excite: excitement, excitable, unexcited,
unexciting, exciting, excitingly
exist: existence, non-existence, non-existent,
existent, existential, existentially, existentialism,
existentialist
expect: expectation, expectant, unexpected,
expectantly, expecting, expectancy
expense: expensive, inexpensive
explain: explanation, explained, explaining,
explanatory
fair: unfair, fairness, fairing, fairly
famous: infamous, famously, fame, famed
forget: forgetful, forgetfulness, unforgettable,
forgettable, forgot, forgotten, forgetting,
forgetfully
fortunate: unfortunate, unfortunately,
fortunately
frequent: frequency, frequencies, infrequent,
frequently, infrequently, frequenter
friend : friendship, friendliness, friendly
generate: generator, generation, regenerate,
degenerate
habit: habitable, habitation, inhabit, inhabitant,
inhabitable, inhabited, uninhabited,
uninhabitable, habitat, habitual, habituate
harm: harmless, harmful, unharmed,
help: helpless, helpful, unhelpful, helper,
honest: dishonest, honestly, dishonestly
hope: hopeless, hopeful, hoped
imagine: imagination, imaginative,
unimaginative, imaginable, unimaginable
important: importance, unimportant,
importantly
impress: impression, impressive, impressed,
unimpressive, unimpressionable,
impressionable, impressiveness
improve: improvement, unimproved,
improvable, improved
invite: invitation, uninvited, invitational
judge: judgment, judgmental, non-judgmental,
misjudge, prejudge
like: likely, likeable, unlikely, liken, unlikeable,
likeness, disliked, likelihood, likewise
literate: illiterate, literal, literacy, literature,
literally,
logic: logical, illogical, logically, logician
lonely: loneliness, lonesome
luck: luckless, unlucky, luckily, luckier/est
legal: legality, illegal, legally, legalize, legalistic
legible: legibility, illegible, legibly, illegibly,
illegibility
manage: management, manageable,
unmanageable, mismanage, mismanagement,
managed, manager, managerial
mature: maturation, maturity, immature,
maturely, maturate, maturing, immaturely
member: membership, non-member
modern: modernity, modernization, modernize,
modernist
move: moveable, immovable, movement,
unmoved, mover
nature: (un)natural, (un)naturally
notice: noticeable, unnoticed d, noticeably
observe: observation, unobserved, observant,
observance, observable, observational,
observatory, observantly
occasion: occasional, occasionally
operate: operator, operation, operable,
inoperable, operative, operational
oppose: opposition, unopposed, opposable,
organize: organization, unorganized,
organizational, organizer, disorganized
patient: impatient, (im)patiently, patience,
perfect: perfection, imperfect, perfectionist,
(im)perfectly, perfectionism, imperfection,
person: personality, personal, personable,
impersonal, personification, impersonator,
personae, persona, personage, personalize,
personally, personate, personified, personifying,
impersonation, personnel, personify
place: placement, misplace, displace,
displacement, placed, misplaced
please: pleasant, displease, pleasantry,
pleasantly, pleasantness, pleased, pleasure,
pleasurable, pleasurably
polite: politeness, impolite, (im)politely,
politic: political, non-political, politicked,
politicking, politician, politicization, politicize
popular: popularity, unpopular, popularized,
popularly, popularization
precise: precision, imprecise, imprecision,
precisely, imprecisely,
present: presentation, presentable, presence,
presently, presenter,
predict: prediction, predictable, unpredictable,
predictor, predictably, predictability
prefer: preference, preferable, preferential,
non-preferred,
prepare: preparation, unprepared,
preparedness, prepared, preparing
probable: probability, improbable, probably
produce: production, productive unproductive,
productiveness, productivity, productively,
producer
profess: profession, professor, professorship,
(un)-professional, professionally, professorship
professionalism, professorial, professed,
possible: possibility, impossible, impossibility
pronounce: pronunciation, unpronounced
pronounceable, pronouncement, pronounced,
protect: protection, protective, protectiveness,
protector, unprotected, protected, protecting,
protectionism, protectorate,
pure: purity, pureness, impure, impurity,
impurely, purely, puritan, purify
qualify: qualification, unqualified, disqualified
quality: qualitative, qualitatively
react: reactive, reaction, reactant, reactor,
reactionary
real: reality, unreal, realistic, realistically,
realism, really
reason: reasonable, unreasonable
recognize: (un)recognizable, recognition
unrecognized, recognizance
relate: relation, relative, unrelated, relationship,
relativity
remark: (un)remarkable, remarkably
require: requirement, requisite, requisition
repute: reputable, disrepute, disreputable,
reputation, reputedly
resent: resentful, resentfulness, resentment,
resentfully
scarce: scarcely, scarcity,
secure: (in)security, insecure, securely
select: selection, selective, selectiveness,
selector, selectively
