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Year 3

Spelling adjectives with the suffix "-y"

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

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New
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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.
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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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