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Prefixes and Suffixes: Building Word Families — Answers

Answer sheet with model answers and success criteria for the Year 8 vocabulary worksheet.

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Success TutoringWorksheetsAnswer sheetYear 8 · English · Vocabulary

Prefixes and Suffixes: Building Word Families — Answers

Part A: Prefixes

A prefix goes at the start of a word and changes its meaning.

1.Match each prefix to its meaning.
  • mis-
  • inter-
  • sub-
  • trans-
  • anti-
  • pre-
  • re-
  • before (preview)
  • under or below (submarine)
  • between (international)
  • against (antibiotic)
  • wrongly or badly (misread)
  • again or back (rebuild)
  • across (transport)

Answer: mis- → wrongly or badly (misread); inter- → between (international); sub- → under or below (submarine); trans- → across (transport); anti- → against (antibiotic); pre- → before (preview); re- → again or back (rebuild)

2.Use a prefix to write the word that means to judge wrongly.

Answer: misjudge

3.Use a prefix to write the word that means below the surface of the soil.

Answer: subsoil (or subsurface)

4.What does intercity mean, and how do you know?

Answer: Between cities, for example an intercity train. The prefix inter- means between.

Part B: Suffixes change the word class

A suffix goes at the end of a word. It often changes the word class.

5.Adding -ment to enjoy makes:
  1. Aa verb
  2. Ba noun
  3. Can adjective
  4. Dan adverb

Answer: a noun

Enjoyment is a noun. Other noun suffixes include -tion, -ness and -ity.

6.Adding -ous to danger makes:
  1. Aa verb
  2. Ba noun
  3. Can adjective
  4. Dan adverb

Answer: an adjective

Dangerous is an adjective. Other adjective suffixes include -ful, -less, -able and -ive.

7.Adding -ly to dangerous makes:
  1. Aa verb
  2. Ba noun
  3. Can adjective
  4. Dan adverb

Answer: an adverb

Dangerously is an adverb.

8.Adding -en to wide makes:
  1. Aa verb
  2. Ba noun
  3. Can adjective
  4. Dan adverb

Answer: a verb

Widen is a verb meaning to make wider. Other verb suffixes include -ify (simplify) and -ate (activate).

Part C: Build the word family

Write the missing member of each word family. Watch the spelling.

9.create (verb) → (answer space) (noun) → creative (adjective) → creatively (adverb)

Answer: creation

Creator is also a noun, meaning the person who creates.

10.decide (verb) → decision (noun) → (answer space) (adjective)

Answer: decisive

11.happy (adjective) → (answer space) (noun) → happily (adverb)

Answer: happiness

Change the y to i before adding -ness.

12.rely (verb) → (answer space) (adjective) → reliability (noun)

Answer: reliable

Change the y to i before adding -able.

13.explain (verb) → (answer space) (noun)

Answer: explanation

Notice the spelling change: the i in explain disappears.

14.courage (noun) → (answer space) (adjective)

Answer: courageous

Keep the e after g so that it still sounds soft: courageous.

Part D: Choose the right form

Change the word in parentheses so that it fits the sentence.

15.The scientist made an important (answer space) about the new planet. (discover)

Answer: discovery

16.The firefighters acted (answer space) to save the family. (hero)

Answer: heroically

17.The rules were (answer space), so everyone understood them. (simple)

Answer: simple

Trick question: the adjective is already the right form. Simplify (verb) or simplicity (noun) would not fit.

18.We need to (answer space) the path so two people can walk side by side. (wide)

Answer: widen

19.His (answer space) meant that he was always on time. (reliable)

Answer: reliability

Part E: Your turn

20.Your turn: choose one base word: act, comfort, light or nation. Build a word family of at least five words using prefixes and suffixes, label the word class of each, and write a sentence using three of the words.

Model answer: Base word: act. Family: action (noun), active (adjective), actively (adverb), activity (noun), react (verb), reaction (noun), inactive (adjective). Sentence: After weeks of being inactive, Sam signed up for an after-school activity that kept him actively moving.

Success criteria:

  • At least five words built from the same base
  • Both prefixes and suffixes used
  • Word class correctly given for each word
  • Sentence uses three family words correctly
  • Correct spelling throughout
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