StarSpell 2.3 words with sentences
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Important ‘sight’words
Essential words 1st
being and doing
wordsgot:
We went in the rain and got wethad: I did my work then had a rest
is: A cat is an animal
was: There once was an ugly duckling
went: Jack and Jill went up the hill
other useful words
it: He got his milk and drank it
of: I ate a bag of crisps
the: This is the house that Jack built
when: A hen clucks when it lays an egg
people words
he: As Jack fell down he broke his crown
she: Jill hurt her hand when she fell
we: Shall we go in for our tea?
you: Shut your eyes if you want a surprise
whereabouts words
in: The cat is in her basket
on: She sat on the donkey
there: We're standing here but the bus stops over there
to: I went to the fair
up: Jack and Jill went up the hill
with: My cat plays with string
words for joining
and: I like cats and dogs
but: Birds can fly but cats can't
so: The car won't start so we must push it
then: First bake the cake then eat it
being and doing words
came: My aunt came to see us last week
go: Rain, rain, go away
have: Let's stop and have a rest
like: I like jam better than butter
said: Ben came in and said hello
were: Once upon a time there were three pigs
Essential words 2nd
people words
him:
I prod my brother to annoy himhis: He held out his hand
me: My name belongs to me
my: I eat the chips and lick my lips
they: Shoes hurt when they pinch
useful words 1
all: The dog ate up all my dinner
for: A pen is for writing
some: Most birds can fly and some can swim
that: Let's go this way, not that way
this: My pen is this pen here
useful words 2
big: She saw the giant's big foot
little: This little pig went to market
not: I do not like being lost
very: An elephant is a very big animal
whereabouts words
at: I live at home
back: My dog brings back his ball
down: The skittles all fell down
out: I fell out of bed and woke up
Essential words 3rd
being and doing words
are:
Cats and dogs are animalsbe: I want to be your friend
could: He said he could do magic
do: There are lots of things I like to do
will: I will go even if it rains
would: I would rather fly than walk
more doing words
called: My dog is called Superdog
going: We are going to the fair
made: At last the pills made him better
put: She put the key into the lock
saw: He looked up and saw the moon
people words
our: We are five in our family
their: The kittens lost their mittens
them: I got some eggs and boiled them
us: Please give us our ball back
your: Clap your hands if you like the show
time (when) words
after: C comes after B in the ABC
again: It's nice to be back home again
as: She went to the party dressed as a witch
now: Right now is the time to do it
whereabouts words
about: This story is about myself
from: Milk comes from cows
into: It was very late when I got into bed
off: Humpty Dumpty fell off the wall
over: The cow jumped over the moon
Essential words 4th
doing words
come:
Will you come to my party?found: I looked around and found a pound
lived: Cavemen lived in caves
made: At last the pills made him better
play: Come and play ball with us
took: She took a look at her book
want: I want a drink when I'm thirsty
question words
how: Show me how a brown owl hoots
what: A hat is what you put on your head
when: A hen clucks when it lays an egg
where: Just here is where I sit
which: Tell me which cup is mine
who: I wonder who is knocking at my door
why: Tell me why she is not here
useful words
away: I forgot to put my things away
by: Please may I sit by the door?
no: Shake your head for no
other: Would you like this book or the other one?
too: My two cats are too lazy to go out
yes: Nod your head for yes
words for joining
if: It would be magic if I could fly
next: If it's Sunday, Monday's next
once: There once was an ugly duckling
or: We could go home or stay here
Numbers days
months colourscolour words
black:
The night was black and all was darkblue: When the sky is blue the sun shines too
brown: Grill any food and it turns brown
green: Grass is green
purple: The colour purple is like a mixture of blue and red
red: This box is red all over
white: Fresh snow looks white
yellow: Buttercups are yellow
days of the week
Friday: Friday is named after the goddess Frigga
Monday: Monday is named after the moon
Saturday: Saturday is called after the god Saturn
Sunday: Sunday is named after the sun
Thursday: Thursday is named after the god Thor
Tuesday: Tuesday is called after the god Tiw
Wednesday: Wednesday is named after the god Woden
months
April: April is the fourth month of the year
August: August is a holiday month in Europe
December: December is the twelfth month of the year
February: February is the second month of the year
January: The year starts on the first of January
July: The month of July is named after Julius Caesar
June: Summer begins in June
March: The month of March is named from Mars, god of war
May: May in Europe is a month of spring
November: November is the eleventh month of the year
October: October the tenth month was the eighth Roman month
September: September is the last month of summer in Europe
numbers 1 to 10
eight: A spider has eight legs
five: People have five toes on each foot
four: Chairs need four firm legs
nine: A cat is said to have nine lives
one: We have two eyes and one nose
seven: There are seven days in a week
six: An ant has six legs
ten: My toes add up to ten
three: A triangle has three sides
two: We have one nose but two eyes
numbers 11 to 20
eighteen: Eight and ten make eighteen
eleven: There are eleven players in a football team
fifteen: Five and ten make fifteen
fourteen: Ten plus four makes fourteen
nineteen: Nine and ten make nineteen
seventeen: Seven and ten make seventeen
sixteen: Six and ten make sixteen
thirteen: Three and ten make thirteen
twelve: A dozen is twelve of anything
twenty: Two men have twenty toes
Other important words
being and doing words
been:
I've been to London to see the Queendoes: She does judo on Monday after school
don't: Dinosaurs don't live here any more
done: My work is all done and finished
gave: I gave my dinner to the cat
give: Let me give you a present
goes: He goes to bed when he's tired
make: I like to make a fuss of my dog
may: He may be poor but he is kind
must: We must eat to stay alive
shall: What shall we have for tea?
want: I want a drink when I'm thirsty
other useful words
around: The pony trots around the ring
because: We went indoors because of the rain
here: This spot right here is good for our picnic
just: She grabbed the glass just as it fell
myself: When I look in a mirror I see myself
only: I have only one sweet left
own: I wish I had a pet of my very own
please: A dish of milk will please my cat
together: Bread and jam go well together
under: The river runs under the bridge
upon: Once upon a time there were three little pigs
qualifiers
an: I had a pear and an apple
any: Choose any number between one and ten
both: Bananas and pears are both fruit
every: I have every record the group ever made
good: A good dog sits when it's told
many: There are many fish in the sea
much: A lion is much bigger than a mouse
old: This tree is a hundred years old
small: A small button fits a tiny hole
these: You like those shoes but I like these
those: These apples are sweet but those are sour
time words
afternoon: The afternoon is between the morning and the evening
awake: Unable to sleep, he lay awake all night
before: Unwrap a sweet before you eat
morning: The sun comes up in the morning
never: We never sleep standing up
soon: Bedtime comes too soon
today: The day before tomorrow is today
tomorrow: The day after today is tomorrow
yesterday: The day before today was yesterday
Words by theme
fairy stories
castle:
A big strong castle stood on a hilldragon: The dragon gave a fiery hiccup
fairy: There's a fairy on top of the Christmas tree
forest: The woodcutter lived deep in the forest
giant: Next to the giant she looks so small
magic: By magic her rags became a fine gown
prince: A prince is the son of a king
princess: So the prince and princess lived happily ever after
spell: A spell turns the pumpkin into a coach
wicked: Are all witches wicked?
wishes: Cinderella's wishes all came true
witch: In flew the witch on her big black broom
familiar places
bathroom: I wash myself in the bathroom
bedroom: There are bunk beds in my bedroom
garden: My garden has both weeds and flowers
home: We live at home
kitchen: Dad was in the kitchen cooking dinner
lounge: The most comfortable chairs are in the lounge
shop: Her shop sells toys
supermarket: We filled our trolley with food at the supermarket
town: A town is bigger than a village
family and friends
aunt: My aunt is married to my uncle
baby: My aunt's baby is only four weeks old
boy: Every man was once a boy
brother: Sister and brother went home together
child: The child skipped along with a toy
children: The child ran to join the other children outside
father: A father is somebody's dad
friend: A friend is there in good times and bad
girl: His sister was a happy girl
mother: A mum is a mother
sister: My sister has her own room
uncle: An uncle is a brother of my mum or dad
outings
bus: The big red bus goes to town
car: Mum drives us to school by car
coach: We went to London by coach instead of by train
minibus: Only ten of us can fit in the school minibus
picnic: We spread a cloth on the grass for a picnic
play: Come and play ball with us
seat: I gave up my seat to the old man
ticket: We had to buy a ticket to get into the zoo
train: Our train leaves the station at ten.
zoo: A zoo was once called a zoological garden
parties
balloons: Blowing up balloons takes a lot of puff
birthday: Your birthday marks the day you were born
cake: I love cake with jam in it
cards: The postman came with a pile of birthday cards
crisps: Everyone had a bag of crunchy crisps
game: Can we play a game?
presents: I love unwrapping birthday presents
sandwich: Try this jam and peanut butter sandwich
sweets: Mints, toffees and jelly babies are all sweets
parts of the body
arms: Your arms are for hugging
ears: Your ears are for hearing
eyes: Your eyes are for seeing
face: I'll laugh if you pull that funny face
feet: She had no shoes on her feet
fingers: We have eight fingers and two thumbs
foot: Each foot has five toes
hair: His hair was cut very short
hands: Clap your hands
head: Please turn your head and look at me
legs: Long legs are good for running
mouth: His mouth was open to speak
nose: Your nose runs if you have a cold
toes: We have five toes on each foot
pets
cat: My cat laps up milk
dog: Our dog barks at cats
gerbil: A small gerbil ran inside its wheel
goldfish: The orange goldfish swam around its bowl
hamster: A hamster has big cheek pouches to store food
horse: The sad horse waited for his rider.
kitten: My kitten is fluffy and playful
mouse: My pet white mouse nibbles cheese
pony: A pony is a small type of horse
puppy: A dog is a puppy until it is grown
rabbit: Our pet rabbit ate Mum's prize carrots
school
book: She sat reading her book
classroom: Our classroom is next to the music room
paper: Someone had scribbled on every sheet of paper
pen: She writes with a red pen
pencil: I write in pencil if I need to rub out
read: This book is good to read
school: Children learn and play at school
teacher: Our teacher needs lots of patience
workbook: This workbook has spaces for me to write answers
write: I want to write him a letter
One letter for one sound
Short vowels
'a' as in cat
bad:
A bad egg smells horridbag: Her bag holds a lot
can: Birds can fly
cat: My cat laps up milk
had: I did my work then had a rest
hat: He wore a woolly hat
jam: I like jam on bread
man: Every man was once a boy
ran: She ran quickly to catch the bus
'e' as in bed
bed: I sleep in a big bed
get: We will get wet in the rain
hen: My hen lays brown eggs
leg: I can stand on one leg
net: We need a net to dip in the pond
pen: She writes with a red pen
pet: I have a spider for a pet
red: This box is red all over
set: I have a new set of felt pens
yes: Nod your head for yes
'i' as in big
big: She saw the giant's big foot
bit: This bit fits here
hid: The squirrel hid its nuts
him: I prod my brother to annoy him
his: He held out his hand
lid: I put the lid back on the box
lip: I bit my lip
pig: The pig gave a grunt
six: An ant has six legs
win: Only one of you can win the prize
'o' as in dog
box: In this box there is a present
dog: Our dog barks at cats
fox: A fox hunts to eat
hot: Fire is hot
job: His job is washing up
lot: Her party was a lot of fun
not: I do not like being lost
pop: The balloon went pop!
top: The top of the jar got stuck
'u' as in sun
bus: The big red bus goes to town
but: Birds can fly but cats can't
cup: Gran has a cup of tea with me
cut: She cut the bread
fun: Her party was a lot of fun
mug: I sip my mug of hot milk
mum: A mum is a mother
sum: This sum gets a tick
sun: Summer sun is hot
short vowels, plurals
beds: Our family needs four beds
cubs: The fox cubs play by their mother
dots: Try to make a pattern of dots
jugs: The four jugs were full of milk
legs: Long legs are good for running
nets: By the boat were four nets
pans: Now I must wash the pans
pins: Her dress was held up with pins
rats: There were rats in the old house
'y' as a vowel
'y' as in fly
by:
Please may I sit by the door?cry: Sad news made her cry
dry: Boots keep my feet dry
fly: The fly fell in the jam
fry: She began to fry the eggs
sky: Birds fly up in the sky
try: I can be good if I try hard
'y' as in happy
family: The family had a good day out
happy: She is happy on her birthday
hobby: Collecting stamps is my hobby
holly: The holly has a deep red berry
lucky: I was lucky to win
puppy: A dog is a puppy until it is grown
silly: He does look silly in that hat
stuffy: A hot stuffy room is bad for you
twenty: Two men have twenty toes
Final consonant blends
'..ck' as in back
back:
My dog brings back his ballduck: The duck gave a quack
kick: She ran up to kick the ball
lock: He keeps a lock on his bike
luck: We need luck to win today
pack: It's time to pack for our holiday!
pick: I pick apples from the tree
sack: A big sack will hold a lot
sick: I ate so much I was sick!
tick: A tick means yes
'..ft' as in lift
left: Turn left at the corner
lift: They rode to the top in the lift
loft: Dad put my old toys in the loft
soft: A kitten's fur is soft
tuft: He has only got one tuft of hair
'..lk' as in sulk
bulk: My mum buys food in bulk
hulk: The divers swam up to a sunken hulk
milk: I put some milk in my tea
silk: A silk scarf is soft
sulk: She will sulk if she has no work
'..ll' as in hill
bell: The bell rang for playtime
bill: We ate our food, then paid the bill
doll: This doll has long hair
fell: A boy fell off his bike
fill: Please take my cup and fill it up
hill: Up the hill we go!
pill: My magic pill cures everything
sell: They want to sell their car for cash
tell: Let me tell you a story
will: I will go even if it rains
'..lt' as in belt
belt: A belt holds up my jeans
felt: She felt cold all winter
kilt: The Scotsman had a tartan kilt
melt: Snowmen melt in the sun
pelt: Children pelt each other with snowballs
'..mp' as in bump
bump: I got a bump on the head when I fell
camp: Our camp had four big tents
damp: Her wet shoes made the carpet damp
imp: This little imp is up to no good
jump: A frog can jump over a log
lamp: The lamp gave a soft glow
limp: His bad leg made him limp
lump: I had a lump on my head from a fall
mumps: A painful neck may be mumps
pump: You fill up the car at the pump
'..nd' as in bend
and: I like cats and dogs
bend: Drive carefully round a bend
end: At the end of the day I'm sleepy
hand: My hand is to hold things
land: After weeks at sea he saw land
lend: Please lend me some money
pond: Why has this pond got no ducks?
sand: There's so much sand at the seaside
send: I'd like to send her a birthday card
'..ng' as in bang
bang: Bangers go bang
hang: The little monkey has to hang on
king: The king sat on his throne
long: Giraffes need long scarves
lungs: I fill my lungs with fresh air
ring: She has a ring on her finger
sing: Let 's sing a song together
song: The singer sang a sad song
wing: This bird has hurt its wing
'..nk' as in bunk
bank: Money is kept in a bank
bunk: Tom slept in the top bunk
honk: Car horns go honk
pink: Roses are often pink
sink: His sink was full of washing-up
sunk: The ship had sunk to the seabed
tank: Fish swam in the tank
wink: A wink is a one-eyed blink
'..nt' as in ant
ant: An ant has six legs
bent: The shelf was bent
dent: The crash made a dent in my car
hunt: I had to hunt all over to find my socks
pant: A dog will pant when it is hot
sent: I sent her present in the post
tent: I'm going to sleep out in my tent
went: Jack and Jill went up the hill
'..sk' as in desk
desk: I work best at my desk
dusk: Just before dark it is dusk
husk: The husk protects the nut
risk: You risk a fall sitting on that wall
rusk: Our baby likes to chew a rusk
tusk: An elephant tusk is long and white
'..ss' as in kiss
boss: Mum is the boss at home
fuss: He makes a fuss about his food
hiss: The balloon went down with a hiss
kiss: She gave him a big kiss
less: One is less than two
loss: The loss of her pet made her cry
mess: Her hair was such a mess
miss: I don't often miss the target
'..st' as in best
best: I can tell my best friend anything
cost: A big meal out can cost a lot
just: She grabbed the glass just as it fell
list: I made a list of my friends
must: We must eat to stay alive
nest: Four eggs rest in a nest
rest: He had to rest after running so far
test: My sister had her driving test
west: A west wind is a wet wind
'.ing' as in resting
bending: She is bending down to touch her toes
costing: My holiday is costing me a lot
jumping: I like jumping over puddles
resting: He is resting after keep-fit
singing: The birds are singing in the sun
sinking: The ship is sinking fast
sulking: She has to work so she is sulking
Initial consonant blends
'bl..' as in blot
black:
The night was black and all was darkblank: The screen went blank
blend: You blend the eggs with flour and milk
blink: Eyes blink all the time
blob: A blob of jam fell on the cloth
block: A block of wood held back the door
blot: Drip some paint and make a blot
blunt: A blunt knife never cuts well
'br..' as in brick
brag: Winners sometimes show off and brag
bran: When flour is made, bran is left
brand: Which brand of beans is best?
brick: Here's a brick to start a wall
brim: My glass is full up to the brim
bring: Postmen bring the post
brisk: A brisk walk will keep you fit
'cl..' as in clap
clamp: He held the wood in a clamp
clang: The bell went clang
click: The switch goes on with a click.
cliff: Do not go to the edge of the cliff.
cling: A baby will cling to its mother.
clock: The clock strikes three
clog: A wooden shoe is called a clog.
club: The giant had a big club
clump: A clump of reeds grows by the pond.
'cr..' as in crisp
crab: A crab hid in a rocky pool
crack: The egg began to crack open
cramp: The swimmer left the pool with cramp
cress: You can grow cress on wet paper
cricket: You need a bat and ball for cricket
crisp: You can have the last crisp in the packet
crop: Sun makes a crop of corn grow tall
cross: Just one sum had a cross and was wrong
crust: Who wants the crust off this new loaf?
'dr..' as in drum
drag: He had to drag the boat out of the water
dragon: The dragon gave a fiery hiccup
dress: She wore her new dress to the party
drift: Let the boat drift down the river
drill: His drill made a hole in the wall
drink: A fizzy drink tickles your nose
drip: Don't let water drip on the carpet
drop: A drop of rain fell on my hat
drum: We dance as he bangs his drum
'fl..' as in flat
flag: The flag flaps in the wind.
flan: Fill a flan with fruit and jelly
flap: This flap is for the cat
flat: She fell flat on her back
fling: Just fling your coat on the floor
flop: Her first song was a flop.
fluff: There is fluff in the dusty corner
'fr..' as in frog
fret: I did fret when my cat was lost
frill: Her dress was edged with a frill
frock: Gran says frock instead of dress
frog: A frog sits by a pond
from: Milk comes from cows
frond: A frond of weed hid the crab
frost: There is frost on the window
'gl..' as in glad
glad: I'm glad you can come to my party
glen: A glen is a Scottish valley
glint: They saw the glint of gold in the rocks
gloss: Polish gives a gloss to wood
glum: The bad news made her glum
'gr..' as in grin
grand: The king was very grand
grill: You grill food on barbecues
grin: She gave a happy grin
grip: You need a good grip on your bat
grit: A frosty path needs grit
grub: A grub in your apple is bad news
gruff: The man had a gruff voice
grunt: The pig gave a grunt
'pl..' as in plug
plan: This is the plan of the house
planet: Was there once life on the planet Mars?
plank: A plank of wood can make a shelf
plastic: A plastic flower has no smell
plug: A plug keeps water in a sink
plum: I hope this plum is sweet
plump: The rabbit was plump and round
plus: Two plus two makes four
'pr..' as in pram
pram: We took our baby out in the pram
prank: A prank is a silly trick
present: I want to open my present now
press: A bell will ring if you press this button
print: My work is neat when I print it
prison: All prison gates have locks
prod: Mum woke me with a prod in the ribs
prong: One prong of my fork is bent
prop: A prop holds up this washing-line
'qu..' as in quack
quack: The duck gave a quiet quack
quest: His quest was to find the missing ring
quick: You must be quick to win a race
quill: A quill is a feather pen
quilt: My quilt keeps me snug in bed
quit: They had to quit their work and go
quiz: A quiz will test how much you know
'sc..' as in scan
scab: His fall has left a scab on his knee
scalp: Not one hair grew on his scalp
scan: An X-ray scan can see inside us
scoff: Jim would scoff his chips in no time.
scum: Green scum lies on top of the pond
'scr..' as in scrub
scrap: Old tin cans end up as scrap
scrimp: The poor man had to scrimp on food
script: She wrote the script for the puppet play
scrub: Muddy floors need a good scrub
scruff: I look like a scruff when I get up
scrum: The players got into a scrum
'sk..' as in skin
skid: Mud makes cars skid
skill: You need skill to dribble a ball
skim: Let's skim stones across the pond
skin: You need skin to keep your body in
skip: She likes to skip with her new rope
skull: Your skull protects your brain
'sl..' as in slug
slack: Loosen your belt to make it slack
slam: The wind made the door slam
slap: A slap on the hand hurts
slept: Baby slept in a cot
sling: His arm was in a sling
slip: A banana skin made him slip
slit: She cut a slit in the cloth
slot: Put your coin in the slot
slug: A slimy slug slid slowly past
'sm..' as in smug
smack: A smack on the hand hurts
smell: Come and smell this flower
smock: I put on a smock when I paint
smug: She looked so smug when she won
smut: He cleaned a smut of dirt off the window
'sn..' as in snap
snack: I have a snack if I'm hungry
snag: His clever plan went without a snag
snap: My pencil broke with a snap
sniff: Take a sniff and smell this flower
snip: I will just snip the paper in two
snob: A snob thinks he is better than us
snub: It feels like a snub to be left out
snug: The cat is snug beside the fire
'sp..' as in spit
span: We made a bridge to span the stream
speck: A speck of dust went in my eye
spell: A spell turns the pumpkin into a coach
spend: I spend too much on sweets
spill: Be careful not to spill the ink
spin: When I spin round I get dizzy
spit: An angry cat will spit
spots: She had spots when she was ill
'spl..' sa in split
splat: The paint fell with a splat
splendid: You have done some splendid work
splint: They put a splint on his broken leg
split: The plank was split in two
'spr..' as in spring
sprang: I opened the box and out sprang Jack
sprat: A little sprat swam out at sea
sprig: He drew a sprig of holly on his card
spring: A Jack-in-a-box needs a spring
sprint: He won the hundred-metre sprint
'st..' as in step
stamp: Every letter needs a stamp
stand: We saw the match from the stand
step: She fell from the top step of the stairs
stick: This stick is for the campfire
stiff: A stiff knee is hard to bend
still: Keep still while I cut your hair!
sting: A wasp will sting if it is angry
stop: Cars must stop at red lights
stuck: Jam was stuck all over his face
stunt: His best stunt was jumping over two cars
'str..' as in string
strand: A strand of hair was all he had
strap: My case was held shut with a strap
string: My kitten loves a ball of string
strong: This man is so strong he can lift a tonne
struck: The clock struck twelve
'sw..' as in swim
swam: Today I swam in the sea
swank: He likes to swank about his cars
swell: Hot air made the balloon swell out
swift: You must be swift to win a race
swig: He took a swig from the bottle
swill: Water will swill the mess away
swim: I can swim across the pool
swing: Push me high on my swing
'tr..' as in trip
track: A train runs on a track
traffic: Too much traffic blocks the roads
tramp: A tramp has no home
trick: It was a silly trick to hide his pen
trim: His hair needs a trim
trip: Our trip to the zoo was fun
trot: The horse set off at a trot
truck: The truck carried a load of bricks
trunk: A trunk is a very long nose
Letters combined for one sound
'ch', 'sh' and 'th'
'..nch' as in pinch
bench:
I often sit on this bench in the sunbunch: Grapes are picked by the bunch
finch: A finch just loves to eat seeds
hunch: I had a hunch our numbers would win
lunch: I eat my lunch at one o'clock
munch: My pony had an apple to munch
pinch: He put a pinch of salt on his egg
punch: He gave the ball a mighty punch
'..tch' as in catch
catch: He ran to catch the ball
hutch: They made a hutch for their baby rabbit
kitchen: Dad was in the kitchen cooking dinner
match: She lit the candle with a match
pitch: The team ran onto the pitch
scratch: The pin made a scratch on her hand
stretch: As I wake up I stretch my arms
switch: We switch on the light at night
witch: In flew the witch on her big black broom
'ch' as in chat
chat: My mum likes to chat with her friends
check: This pattern is a check
chicken: I like my chicken alive and clucking
chimp: The chimp was unhappy in the zoo
chin: Every day he shaves his chin
chips: Fish and chips taste very good
much: A lion is much bigger than a mouse
rich: A rich man has lots of money
such: Your party was such good fun
'sh' as in shell
brush: A new brush sweeps well
cash: She took the cash to the bank
crash: Their car hit the wall with a crash
fish: One little fish swam in the pond
shell: A snail has a shell on its back
ship: The ship sails out to sea
shop: Her shop sells toys
wish: Most of us wish to be happy
'th' as in think
tenth: Her birthday is the tenth of March
thank: She went to thank them for their help
theft: Stealing things is theft
thick: A big brush paints a thick line
thin: A thin dog needs his food
thing: A cup is a thing for holding drinks
think: I must think before I speak
thud: The spaceship landed with a thud
thump: He gave the ball a great big thump
'th' as in this
that: Let's go this way, not that way
them: I got some eggs and boiled them
then: First bake the cake then eat it
this: My pen is this pen here
with: My cat plays with string
Doubled vowels
'ee' as in feet
feel:
I feel cold in the snowfeet: She had no shoes on her feet
green: Grass is green
need: We all need food
screen: I like a TV with a big screen
sleep: After his walk my dog goes to sleep
speed: He ran for help at top speed
street: The bus to town stops down the street
sweet: I wish I had a sweet to suck
tree: A tree needs deep roots
'oo' as in good
book: She sat reading her book
cook: A clever cook bakes better buns
foot: Each foot has five toes
good: A good dog sits when it's told
hood: A snug red hood will keep her warm
hook: I am going to fix a hook for our coats
look: They all ran out to look at the snow
took: She took a look at her book
wooden: Cooks often use a wooden spoon
'oo' as in moon
boot: He left his boot stuck in the mud
cool: A fan will help you to keep cool
food: The boy soon ate up all his food
moon: A silver moon lit up the sky
pool: Come and swim in my pool
proof: The photo was proof he was there
smooth: Her velvet dress was smooth and soft
soon: Bedtime comes too soon
spoon: You need a spoon to eat soup from a bowl
tooth: I bit too hard and hurt my tooth
Paired vowels
'ai' as in train
aim:
You need a good aim to play dartsbrain: I use my brain to think things out
nail: One more nail should fix this shelf
paint: She took her brush and began to paint
rain: They all got wet in the rain
snail: The snail left a silver trail
train: Our train leaves the station at ten.
