English lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 30 minutes
Suffixes that change word class (-ness, -ous, -ify, -ly…)
Vocabulary
CCSS L.6.4.BCCSS L.6.1England: KS3 English (grammar and vocabulary)England: Y5/6 GPS (suffixes)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Suffixes that change word class (-ness, -ous, -ify, -ly…).
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Word families and word classes
Leads to: Word classes in quotations (for language analysis)
Materials: Word cards, A thesaurus or dictionary, A short text with the target words, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Word families and word classes). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Choose the form of the word that fits the sentence. The ___ of the show was a huge relief. (succeed) (succeed / successful / successfully / success) → successPrompt: What job does the gap do: a thing (noun), describing (adjective), action (verb) or how (adverb)?
- Choose the form of the word that fits the sentence. They worked ___ to finish on time. (care) (carefully / careful / careless / care) → carefullyPrompt: What job does the gap do: a thing (noun), describing (adjective), action (verb) or how (adverb)?
- Choose the form of the word that fits the sentence. The ___ of the tower is 50 metres. (high) (high / highly / heighten / height) → heightPrompt: What job does the gap do: a thing (noun), describing (adjective), action (verb) or how (adverb)?
Hook · 3 min
- Show an interesting word in a sentence and ask what it might mean from the clues around it.
- Share the objective: Suffixes that change word class (-ness, -ous, -ify, -ly…). Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: What word class is this word? Use its suffix to decide. kindness
- Step 1: A suffix can change a word's class: kind (adjective) → kindness (noun) → kindly (adverb).
- Step 2: -ness turns an adjective (kind) into a noun.
- Step 3: So the answer is: noun
- Answer: noun
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- What word class is this word? Use its suffix to decide. purify (noun / verb / adjective / adverb) → verbPrompt: Find the suffix at the end of the word.
- Join the word and the suffix. Type the new word, spelled correctly. beauty + ful → beautifulPrompt: Does the word end in e or y?
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- What word class is this word? Use its suffix to decide. careless (noun / verb / adjective / adverb) → adjectivePrompt: Find the suffix at the end of the word.
- Join the word and the suffix. Type the new word, spelled correctly. fame + ous → famousPrompt: Does the word end in e or y?
Watch out for
- Picking a "bigger" synonym that doesn't fit the meaning.
- Ignoring the clues in the rest of the sentence.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Word families and word classes.
- Use concrete materials: word cards.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Word classes in quotations (for language analysis).
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-6.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder