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Prefixes & Suffixes (Grades 3-5)
Free Printable Prefix and Suffix Worksheets (Grades 3-5)
Twenty prefixes and twenty suffixes unlock thousands of words nobody will ever teach directly. These sheets cover finding the base word, what each part means, building words from parts, and the three spelling changes that catch everyone out.
Prefixes and Suffixes - Grades 3-5
Finding the base word
1.What is the base word in darkness?
2.What is the base word in payment?
3.What is the base word in misplace?
4.What is the base word in dislike?
What a prefix means
5.What does the prefix mid- mean?
Words that start with mid-
midnightmidwaymidfieldmidsummer
6.What does the prefix pre- mean?
Words that start with pre-
previewprepaypreheatprehistoric
7.What does the prefix mis- mean?
Words that start with mis-
misspellmisplacemisreadmistake
What a suffix means
8.What does the suffix -tion mean?
Words that end in -tion
actionelectioninventioncelebration
9.What does the suffix -ness mean?
Words that end in -ness
kindnessdarknesssadnessillness
10.What does the suffix -tion mean?
Words that end in -tion
actionelectioninventioncelebration
Building words from parts
11.Build the word from these parts: tall + -est.
12.Build the word from these parts: tall + -est.
13.Build the word from these parts: care + -ful.
Reading a word you have never seen
14.You have probably never been taught preheated. Work it out from its parts. What does it mean?
15.You have probably never been taught unforgettable. Work it out from its parts. What does it mean?
16.You have probably never been taught unbreakable. Work it out from its parts. What does it mean?
Spelling changes when you add an ending
17.Adding -ing to run needs a spelling change. Which rule applies?
18.Adding -ed to care needs a spelling change. Which rule applies?
19.Adding -ing to hope needs a spelling change. Which rule applies?
Answer Key
1.dark
2.pay
3.place
4.like
5.middle
6.before
7.wrongly, badly
8.the act or state of
9.the state of being
10.the act or state of
11.tallest
12.tallest
13.careful
14.heated beforehand
15.not able to be forgotten
16.not able to be broken
17.Double the last consonant
18.Drop the silent e
19.Drop the silent e
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Frequently asked questions
Are these prefix and suffix worksheets free?
Yes - view, print, and share every sheet for free, with no account and no signup.
Do they include an answer key?
Every worksheet has a full answer key at the bottom of the page.
What grades are these prefix and suffix worksheets for?
They are designed for grades 3 to 5.
Does my child need to read the questions alone?
No. Print it and read the instructions aloud if that is what the sheet needs - at these ages the point is the skill, not whether they can decode the directions.
Can I get a different worksheet?
Yes - click “Generate a new sheet” and a fresh set of problems (with a matching answer key) is created instantly.
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