wait: We did not wait long for the bus
'au' as in haunt
gaunt: He grew gaunt and thin with illness
haunt: Ghosts are said to haunt that house
launch: He pressed the button to launch the rocket
laundry: Hang your laundry out to dry
taunt: The bully called me names to taunt me
taut: The rope goes taut when both teams pull
'ea' as in bread
bread: Fresh bread makes the best toast
breath: He ran until he was out of breath
dead: With a click the phone went dead
deaf: The deaf man did not hear the bell
head: Please turn your head and look at me
health: An apple a day is good for your health
instead: She wants a pony instead of a bike
sweat: Hard work makes you sweat
wealth: The lottery winner gave away all his wealth
'ea' as in seat
beach: Blue seas lap this sandy beach
beak: A bird pecks with its beak
heat: Fire gives off heat
meal: Beans on toast is a simple meal
seat: I gave up my seat to the old man
steam: Water gives off steam as it boils
stream: A river starts as a stream
team: She plays football in our team
'ie' as in field
brief: A nap is a brief sleep
chief: Sitting Bull was a brave chief
field: She keeps her pony in this field
grief: She wept in grief
shield: His shield should protect him from arrows
shriek: His joke spider made Mum shriek
thief: A thief took all my cash
'oa' as in boat
boat: Our boat sailed on the stormy sea
coach: We went to London by coach instead of by train
coal: A hot coal fell from the open fire
coast: Sandy shores run along this coast
coat: Her coat was warm and made of wool
float: He put a float on his fishing-line
foam: Too much soap makes too much foam
loaf: I like a crusty loaf of bread
road: The long road led to the hills
soap: A bar of soap is for washing
'oi' as in boil
boil: The kettle came to the boil
coin: Let's toss a coin for who goes first
joint: Your elbow makes a joint in your arm
moist: Her hair was moist from the rain
noisy: Their stereo is too noisy
oil: An engine runs well with oil
point: It's rude to point a finger
poison: Never drink poison
soil: Seeds need good soil
toilet: Wooden toilet seats are warmer
'ou' as in cloud
cloud: A small cloud hid the sun
count: I count to ten before I speak
ground: The ground felt firm beneath my feet
loud: Some of us like loud music
mouth: His mouth was open to speak
out: I fell out of bed and woke up
round: All wheels are round
sound: No sound came from the silent house
south: Go south for sunshine
'ou' as in couple
country: He left his own country to go abroad
couple: Two of anything make a couple
courage: It took courage to fight that blazing fire
cousin: My cousin is my uncle's son
nourish: Water and soil both nourish a seed
trouble: In times of trouble we all need help
young: A kitten is a young cat
Vowels with 'gh'
'augh' as in caught
caught:
He put out a hand and caught the balldaughter: He has one daughter and no sons
fraught: A frantic day can leave you fraught
naughty: That naughty kitten has licked the cream
taught: He taught his dog to do some tricks
'eigh' as in weigh
eight: A spider has eight legs
eighty: Four twenties make eighty
neigh: She heard her horse neigh from far away
sleigh: Over the snow she rode in her sleigh
weigh: I had to weigh some flour for a cake-mix
weight: You must be strong to lift such a weight
'igh' as in high
high: From high on the hill they saw for miles
night: All that night the moon shone bright
right: Ticks mean all your sums are right
sigh: With a sad sigh she said goodbye
thigh: Your thigh is your leg from hip to knee
tight: These tight shoes pinch my toes
Vowels with 'r'
'air' as in fair
chair:
Pull up a chair and sit downdairy: Butter and cheese are made in a dairy
fair: I love the fair with all its rides
fairy: There's a fairy on top of the Christmas tree
hair: His hair was cut very short
pair: He always wore a pair of trainers
stairs: Steep wooden stairs led up to the top
unfair: It's unfair to give her a bigger cake
'ar' as in car
dark: The sky was dark that night
farm: Ben grew corn on his farm
garden: My garden has both weeds and flowers
hard: A snail finds it hard to jump
march: The men had to march in time
market: Things are cheap in the market
park: He jogs in the park each day
spark: One stray spark started the forest fire
star: The sheriff has a star as his badge
start: She turned the key to start the car
'are' as in scare
beware: The princess knew to beware of dragons
care: She took care of her teddy bear
dare: I dare you to do a bungee jump
rare: He searches the jungle for rare plants
scare: My sudden yell gave her quite a scare
share: I will let you share my chocolate
spare: Come and play if you have the spare time
square: You never see a square tomato
'ear' as in bear
bear: Deep in the woods a grizzly bear growled
pear: I could not bear to leave that pear unpicked
swear: In court we swear to tell the truth
tear: She had to mend a tear in the cloth
wear: People wear shorts in the summer
'ear' as in beard
appear: As dusk fell I saw the moon appear
beard: His big bushy beard covered his tie
clear: The stream was so clear you could see the fish
ear: She whispered in his ear
fear: A brave man hides his fear
gear: The car was stuck in second gear
hear: Rabbits have long ears to hear danger
rear: Pedals drive a bike's rear wheel
spear: He hurled his spear at the springing lion
'ear' as in pearl
early: He got out of bed early that day
earn: She went to work to earn some money
earth: From space the earth looks beautiful
heard: I heard a great new song today
learn: I try to learn ten spellings a week
learning: I am learning how to swim
pearl: He dived for a pearl to give to his girl
search: A detective needs to search for clues
'eer' as in cheer
beer: The glass of beer had foam on top
cheer: We gave a cheer when our team won
jeer: Unkind people jeer at losers
peer: She had to peer hard to see through the fog
steer: I helped the captain steer his ship into port
'er' as in her
fern: A fern is an evergreen plant
her: She has a ring on her finger
herb: Mint is a herb with a fresh tingly taste
kerb: You wait at the kerb to cross the road
perfect: I may be good but I'm not perfect
person: A person may be a man or a woman
stern: When Mum looks stern we all behave
term: At the end of term our holiday starts
'ir' as in bird
bird: A small bird sang from the treetop
birth: Our cat gave birth to six kittens
dirty: You play in dirt - you get dirty
first: The first to get home is the winner
girl: His sister was a happy girl
shirt: The team's new shirt is blue and white
skirt: Her long blue skirt reached the floor
third: She ate two cakes and then a third
'ire' as in fire
admire: I admire your neat handwriting
bonfire: Cheerful red sparks rose from the bonfire
fire: He lit the fire to get himself warm
fireman: The fireman bravely fought the fire
hire: Dad chose to hire a car in France
retire: He hopes to retire before he is old
wire: He knows how to wire a plug
'oar' as in roar
boar: Wild boar live in the Black Forest
board: The teacher wrote on the board
hoard: The pirates hid their hoard of gold
oar: They each took an oar to row the boat
roar: The angry lion gave a roar
soar: I saw my kite soar high in the sky
'or' as in sport
corn: Butter is good with corn on the cob
fork: He stuck his fork into a pea
morning: The sun comes up in the morning
north: Go north for cold and ice
short: The ladder was too short to reach the top
sort: A bun is a sort of cake
sport: Keep fit with sport
'ore' as in more
before: Unwrap a sweet before you eat
more: She ate lots but wanted more
score: Put the ball in the net to score
shore: Blue sea laps the sandy shore
snore: People who snore keep others awake
sore: Her throat was so sore she could hardly speak
store: Children adore buying sweets from a store
swore: The witness swore to tell the truth
wore: He wore a turban on his head
'our' as in flour
flour: Here is some flour to bake a cake
hour: Sixty minutes make an hour
our: We are five in our family
scour: I'll scrub and scour that dirty old pan
sour: Lemons are so very sour
'our' as in four
court: We played tennis on a grass court
four: Chairs need four firm legs
fourteen: Ten plus four makes fourteen
pour: Use a funnel to help you pour
your: Clap your hands if you like the show
'ur' as in fur
burn: Dry logs burn well
burst: Balloons go bang when they burst
church: Christians go to church to pray
curly: A pig has a curly tail
fur: My cat's fur is soft and fluffy
hurt: When she fell she hurt her hand
turn: I always take my turn to wash up
turnip: A turnip is a root that's good to eat
Vowels with 'w'
'aw' as in claw
claws:
The eagle snatched a snake in its clawscrawl: Babies crawl before they walk
draw: The final result was a draw
jaw: You move your jaw when you chew
law: He broke the law when he shot the sheriff
lawn: My lawn grows green and grassy
paw: Our cat dips its paw in its milk
raw: Food is raw until you cook it
straw: She likes to sip her drink through a straw
thaw: The thaw came at last and melted the snow
'ew' as in flew
chew: My dog likes to chew bones
crew: Four fine men were the crew of the ship
drew: He drew a picture of a flower
flew: A bee flew past his nose
grew: He grew prize-winning pumpkins
screw: You turn a screw to tighten it
threw: She threw the ball for me to catch
'ew' as in newt
dew: The leaves that morning shone with drops of dew
few: Just a few pence was all she had left
new: I would like a new bike for my birthday
newt: A newt slid into the pond to swim
stew: A spicy smell rose from the stew
'ow' as in cow
brown: Grill any food and it turns brown
clown: The clown acted the fool
cow: Daisy was a cow who mooed all day
crowd: The crowd packed the stands for the match
growl: The dog gave a growl to warn us off
now: Right now is the time to do it
prowl: My cat goes out to prowl the streets
rowdy: Those rowdy children make too much noise
vow: He made a vow to kill the dragon
'ow' as in show
flow: They watched the river flow smoothly by
grow: Eating your greens will help you grow
show: Let me show you my scar
slow: Slugs and snails are very slow
throw: How far can you throw a ball?
window: She gazed through the green glass window
yellow: Buttercups are yellow
Vowels with 'y'
'ay' as in play
away:
I forgot to put my things awaycrayon: He drew a tree with his crayon
day: I play all day on holiday
play: Come and play ball with us
say: A chatterbox has lots to say
spray: This spray kills fleas
stay: He had to stay in when he was ill
tray: She took the cups away on a tray
way: Can you tell me the way to town?
