Prefixes and Suffixes

We are building our knowledge of words that can help us understand the text better when we read or that can help us make our writing more interesting. We have been learning more about prefixes and suffixes. Here is a song we have been singing to help us learn.

Here are the lyrics for the song:

Prefix or suffix

Can you hear what fits...

before a root of a word, before the word is heard

That’s a prefix there it sits...

Once it becomes applied, the word is modified

Like dis- discover,

tri- triangle

sub- submarine, subterranean and subway.

Now that the word has changed

there will be something new for us to say.

Can you hear what fits

after a root of a word, after the word is heard

That’s a suffix there it sits

Once it becomes applied, the word is modified

Like -ful eventful,

-ing beginning,

-ness happiness, thoughtfulness goodness and kindness.

Now that the word has changed

there will be something new for us to say.

Here are a few prefixes just for you

anti-, counter-, extra-, hyper-, ultra-, semi-

Just to name a few

Now that we know what suffixes do

-ation, -ary, -able, -ate, -ize

will help you too.

And it’s true some words have two,

Reconstruction, disagreement, unlikely, reaction,

Now that the word has changed

there will be something new for us to say. (X3)