sense: sensitive, insensitive, sensitivity,
insensitivity, sensation, nonsense, sensible,
sensibility, senseless, sensual, sensuality,
sensibly, sensuous
separate: separation, separable, separateness,
inseparable, separator, separately, separatist
settle: settlement, unsettled, settler
similar: similarity, dissimilar
skill: skilful, unskilled, skilled
settle: settlement, unsettled
social: sociable, socialization, unsociable
solve: solution, unsolved, unsolvable, solvable,
dissolve
steady: steadiness, unsteady
state: statement, stateless
success: successful, successor, succession,
successive, unsuccessful
tact: tactful, tactless, tactlessness
taste: tasteful, tasteless, distasteful
train: trainable, untrained, untrainable
tradition: traditional, non-traditional
treat: treatment, treatable, untreatable,
mistreat, mistreatment
understand: understandable, misunderstand,
misunderstanding, understandably
use: useful, useless, useable, misuse, disuse,
usefulness, uselessness
value: valuable, valueless, invaluable
vary: variety, variation, variable, variant
verb: verbal, non-verbal
wonder: wonderful, wonderment, wondrous
Game 2 Instructions (Card 1)
Game 2 Instructions (Card 2)
Game 1 Instructions (Card 1)
Game 1 Instructions (Card 2)
Arrange students in groups of 3 to 6
players. You’ll need more than one deck
for larger classes unless you want to have
students play as a pair. One student is the
judge and takes the set of cards with all
the affixed words on them. The judge
places the cards with the affixed words in
front of him/her. The player to the left of
the judge is the dealer. The dealer deals 4
cards to each player, puts the pile in the
centre and then picks up the top card
from the pile and adds it to his/her hand.
Dealer then chooses one card from
his/her hand and puts it in the centre.
Play moves to the left as players must
use the prefix/suffix on that card to form
words with one of words on their cards.
Each card is played on top of the first
card so that the affix on the first card
remains visible and is always the one that
is played upon. If a player can’t combine
a word from one of his/her cards, they
place one of their cards upside down on
the pile, still allowing the original affix
on the first card to show.
Judge determines legitimacy of each
word and each player uses it in a
sentence. The dealer plays last card. The
last card played face-up takes the trick,
meaning that all cards in played in that
round are given to the last player to
successfully form an affixed word.
Winner of each trick starts the play by
picking a card from the pile and choosing
a card to start with. Tricks taken are
totaled at the end of each round and each
player’s points are written down. The
maximum score will be 4. Then dealer
and judge roles move to the left. Tricks
where no cards are played face-up are not
won by anyone and are placed to one
side. The object of this game is to take as
many tricks as you can while you are
dealer and to “steal” as many from other
dealers when you are not
Arrange students in groups of 3 to 6
players. You will need more than one
deck for larger classes unless you want to
have students play as a pair. One student
is the judge and takes the set of cards
with all the affixed words on them. The
judge places the cards with the affixed
words in front of him/her. The student to
the left of the judge is the dealer. The
dealer deals four cards to each player.
Each player chooses their worst card and
passes it face down to the player on the
right, who then picks it up and adds it to
their hand. The dealer then puts a card
down in the centre of the table. Next
player puts down another card on top of
it to form a word by combining either of
the two words on the first card with a
suffix /prefix on his/her card or vice
versa, meaning they combine the affix on
the card in the centre with either of the
two words on their card.
The judge checks the word on the
Judge’s Cards and if the word is
legitimate, the student uses that word in a
sentence. Play continues to the left in the
same way. If a player cannot play, he/she
places a card face down in front of
his/herself. Once all cards have been
played, each player counts the cards they
placed face down in front of them and
that number is subtracted from 4 (total
number of cards they started with) to
give them the final score for that round.
The scores for each player are written on
a score sheet. For the subsequent rounds,
all cards are collected and shuffled and
the judge and dealer roles move one
player to the left.
Another wrinkle you can add to this
game is to ask the judge to write down
the sentences used by the players. This
way you can check them for accuracy
after the game and take up any errors.
Note: any word which uses the root card
and a suffix/prefix card is allowed. Thus,
the “profess” card is combinable with
“al” to form “professional” even if the
player does not have the “ion” card. The
winner of the game is the one with the
highest score at the end.