'oy' as in toy
annoy: It does annoy me when I miss the bus
boy: Every man was once a boy
convoy: The line of ships was sailing in convoy
destroy: You can destroy weeds by pulling them up
employ: A busy firm must employ more workers
enjoy: We all enjoy a tasty meal
loyal: His loyal dog was a friend for life
royal: The royal coach is for the queen
toy: The child sat playing with a toy
wh', 'ph', 'thr', and 'shr'
'ph' as in photo
alphabet:
I know every letter of the alphabetdolphin: A dolphin hunts fish but is gentle with people
elephant: An elephant came stomping by
graph: A graph makes a picture from numbers
nephew: My sister's son is my nephew
orphan: His parents died and so he was an orphan
phantom: The phantom floated through the wall
photo: She kept his photo in a silver frame
'shr' as in shred
shred: She tore a shred of paper from her notebook
shrill: The whistle blew a shrill note
shrimp: The shrimp was alone in a seaside pool
shrink: Some jumpers shrink in the wash
shrub: I will plant the shrub by the other bushes
shrug: A shrug of his shoulders said he didn't care
'thr' as in thrill
thread: The thread slips through the needle's eye
threat: I see a threat of rain in those dark clouds
three: A triangle has three sides
thrill: Winning gave her such a thrill
throat: He shouted till his throat grew sore
throb: Loud music makes my head throb
throng: A throng packed the ground for the match
thrush: A thrush sang outside my window
'wh' as in wheel
whack: With a whack she hit her head on the shelf
wheat: Farmers grow wheat so we can have bread
wheel: The front wheel of her bike hit the kerb
whip: You have to whip cream to make it thick
whirl: The rides at the fair whirl round and round
whiskers: A cat laps up milk then licks its whiskers
whisper: Softly and in a whisper she told her secret
'wh', question words
what: A hat is what you put on your head
when: A hen clucks when it lays an egg
where: Just here is where I sit
whether: Tell me whether you want this or that
which: Tell me which cup is mine
why: Tell me why she is not here
One letter alters another
'e' alters 'c' and 'g'
'ce' as in cell
audience:
The audience clapped as the play endedcell: Deep in the castle was a dark prison cell
dance: Do try to dance in time to the music
force: The force of the gale made cars overturn
mice: The mouse had a family of baby mice
race: The fastest runner wins the race
service: Buses provide a useful service
space: Travel in space can go far beyond Earth
surface: The pond had ice on its surface
twice: Sing Happy Birthday twice for twins
'cei' as in ceiling
ceiling: A single light hung down from the ceiling
conceited: You're conceited if you think you're better than us
deceit: The old cheat lived a life of deceit
deceive: Camouflage is to deceive the enemy
perceive: Bats perceive sounds we cannot hear
receive: Every winner will receive a prize
received: Noddy received a birthday gift
'dge' as in edge
badge: A soldier has a badge on his cap
badger: A badger lives below ground in a sett
bridge: You can cross the river at the bridge
edge: The land falls steeply at the edge of a cliff
fidget: An itchy jumper makes you fidget
fudge: A piece of fudge is sweet and chewy
hedgehog: A hedgehog has spikes for self-defence
judge: The judge asked the witness to speak up
midget: What a midget he seemed beside the giant!
sledge: Our sledge will go on crisp white snow
'ge' as in cage
angel: An angel is a heavenly messenger
cage: A songbird longs to fly from its cage
garage: Our car goes in the garage overnight
general: The general commands his army
hinge: The old door was hanging by a single hinge
huge: A shoe looks huge to an ant
orange: Cut an orange and juice spurts out
stage: The curtains parted to reveal the stage
strange: The message was strange and puzzling
'e' alters vowels (magic e)
'a-e' as in name
cake:
I love cake with jam in itflame: A flame shot up from the fire
game: Can we play a game?
late: The bus was late today
made: At last the pills made him better
same: These two dogs are the same size
scales: Let's weigh these apples on the scales
scrape: I'll scrape the mud off my shoes
'e' as in hoe, blue
blue: When the sky is blue the sun shines too
clue: There was no clue to the theft
die: Plants die with no water
glue: My brush got stuck in the glue
hoe: You use a hoe to chop out weeds
pie: Would you like a piece of pie?
tie: His tie has blue stripes
toe: It hurts to stub your toe
true: A lie can never be true
'i-e' as in bite
bike: She rides her bike downhill
crime: His last crime was to take a tiger
kite: Fly your kite on a windy day
line: This work has a line through it
mile: From here to home is just a mile.
prize: The winner gets a brilliant prize
size: The twins are the same size
slide: The boy slid down the yellow slide
wide: The river was too wide to jump
'o-e' as in pole
hole: The pirate dug a hole to hide his gold
home: We live at home
hope: I hope to be rich one day and happy
note: Each note she sang was soft
pole: He used a long pole to push out the boat
rose: She picked a rose and pricked her finger
stone: You could trip over that stone
stroke: It is quite safe to stroke my dog
woke: Dad woke Mum with a cup of tea
'u-e' as in cube
compute: The supermarket till will compute your bill.
cube: All the sides of a cube are squares
fuse: She put a new fuse in the plug
tube: Some sweets are sold in a tube
tune: Can you whistle that tune?
use: You cannot use a fork to eat custard
brute: The brute had fangs and claws
crude: A saucepan makes a crude drum
flute: You blow across a flute to play it
June: Summer begins in June
plume: Her hat had a plume of feathers
rude: It is rude to stare
rule: Just rule a line across the page
'i' alters 'c' and 'g'
'ci' as in city
acid:
Vinegar has a sharp acid tastecigarette: A cigarette is smaller than a cigar
cinder: A red-hot cinder scorched the rug
cinema: Our new cinema has ten screens
circus: The circus was held in a huge tent
citrus: Lemons, limes and oranges are citrus fruits
city: Tall buildings line the streets of a city
civil: Polite people give civil replies
civilian: The civilian wore jeans, the soldier a uniform
'gi' as in giant
giant: Next to the giant she looks so small
gin: He asked the barman for a gin
ginger: Bits of ginger make a cake hot
magic: By magic her rags became a fine gown
origin: I know the origin of the rumour because I made it up
original: An original painting isn't a copy
rigid: Something is rigid if it is not flexible
'w', 'qu' alter 'a', 'ar' and 'or'
'qua' as in quality
quality:
All her clothes were of the finest qualityquantity: A pinch of salt is not a big quantity
quarrel: They disagreed and started to quarrel
squander: It is silly to squander your savings
squash: If you sit on your lunch you will squash it
squat: I saw a toad squat under a stone
'wa' as in want
swallow: A big pill is hard to swallow
swamp: Our feet got stuck in the muddy swamp
swan: A snow-white swan swam all alone
wad: He stuffs the wad of notes in his pocket
wander: Without fences sheep wander away
want: I want a drink when I'm thirsty
was: There once was an ugly duckling
wash: I went to wash my grubby hands
watch: I like to watch the news on TV
'war' as in warm
warden: The warden told me where to park
warm: The sun made the cat feel warm
warmth: A lamb snuggles up to its mum for warmth
warn: A sign should warn drivers about that bend
warning: The lightning struck without warning
warp: Wooden planks can bend and warp
wart: The wart on his finger became quite sore
'wor' as in worm
fireworks: Dazzling fireworks lit up the night
word: Now here is a word I can spell
work: Nurses work in hospitals
world: The world is the planet on which we live
worm: A wiggly worm lived in the soil
worse: A cold is bad but flu is worse
worship: To worship is to pay deep respect
worth: This gold ring is worth a lot of money
'y' alters 'c' and 'g'
'..cy' as in spicy
emergency:
Ring 999 in an emergencyfancy: His flashy tie had a fancy pattern
fleecy: My coat has a fleecy lining
juicy: Peeling juicy fruit makes sticky fingers
mercy: In their mercy they set the captives free
spicy: Curry has a spicy taste
'gy' as in gym
energy: Gas and electricity are forms of energy
gym: I'm off to the gym to exercise
stingy: He was too stingy to buy a single present
Final 'll' 'ld' 'nd' alter vowels
'a' as in tall
all:
The dog ate up all my dinnerball: She kicked the ball into the net
call: Did you hear me call your name?
fall: Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall
hall: Go through the front door and into the hall
small: A small button fits a tiny hole
snowball: We made a big snowball to roll downhill
stall: Let's get an ice cream from that stall
tall: One tree stood tall above the rest
wall: We played with a ball against the wall
'i' as in kind
blind: Guide dogs help the blind get around
find: I must find my lost purse
grind: Mills grind corn to flour
kind: You were kind to help me out
mind: In my own mind I think I'm right
rind: Orange rind goes into marmalade
child: The child skipped along with a toy
mild: It was mild and sunny that spring
wild: Flowers grew wild in the meadow
'o' as in bold
bold: The brave man took another bold step
cold: The snowman stood frozen out in the cold
fold: Your card will stand up if you fold it
gold: Wedding rings are made from gold
hold: The vet let me hold the dog in my arms
old: This tree is a hundred years old
sold: Her little corner shop sold everything
told: Gulliver told the tale of his travels
Words with silent letters
Silent consonants
'..mb' as in lamb
climb:
He aims to climb to the topcomb: Do take this comb and tidy your hair
crumb: A crumb fell as she broke the biscuit.
lamb: A lamb soon becomes a sheep
limb: His left leg was the limb he broke
numb: My fingers are quite numb with cold
thumb: You hold your pen between finger and thumb
tomb: A moss-clad tomb stood outside the church
'gn' as in gnat
design: You need a design before you build
gnarl: Old age makes trees twist and gnarl
gnash: A dog will gnash his teeth in anger
gnat: The gnat will buzz and bite at night
gnome: I put a gnome by my garden pond.
reign: Queen Victoria's reign lasted sixty-five years
sign: A sign beside the road shows the way
'kn..' as in knee
knee: I fell and grazed my knee
kneel: People often kneel when praying
knew: After just one lesson I knew how to skate
knife: A good cook needs a sharp knife
knight: The brave knight rode a black horse
knit: Gran will knit me a jumper
knob: The knob turned and the door opened
knock: There came a loud knock at the door.
knot: I tied the rope with a firm knot.
