New
New
Year 3

Spelling adjectives with the suffix "-y"

I can change nouns to adjectives by adding the suffix -y.

New
New
Year 3

Spelling adjectives with the suffix "-y"

I can change nouns to adjectives by adding the suffix -y.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. -y is a suffix that can be used to change some nouns into adjectives.
  2. For some root words you can just add the suffix "-y".
  3. For root words ending in 'e', you remove the 'e' and just add -y.
  4. For root words with a short vowel sound, you double the consonant and add -y.
  5. How to spell the curriculum word: arrive.

Keywords

  • Noun - a naming word for people, places or things

  • Adjective - describes a noun

  • Suffix - a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning

  • Root word - the base word from which other words are formed often by adding prefixes or suffixes

  • Consonant - a sound that is made by blocking air in the mouth with the teeth, tongue, lips or palate

Common misconception

Pupils keep the 'e' when adding -y to words ending in 'e', writing 'slimey' or 'stoney'.

Focus on the rule, remove the 'e' and add -y, and make links to other suffixes that use the same pattern.

Adapt the words to incorporate adjectives that could be relevant to your writing lessons.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Select the adjective in the following sentence: 'The brown dog ate the food.'
Correct answer: brown
dog
ate
food
Q2.
Select the adjectives in the following sentence: 'The sky is cloudy and dark.'
sky
is
Correct answer: cloudy
Correct answer: dark
Q3.
Match the word to the suffix it contains.
Correct Answer:running,-ing

-ing

Correct Answer:fastest,-est

-est

Correct Answer:greener,-er

-er

Q4.
What happens when the suffix -ed is added to 'smile'?
Just add -ed.
Correct answer: Remove the 'e', add -ed.
Remove the 'y', add -ed.
Q5.
What happens when the suffix -ing is added to 'run'?
Just add -ing.
Remove the 'e', add -ing.
Keep the 'y', add -ing.
Correct answer: Double the consonant, add -ing.
Q6.
Select the words with a short vowel sound.
mood
Correct answer: sun
cheek
Correct answer: slip

6 Questions

Q1.
What rule is used when 'thirst' becomes 'thirsty'?
Correct answer: Just add -y.
Remove the ‘e’, add -y.
Double the consonant, add -y.
Q2.
What rule is used when 'noise' becomes 'noisy'?
Just add -y.
Correct answer: Remove the ‘e’, add -y.
Double the consonant, add -y.
Q3.
What rule is used when 'chat' becomes 'chatty'?
Just add -y.
Remove the ‘e’, add -y.
Correct answer: Double the consonant, add -y.
Q4.
Match each word to the rule that applies when adding the suffix -y to it.
Correct Answer:wind - windy,Just add -y.

Just add -y.

Correct Answer:shine - shiny,Remove the ‘e’, add -y.

Remove the ‘e’, add -y.

Correct Answer:fun - funny,Double the consonant, add -y.

Double the consonant, add -y.

Q5.
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the following sentence: 'The child was quite cheacky that day.'
Correct Answer: cheeky
Q6.
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the following sentence: 'What time will you urive home?'
Correct Answer: arrive

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