What is the difference between a prefix and a suffix?

A prefix goes at the beginning of a word, like un- in unhappy. A suffix goes at the end, like -ness in happiness.

The main part of a word that carries its meaning, before any prefix or suffix is added. The root word in replanted is plant. Some teachers call a root that can stand alone a base word, and use root for parts like port or tele that cannot.

What are the most common prefixes?

Un-, re-, in- (with im-, il- and ir-) and dis- are among the most common prefixes in English, so learning these four first unlocks a large number of words.

What are some common suffixes for kids?

-s and -es, -ing, -ed, -er, -est, -ful, -less, -ly, -ness, -able and -ment are the suffixes children usually meet first.

Does adding a suffix change the spelling?

Sometimes. Drop a final e before a vowel suffix (bake, baking), double a final consonant after a single short vowel (run, running) and change y to i after a consonant (cry, cried).

What grade learns prefixes and suffixes?

Common Core starts with simple affixes in kindergarten and builds up to Greek and Latin roots in grades 4 and 5. In England, the prefix un- begins in Year 1 and new prefixes and suffixes are added year by year through primary school.

Is there a free prefixes and suffixes worksheet with answers?

Yes. Use the Print a worksheet button on this page for a fresh worksheet each time, with an answer key showing answers only or answers with worked steps.

Grades 2 to 6 (Years 3 to 7 in England)

Prefixes and suffixes: meanings, examples and practice

A prefix goes at the start of a root word and a suffix goes at the end, and each one changes the word's meaning. This page lists common prefixes and suffixes with their meanings and shows how to use them to work out new words, then gives you free practice and a printable prefixes and suffixes worksheet with an answer key.

The rule, step by step

Look for a part you recognize at the start or the end of the word.
Cover the prefix and the suffix to find the root word in the middle.
Say what the root word means.
Add the meaning of the prefix, such as un- for not or re- for again.
Add the meaning of the suffix, such as -less for without or -er for a person who.
Put the meanings together and check that they make sense in the sentence.

CCSS L.2.4.BCCSS L.2.4.CCCSS L.3.4.BCCSS RF.3.3.ACCSS L.4.4.BCCSS L.6.4.BEngland: Y2 VocabularyEngland: Y3 Spelling (prefixes)England: Y3 Vocabulary (word families)England: Y3/4 Vocabulary (prefixes)

Worked example

What does unbreakable mean in this sentence? The new phone case is unbreakable.

Split the word into parts: un + break + able.
The root word is break.
The suffix -able means able to be, so breakable means able to be broken.
The prefix un- means not, so unbreakable means not able to be broken.
The new phone case is unbreakable: it cannot be broken.

Practice now

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What does "rebuild" mean?

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Root words, prefixes and suffixes

Many English words are built from parts. The root word carries the main meaning. A prefix is added to the front and changes the meaning: kind becomes unkind. A suffix is added to the end and often changes the kind of word it is: kind (an adjective) becomes kindness (a noun) or kindly (an adverb).

Picture a word as a row of building blocks. The root word is the middle block. A prefix block clicks onto the left and a suffix block clicks onto the right, and you can add one at each end: un + help + ful makes unhelpful. To read a long word, pull the blocks apart and say what each one means.

Common prefixes and their meanings

un-: not, or the opposite of (unfair, unlock)
re-: again or back (rewrite, repay)
pre-: before (preheat, preview)
dis-: not, or the opposite of (disagree, disappear)
mis-: wrongly (misspell, misunderstand)
in-, im-, il- and ir-: not (incorrect, impossible, illegal, irregular)
non-: not or without (nonstop, nonfiction)
over-: too much (overcook, oversleep)
sub-: under (submarine, subway)
inter-: between (international, interact)

The prefix in- changes its spelling to suit the root word. It becomes im- before m or p (immature, impatient), il- before l (illegal, illogical) and ir- before r (irresponsible, irregular). That is why words like immature, illegal and irregular have a double letter.