'rh' as in rhyme
rhea: A rhea is like an ostrich, but from South America
rhetorical: A rhetorical question needs no answer
rhino: Four of the five species of rhino are endangered
rhombus: A rhombus has four equal sides
rhubarb: A rhubarb crumble needs sugar to make it sweet
rhyme: Words rhyme when their endings sound the same
rhythm: A strong pattern of sound is rhythm
'wr..' as in write
wrap: I must wrap his present neatly
wreck: The wreck was sunk in a storm.
wren: The little wren sings very loudly
wrench: A wrench is a kind of spanner
wring: My wrists were too weak to wring out the cloth
wrist: Hands twist from the wrist
write: I want to write him a letter
wrong: Stealing things is wrong
silent 'c' as in science
muscle: A muscle is an organ for moving a part of the body
scene: The stage was set for the opening scene
scent: Just smell the scent of this flower
science: Biology is the science of life
scientist: The scientist planned a careful experiment.
scissors: Use sharp scissors to cut paper and cloth
silent 'h' as in hour
heir: The crown prince was heir to the throne
honest: An honest person never lies
honour: It's an honour to have gained this award
hour: Sixty minutes make an hour
silent 'l' as in talk
calf: The cow licked her newborn calf
chalk: White chalk writes well on black
could: He said he could do magic
half: One is half of two
palm: I held the mouse in the palm of my hand
should: I should have trained then I would have won
stalk: The stalk supports the flower
talk: I like to talk to my friend
walk: He went for a long walk
would: I would rather fly than walk
yolk: An egg has a yellow yolk
silent 't' as in castle
castle: A big strong castle stood on a hill
glisten: Raindrops glisten in the sun
listen: I am trying to listen to the music
listening: Keep listening for the doorbell
rustle: I hear trees rustle in the breeze
thistle: A thistle is a prickly flower
whistle: The match ends when the whistle blows
wrestle: They wrestle in the ring for money
Silent vowels
'..gue' as in tongue
catalogue:
We order goods from a catalogueintrigue: This puzzle will intrigue you
league: Our netball team is set to win its league.
plague: A plague kills many far and wide
rogue: A rogue is not to be trusted
tongue: I licked the lolly with my tongue
vague: The trees were vague shapes in the fog
silent 'u' as in guess
biscuit: The dog sat up and begged for a biscuit
build: It takes many bricks to build a wall
disguise: He wore a beard to disguise himself
guarantee: My watch has a ten-year guarantee
guard: The guard stands by his sentry box
guess: Try to guess my age!
guest: The chat-show host welcomed the next guest
guide: Their mountain guide showed them the way
guilty: The jury found her guilty of theft
guitar: The electric guitar leads many bands
silent final 'e' as in have
because: We went indoors because of the rain
cheese: The mouse nibbled the cheese
give: Let me give you a present
have: Let's stop and have a rest
horse: The sad horse waited for his rider.
house: Their house has a blue door
love: The princess fell in love with the frog
pause: She worked all day without a pause
please: A dish of milk will please my cat
purse: All her cash was in her purse
Prefixes, suffixes, roots
"bigger, biggest"
easy > easier >easiest
easier:
It is an easy walk but an easier ride by buseasiest: The simplest work is often the easiest
funnier: Your jokes may be funny but mine are funnier
funniest: He was the funniest comedian in the show
happier: I am happier in jeans than in a suit
happiest: The happiest cat was the one who got the cream
healthier: Walking is healthier than driving
healthiest: Well-balanced meals are the healthiest
late > later > latest
fiercer: A cat is fiercer than a mouse
fiercest: A tiger is fiercest when defending her cubs
larger: As you grow up you need larger clothes
largest: Which animal has the largest feet?
simpler: A hut is simpler than a palace
simplest: The simplest ideas are often the best
whiter: Which detergent washes whiter than white?
whitest: The whitest shirt had no marks at all
old > older
deeper: If the North Sea is deep, the Atlantic is deeper
higher: Snowdon is high but Everest is higher
longer: His arms are long, but his legs are longer
older: That huge old oak is older than any of us
smaller: A mosquito is small but a midge is smaller
taller: Are you taller than your parents?
younger: A grandson is always much younger than his grandfather
old > oldest
deepest: How deep is the deepest ocean?
fastest: Who is the fastest runner of all?
highest: Which is the highest mountain?
longest: How long is the longest river?
oldest: How old is the oldest pyramid?
smallest: How small is the smallest house?
tallest: How tall is the tallest building?
youngest: How young was the youngest England footballer ever?
red > redder > reddest
bigger: An elephant is bigger than a mouse
biggest: How big is the biggest turkey ever?
hotter: The fire is hot and it is getting hotter
hottest: How hot was the hottest day ever?
redder: As they ran their red faces turned redder
reddest: Poppies are the reddest flowers of all
Common suffixes (Latin)
'..able'
acceptable:
Any shelter was acceptable in that stormbookable: Seats are bookable in advance
breakable: Glass windows are usually breakable
drinkable: Water from streams is not usually drinkable
enjoyable: Treats are enjoyable
reasonable: No reasonable request will be refused
'..ance'
allowance: I would like an allowance for buying clothes
appearance: Twins are often alike in appearance
attendance: School attendance is compulsory
clearance: The shop had a clearance sale before it closed down
disturbance: The low-flying aircraft caused a disturbance
performance: The play's first performance is tonight
'..ant'
hesitant: A baby's first steps are hesitant
ignorant: She was ignorant of the rules and committed a foul
important: It is important to look before crossing the road
significant: A fingerprint is a significant clue
triumphant: The winners came home triumphant
'..ence'
difference: There is a difference between apples and pears
evidence: The burglar left little evidence behind him
presence: She never swore in her mother's presence
reference: Look up more details in a reference book
silence: The absence of sound is silence
'..ent'
absorbent: You mop up spills with an absorbent cloth
different: Apples are different from oranges
excellent: Ten out of ten is an excellent result
independent: An independent person is self-reliant
persistent: Her persistent coughing never stopped
urgent: I have an urgent message to go home at once
'..ible'
accessible: Secret files are not accessible to the public
collapsible: Inflatable dinghies are also collapsible!
digestible: Humans don't find grass a digestible food
incredible: No one believed Gulliver's incredible story
responsible: The manager is responsible for choosing the team
reversible: She wore her reversible jacket furry side out
sensible: I trust you to make a sensible decision
visible: Saturn is visible to the naked eye
'..ious'
anxious: She was anxious to know if we were safe
furious: He's not just annoyed, he's furious
obvious: Something obvious needs no explanation
previous: He bought the car from its previous owner
serious: I tried not to laugh because he was serious
various: There are various ways of cooking potatoes
'..ive'
active: An active dog needs lots of walks
attractive: Only warthogs find other warthogs attractive
defective: A defective machine does not work
defensive: A defensive moat guarded the castle walls
effective: Hedgehog's spines make an effective defence
expensive: A diamond necklace is an expensive gift
impressive: The huge dinosaur left an impressive footprint
'..ment'
advertisement: An advertisement tries to attract your attention
development: Space travel is a recent development
measurement: A measurement finds the size of something
movement: Lots of movement will keep you fit
payment: One more payment and the guitar is mine
treatment: Rest is a treatment for flu
'..ous'
bulbous: Frogs have bulbous eyes
dangerous: It's dangerous to walk on thin ice
murderous: The monster attacked with murderous intent
poisonous: The death-cap is a poisonous toadstool
thunderous: Waves crashed ashore with a thunderous roar
'..sion' confuse > confusion
confusion: Mixed messages cause confusion
fusion: Their music is a fusion of jazz and rock
precision: He exactly positioned each tile with precision
profusion: The stalls spilled over with a profusion of goods
revision: The run-up to the exams is time for serious revision
tension: The nerve-racking wait caused mounting tension
conclusion: A conclusion is an ending
decision: Picking the right chocolate can be a difficult decision
division: Sharing things out is division
explosion: An explosion is a chemical reaction that runs out of control
invasion: An invasion is when an army enters a country with hostile intent
persuasion: Lengthy persuasion changed dad's mind at last
'..ssion' discuss > discussion
compression: We use compression to make things smaller
confession: He admitted everything in his confession
discussion: We exchanged ideas in friendly discussion
expression: Her face bore an expression of utter joy
impression: His polite manner made a good impression
possession: Her teddy bear is her favourite possession
'..tion' elect > election
collection: I would like this stamp for my collection
connection: You plug in the cable to make a connection
election: She was elected MP at the last election
exhibition: Local artists held an exhibition of their work
invention: The wheel was an early invention
suggestion: He made a brilliant suggestion for increasing sales
'..tion' relate > relation
completion: Finally, the house needs a roof for its completion
demonstration: We took the new car for a demonstration drive
illustration: The illustration on this page is by a well known artist
pollution: Car exhausts add to pollution
promotion: We're top of the league and so get promotion
relation: Anyone in my family is a relation
relegation: Our relegation followed last year's promotion
'..tion' solve > solution
evolution: The evolution of something is its development over time
resolution: My New Year's resolution lasted until March
revolution: The revolution swept the dictator from power
solution: The answer to a problem is its solution
'..ure'
adventure: Exploring the forest is quite an adventure
culture: A culture is the customs and traditions of a particular group
departure: The plane's departure was delayed by fog
failure: The pie burned, so dinner was a failure
moisture: The steamed-up walls glistened with moisture
pressure: Too much air pressure bursts a balloon
sculpture: A marble statue is a piece of sculpture
Common suffixes (OE)
'..en' gold > golden
earthen:
Their huts had earthen floorsgolden: The giant's goose laid golden eggs
silken: The silken threads are spun by caterpillars
wooden: Cooks often use a wooden spoon
woollen: My woollen jumper began life on a sheep
'..ern' east > eastern
eastern: The sun rose over the eastern hills
northern: The northern side is towards the North
southern: The southern side is towards the south
western: The sun sank behind the western hills
'..ful' truth > truthful
careful: She was careful to keep to the office routine
colourful: A bed of roses in bloom looks colourful
faithful: His faithful dog followed him everywhere
harmful: Poison is extremely harmful
powerful: Elephants are more powerful than ants
truthful: A truthful answer contains no lies
useful: I never throw useful things away
'..fully' careful > carefully
carefully: They carefully lifted the fragile pane of glass
cheerfully: The singing soldiers marched cheerfully on
faithfully: A letter starting 'Dear Sir' ends with 'Yours faithfully'
gracefully: The dancer moved gracefully across the floor
hopefully: My dog looks up hopefully for a treat
painfully: She ran on painfully with blistered feet
truthfully: He answered truthfully and told them no lies
'..iful' fancy > fanciful
beautiful: The snow-covered mountain looked beautiful
fanciful: His busy imagination produced fanciful ideas
merciful: The merciful pirate saved the drowning sailors
'..ily' happy > happily
angrily: Temper makes her shout angrily
bodily: Food and drink are vital bodily needs
busily: In spring the birds are busily building nests
easily: Her loose shoe came off easily
happily: The children laughed and played happily
hungrily: He hungrily scoffed two bags of chips
noisily: They left noisily, slamming doors and shouting
'..ish' fool > foolish
babyish: Five-year-olds think four-year-olds are babyish
darkish: My hair's darkish brown, not black
fiendish: The angry demon gave a fiendish howl
foolish: Don't I look foolish with this silly clown's nose?
