Prefixes & Suffixes (Intro) — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. My big sister is very helpful because she helps me every day.
Helpful means full of help. The suffix -ful is added to help to show someone gives lots of help.
2. The broken crayon was useless because nobody could use it.
Useless means without use. When something cannot be used, the suffix -less shows it has no use.
3. A giraffe is taller than a horse.
Taller means more tall. The suffix -er is used to compare two things, like a giraffe and a horse.
4. Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world.
Tallest means most tall. The suffix -est is used when we compare three or more things.
5. Please walk slowly so you do not wake the baby.
Slowly means in a slow way. The suffix -ly turns slow into a word that tells how we walk.
6. A teacher is a person who teaches students.
Teacher means one who teaches. The suffix -er is added to teach to name the person doing the job.
7. The story was very joyful because it made us all laugh.
Joyful means full of joy. A funny story can fill readers with laughter and joy.
8. The lost puppy felt hopeless without its family.
Hopeless means without hope. The suffix -less shows the puppy had no hope while lost.
9. Cheetahs run faster than most animals on land.
Faster means more fast. The suffix -er compares the cheetah to other land animals.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
-ful
→ full of
full of
-less
→ without
without
-er
→ more (compares two)
more (compares two)
-est
→ most (compares three or more)
most (compares three or more)
The suffix -ful means full of, -less means without, -er means more when comparing two, and -est means most when comparing three or more.