Common suffixes and their meanings

-ful: full of (hopeful, colorful)
-less: without (fearless, careless)
-er or -or: a person or thing that does something (teacher, actor, heater)
-ness: the state or quality of being (kindness, darkness)
-able or -ible: able to be (washable, visible)
-ly: in a way that is, usually making an adverb (quickly, gently)
-ment: the act or result of (enjoyment, movement)
-er and -est: more and most when comparing (taller, tallest)

Adding a suffix sometimes changes the spelling of the root word. A final e is usually dropped before a suffix that starts with a vowel (make, making). In a short word that ends in one vowel and one consonant, that consonant is usually doubled before a vowel suffix (hop, hopping). A y after a consonant usually changes to i (happy, happiness), except before -ing (carry, carrying). These rules are worth learning alongside the meanings.

Using word parts to read new words

Word parts let children work out words they have never seen. A child who knows that re- means again and -able means able to be can work out that reusable means able to be used again. Many prefixes and roots come from Latin and Greek, so they appear in whole families of words: port means carry in transport, portable and export, and tele means far in telephone, telescope and television.

Root words matter for the same reason. Once a child spots help inside helpful, helpless and unhelpful, three new words become one familiar word with different parts attached.

How it is taught in school

In the US, Common Core begins in kindergarten with the most common affixes, such as re-, un-, pre-, -ful and -less (L.K.4.b). Grade 1 adds root words and their endings, such as look, looks, looked and looking (L.1.4.c). Grade 2 asks students to work out the meaning when a known prefix is added to a known word (L.2.4.b) and to use root words as clues (L.2.4.c). Grade 3 extends this to all affixes (L.3.4.b), and grades 4 and 5 add Greek and Latin affixes and roots (L.4.4.b and L.5.4.b).

In England, Year 1 pupils learn the prefix un- and simple suffixes such as -ing, -ed and -er. Year 2 adds -ness, -ful, -less, -ment and -ly. Years 3 and 4 cover prefixes including dis-, mis-, in- (with il-, im- and ir-), re-, sub-, inter-, super-, anti- and auto-. Year 5 adds suffixes that make verbs, such as -ate, -ify and -ise (spelled -ize in American English), and verb prefixes such as de-, over- and re-.

Helping at home

Write a root word such as play and see how many words your child can build from it: replay, player, playful, playing.
When you meet a long word while reading, pull it apart together before reaching for a dictionary.
Make word-part cards, with prefixes in one color, roots in another and suffixes in a third. Shuffle them and see which combinations make real words.
Try the practice set below, then print a fresh prefixes and suffixes worksheet with an answer key.

Common mistakes

Using the wrong not prefix: unpossible or inlegal instead of impossible and illegal.
Getting the letters wrong where the prefix meets the root. Misspell keeps both s's (mis + spell), but disappear has only one s, because appear starts with a vowel.
Thinking every word that starts with re- or un- has a prefix. Read and uncle do not: take away the first letters and no root word is left.
Forgetting spelling changes: hopeing instead of hoping, or happyness instead of happiness.
Mixing up -ful and -less, which mean opposite things: careful means taking care and careless means without care.
Spelling the suffix -ful with two l's: hopefull, beautifull.

Questions people ask

What is the difference between a prefix and a suffix?: A prefix goes at the beginning of a word, like un- in unhappy. A suffix goes at the end, like -ness in happiness.
What is a root word?: The main part of a word that carries its meaning, before any prefix or suffix is added. The root word in replanted is plant. Some teachers call a root that can stand alone a base word, and use root for parts like port or tele that cannot.
What are the most common prefixes?: Un-, re-, in- (with im-, il- and ir-) and dis- are among the most common prefixes in English, so learning these four first unlocks a large number of words.
What are some common suffixes for kids?: -s and -es, -ing, -ed, -er, -est, -ful, -less, -ly, -ness, -able and -ment are the suffixes children usually meet first.
Does adding a suffix change the spelling?: Sometimes. Drop a final e before a vowel suffix (bake, baking), double a final consonant after a single short vowel (run, running) and change y to i after a consonant (cry, cried).
What grade learns prefixes and suffixes?: Common Core starts with simple affixes in kindergarten and builds up to Greek and Latin roots in grades 4 and 5. In England, the prefix un- begins in Year 1 and new prefixes and suffixes are added year by year through primary school.
Is there a free prefixes and suffixes worksheet with answers?: Yes. Use the Print a worksheet button on this page for a fresh worksheet each time, with an answer key showing answers only or answers with worked steps.

Updated November 1, 2026.

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