greenish: The sea was more greenish than blueish
outlandish: The band were notorious for their outlandish clothes
smallish: I'll just have a smallish piece of cake
'..less' air > airless
aimless: They were wandering in an aimless way
airless: With no windows the tiny room felt airless
breathless: The climb left her breathless and panting
careless: It was careless to drop your banana skin
countless: There are countless stars in the sky
effortless: Experts make skills seem effortless
pointless: It is pointless trying to empty the sea with a bucket
'..like' life > lifelike
businesslike: Let's be businesslike and plan ahead
childlike: Although grown-up he kept a childlike love of making sandcastles
ghostlike: The spooky white shape gave a ghostlike moan
lifelike: The wax figure was uncannily lifelike
sportsmanlike: If you are sportsmanlike you are a good loser
warlike: The soldiers raised their spears is warlike manner
'..ly' friend > friendly
beastly: The monster howled a beastly howl
cowardly: The cowardly lion hid from the mouse
friendly: She welcomed us with a friendly smile
motherly: She cradled the child in a motherly way
queenly: She gave a queenly wave from the balcony
'..ly' wrong > wrongly
badly: My front wheel is badly twisted
bravely: Firemen bravely fight fires
quickly: Run quickly or you'll miss the bus
quietly: Tiptoe quietly in without a word
silently: He did not cry out but suffered silently
slowly: A slug slowly slithered across the path
suddenly: The door suddenly burst open
wrongly: My innocent friend was wrongly arrested
'..most' top > topmost
foremost: When I'm weary my foremost need is sleep
innermost: A maze of corridors led to the innermost hall
topmost: A bird perched high on the topmost branch
'..some' fear > fearsome
awesome: The awesome sight filled them with wonder
fearsome: His fearsome scowl scares little children
irksome: Your constant nagging is irksome
quarrelsome: That quarrelsome pair argue night and day
tiresome: I'm bored with tiresome chores
troublesome: My troublesome sister annoys me intensely
'..ward' up > upward
backward: Living in caves would be a backward step
downward: On the sledge we began our downward ride
forward: Many cars have five forward gears
homeward: The cattle wander homeward at milking time
upward: I looked at the sky with an upward glance
'..wise' like > likewise
clockwise: The hands on a watch turn clockwise
likewise: What Simon says, you do likewise
streetwise: A streetwise kid survives in a city
'..y' fun > funny
baggy: His baggy trousers were far too big
foggy: It's so foggy we can't see the way
funny: People laugh at funny things
furry: The mouldy bread had gone furry
muddy: They played in mud and got muddy
spotty: That spotty face could mean chicken-pox
starry: The moon was sailing in the starry sky
tinny: Tin whistles can make tiny tinny sounds
witty: A witty comment is funny but not always polite
'..y' grease > greasy
easy: I like simple and easy work
greasy: Elbow-grease cleans greasy dishes
hasty: The dog sniffed the crab then beat a hasty retreat
noisy: Loud machines make a workshop noisy
shady: It was cool beneath the shady trees
shiny: Sunlight glinted off their shiny armour
slimy: A slimy slug slid slowly across the path
tasty: Food that tastes good is tasty
'..y' greed > greedy
dirty: You play in dirt - you get dirty
greedy: My greedy dog ate all my dinner
messy: Finger-painting can be messy
rubbery: It's hard to chew rubbery food
sulky: He's sullen and sulky when he's told off
weighty: I cannot lift this weighty package
Common suffixes (OE, Fr)
'..craft' witch > witchcraft
handicraft:
Carving wooden spoons is a Welsh handicraftneedlecraft: Tapestries are examples of needlecraft
witchcraft: A witch was said to harm others by witchcraft
'..dom' free > freedom
boredom: With nothing to do I'd die of boredom
freedom: An uncaged bird has freedom to fly
kingdom: A king or a queen rules over a kingdom
officialdom: But for officialdom I could do what I like
stardom: Every budding band dreams of stardom
wisdom: Living and learning bring wisdom
'..en' tight > tighten
harden: The concrete took ages to harden
lighten: A bit of white paint will lighten the blue
strengthen: I used weights to strengthen my muscles
sweeten: You can use honey to sweeten drinks
tighten: Turn the screw to tighten it
weaken: Add more hot water to weaken your tea
'..ette' diminutive
cassette: A cassette is a handy way to buy music
cigarette: A cigarette is smaller than a cigar
courgette: A courgette is a baby marrow
maisonette: A maisonette is half house, half flat.
marionette: A marionette is a puppet on strings
serviette: I use my serviette to wipe my mouth
'..ful' cup > cupful
armful: I can't hold the baby and an armful of clothes
bucketful: A bucketful of water is enough to clean the car
cupful: A British cupful measures ten fluid ounces
mouthful: Gargle with a mouthful of salt water
spoonful: A spoonful of sugar sweetens coffee
'..hood'
adulthood: Does adulthood start at eighteen or twenty-one?
childhood: The old man's thoughts turned back to his childhood
falsehood: A falsehood is something which is not true
neighbourhood: He's the paper-boy for our neighbourhood
'..iness' bossy > bossiness
bossiness: I hate his bossiness when he orders me around
business: A business sells a product or service
happiness: Her happiness returned when she found her doll
juiciness: Ripe tomatoes are known for their juiciness
readiness: Cars keep a spare tyre in readiness for a puncture
'..let' diminutive
booklet: The booklet tells you how to work the video
droplet: A droplet of water trickled down the window
leaflet: The salesman put a leaflet through the door
piglet: A piglet is a baby pig
ringlet: She gave him a ringlet of her hair
starlet: She was a starlet who had small parts in films
'..ling' diminutive
gosling: Duckling is to duck as gosling to goose
nestling: The baby cuckoo is the only nestling left
seedling: An acorn becomes a seedling and then an oak
underling: I want the person in charge, not an underling!
yearling: A horse under two years old is a yearling
'..ness'
carelessness: Some bad driving is just carelessness
darkness: Out went the lights and we were in darkness
eagerness: He pushed me aside in his eagerness to win
fitness: Exercise helps maintain fitness
goodness: An apple is full of goodness
kindness: She showed kindness in helping the old man across the road
sadness: I felt sadness when my goldfish died
sickness: Paint fumes can cause sickness
'..ship'
citizenship: Her new country granted her citizenship
companionship: Lonely people crave companionship
friendship: Two pen-pals made a lifelong friendship
hardship: There is hardship when the money runs out
relationship: Ben and his dad have a good relationship
'..th' wide > width
health: An apple a day is good for your health
length: The length measures the horizontal extent of an object
ninth: The ninth time is when something has happened nine times
strength: He had the strength to lift the heavy weight
wealth: The lottery winner gave away all his wealth
width: The width of an object measures how wide it is
Further prefixes (Greek)
'a..'
amoral:
An amoral action is done without considering moralityapathy: A lack of interest is known as apathy
apolitical: Someone who has no interest in politics is apolitical
asymmetrical: Something asymmetrical has an irregular form
atom: An atom is the smallest unit an element can be divided into
'ambi..'
ambidextrous: An ambidextrous person uses both hands equally well
ambient: Something which surrounds is ambient
ambiguous: Something ambiguous is unclear
ambition: To have an ambition is to aim to do something special
ambivalent: Something ambivalent is not clear-cut
'amphi..'
amphibian: An amphibian is an animal at home on land and in water
amphibious: To be amphibious is to be at home on land or in water
amphitheatre: An amphitheatre is a space surrounded by tiers of seats
'ana..'
anachronism: An anachronism is something out of date
anagram: An anagram is a word with the letters mixed up
analysis: An analysis gains information from collected data
anatomy: The study of the structure of living things is anatomy
'arch..'
archangel: An archangel is a most important angel
archbishop: The archbishop is the chief bishop
architect: Someone who designs buildings is an architect
'auto..'
autograph: An autograph is a signature
automatic: If something is automatic it works by itself
automobile: An automobile is a word for motor car
autopilot: The autopilot on a plane will fly the plane by itself
'epi..'
epidemic: An epidemic is when a disease is caught by many people
epilogue: An epilogue can follow the end of a book
episode: An episode is a part of a television serial
epitaph: An epitaph tells briefly of a dead person's life
'hypo..'
hypochondriac: A hypochondriac believes he is always ill
hypocritical: It is hypocritical if you say one thing and do another
hypodermic: Anything under the skin is hypodermic
hypothesis: A theory which could be proved or disproved is a hypothesis
'mega..' big
megabyte: A megabyte is roughly one million bytes
megaphone: A megaphone makes your voice much louder
megastar: A megastar is a really famous person
megawatt: A megawatt is one million watts
'meta..'
metabolism: Our metabolism makes energy from food
metamorphosis: A change in state is a metamorphosis
metaphor: A metaphor compares things by saying one is the other
'micro..' little
microphone: A microphone is used to pick up sound
microscope: A microscope magnifies close-up objects
microwave: A microwave oven uses extremely high frequency radio waves
'para..'
parable: A parable is a story designed to give a moral lesson
parabola: A parabola is a curve
paradox: A paradox is unexpected but may be true
paragraph: A paragraph is a short but distinct piece of writing
parallel: Lines are parallel when they never get nearer
paramedic: A paramedic is someone who helps doctors
paranormal: Something paranormal appears to have no explanation
parasite: A parasite is a creature that lives on another
'sym.., syn..'
symmetry: Correspondence of parts either side of a line is symmetry
sympathy: Friends shared her sorrow with sympathy
symphony: A symphony is a big orchestral composition
symptom: A symptom is a sign of disease
syndicate: A syndicate is a group who combine for business purposes
syndrome: A syndrome is a group of recognised symptoms
synonym: A synonym has the same meaning as another word
synopsis: A synopsis is a summary of a book
'tele..' far
telegram: A telegram is a message sent by telegraph
telepathy: Using only your mind to communicate is called telepathy
telephone: You speak over a distance with a telephone
telescope: A telescope magnifies distant objects
television: A television receives pictures from afar
'anti..'
anticlimax: The end of a holiday is such an anticlimax
anticlockwise: The hands of a clock never turn anticlockwise
antidote: A dock leaf is an antidote for nettle stings
antifreeze: Car radiators need antifreeze in winter
antiseptic: Clean cuts with an antiseptic to kill bacteria
'bene..'
benefactor: A benefactor gives money to help others
benefit: A benefit is an advantage
benevolent: A benevolent person wishes well to others
'co..'
coerce: He is strong enough to coerce them to leave
coexist: If only all nations would coexist in peace!
cooperate: Let's cooperate and share the work
'co[ll]..'
collaborate: To work together with someone is to collaborate
collate: To collate is to gather information together
colleague: A colleague is someone from work
collect: To bring together or assemble is to collect
colloquial: A colloquial phrase is used in everyday language
'co[rr]..'
correct: To correct something is to make it right
correspond: We correspond when we write to each other
corroborate: To corroborate is to confirm
corrode: To corrode is to be eaten away
corrugated: Something corrugated is wrinkled in folds
corrupt: To corrupt somebody is to turn them from good
'contra
contradict: To contradict is to go against
contraflow: A contraflow means two-way traffic on one carriageway
contravene: To contravene a law is to break it
'extra..'
extraordinary: Something extraordinary is something quite remarkable
extrasensory: Powers beyond the normal senses are said to be extrasensory
extraterrestrial: Beyond the Earth is extraterrestrial
extravagant: To be extravagant is to spend too much
'i[ll]..'
illegal:
Something illegal is against the lawillegible: Writing which is impossible to read is illegible
illicit: If something is illicit it is not allowed
illogical: If something is against reason it is illogical
'i[rr]..'
irrational: To be irrational is to think without reason
irregular: Something which is irregular is not in order
irrelevant: If something is irrelevant it is unrelated to the subject
irreplaceable: There is no substitute for something irreplaceable
irresistible: Something irresistible cannot be stopped
irresponsible: An irresponsible act is a careless act
irreversible: Something irreversible cannot be changed back
'inter..'
interchange: Where one motorway meets another is an interchange
interfere: You interfere when you give an unwanted opinion
intermediate: An intermediate level is between an upper and a lower
international: Something occurring between nations is international
interrogate: To interrogate is to question closely
interrupt: To break in on someone is to interrupt them
interval: An interval is a gap between acts of a play
'intra.., intro..'
intravenous: Something within a vein is intravenous
introduce: To introduce is to bring together
introspection: To reflect on one's own thoughts is introspection
'mal[e]..'
malevolent: A malevolent person wishes ill on others
malfunction: A malfunction is when something does not work properly
malnutrition: Insufficient food leads to malnutrition
maltreat: To maltreat somebody is to treat them badly
'mani.., manu..'
manicure: A manicure is special treatment for the hands and nails
manipulate: To manipulate somebody is to use them to your advantage
manufacture: To manufacture is to make things on an industrial scale
manuscript: A manuscript is a piece of writing
'non..'
nonchalant: To be nonchalant is to be unconcerned
nonconformist: A nonconformist is a person who will not conform
nondescript: Something nondescript is unremarkable
nonentity: Something of no importance is a nonentity
nonplussed: To be nonplussed is to be baffled
'ob..'
object: An object is a material thing
obliged: If you are obliged to do something it is compulsory
obliterate: If you destroy something you obliterate it
observe: To observe is to watch carefully
obsolete: Something obsolete is out of date
obstacle: An obstacle is something which stands in the way
obstruct: To obstruct is to get in the way
obvious: Something obvious needs no explanation
'post..'
postdate: To postdate something is to give it a future date
postgraduate: A postgraduate student is studying after a first degree
postpone: To postpone is to put off
postscript: A postscript follows the end of a play, book or letter
'super..'
superfluous: Something superfluous is unnecessary
superimposed: One thing placed over another is superimposed on it
superlative: A superlative thing is better than all the rest
supernatural: Something supernatural does not obey nature's laws
supersede: To supersede is to replace
supersonic: A speed faster than the speed of sound is supersonic
superstitious: To be superstitious is to believe in omens and rituals
supervisor: A supervisor is a person in charge of others
'sus..'
suspect: A suspect is somebody under suspicion of wrongdoing
suspense: A built up state of waiting is called suspense
suspicious: To be suspicious is to have doubts about something
sustain: To sustain something is to keep it going
'trans..'
transatlantic: Something over the Atlantic Ocean is transatlantic
transfer: To transfer is to move something from one place to another
transform: To transform is to change shape
translate: To put words into another language is to translate
transmit: To transmit a programme is to send it out on radio or TV
transparent: Something which can be seen through is transparent
transport: My bike is both transport and exercise
'ultra..'
ultramarine: The colour ultramarine is deep blue
ultrasonic: Sounds too high to be heard by humans are ultrasonic
ultraviolet: Light waves too short be seen are ultraviolet
Further suffixes (L, Gr)
'..al'
animal:
A dog is a domestic animalannual: An annual event happens once a year
central: The hub is the central part of a wheel
equal: Each glass holds an equal amount
final: I have said my last word and that is final
hospital: A hospital is where people go to be made better
local: Our local school is just down the road
natural: She insisted her hair was its natural colour
personal: It was a personal matter and private to him
several: A family has several members
'..ar'
circular: A wheel is a circular shape
linear: A straight line is linear
lunar: Things relating to the moon are lunar
regular: Daily swimming was his regular routine
'..asm, ..ism'
atheism: The belief that there is no god is called atheism
criticism: Informed opinions make useful criticism
enthusiasm: Great interest is called enthusiasm
journalism: The profession of writing for the media is journalism
mechanism: A clockwork mouse has a complex mechanism
sarcasm: He said with sarcasm he'd love to wash up
'..ial'
aerial: An aerial helps to pick up radio signals
industrial: The industrial revolution was machine-made replacing man-made
material: Her new dress was made from a soft material
memorial: The names of the dead are on the memorial
radial: The spokes on a bicycle wheel are radial
terrestrial: Anything on the earth is terrestrial
'..ic'
alcoholic: An alcoholic drink contains alcohol
artistic: Someone with artistic talent painted this picture
athletic: His athletic build meant he could run fast
demonic: The foul fiend howled with demonic laughter
historic: The first flight to the moon was a historic event
magnetic: A magnetic substance can be attracted by a magnet
metallic: The robot made a metallic sound as he clanked along
'..id'
arid: No grass grew in that arid desert
fluid: The jelly was warm and still fluid
frigid: Without a coat I felt frigid with cold
humid: I feel damp and sticky on such a humid day
tepid: My tepid tea had stood too long
vivid: The fireworks left a vivid memory
'..ient'
convenient: It was more convenient to have the new sofa delivered
gradient: The gradient of the hill was very steep
ingredient: Flour is the main ingredient in pastry
nutrient: A little fat is an essential nutrient
obedient: A well-trained sheepdog is very obedient
'..ify'
beautify: To make something more beautiful is to beautify
classify: To classify is to sort things into groups
fortify: To fortify is to protect against attack
glorify: To glorify is to praise something highly
magnify: To magnify is to make something look bigger
modify: To modify something is to change it
mortify: To mortify is to embarrass deeply
'..ile'
agile: The agile gymnast did the splits
fertile: Crops grow better on fertile soil
fragile: The thin glass vase was very fragile
futile: Trying to empty the sea with a bucket is futile
hostile: A dog that bites is hostile
juvenile: A juvenile is a young person
mobile: You can walk and talk with a mobile phone
'..ine'
alpine: On the mountains alpine flowers grow
canine: Something canine is to do with dogs
crystalline: Common salt is a crystalline substance
divine: Many people believe in a divine being
elephantine: It is elephantine to be like an elephant
feline: To be feline is to act like a cat
saline: A saline solution is salty like the sea
'..ior'
exterior: An exterior paint protects outside walls
inferior: That flaking paint was an inferior brand
interior: An interior decorator repaints rooms
junior: The junior doctor was newly qualified
prior: We cannot ask him as he already has a prior appointment
senior: The senior doctor had many years' experience
superior: In the Army a major is superior to a captain
ulterior: An ulterior motive is a hidden reason for doing something
'..is'
analysis: An analysis gains information from collected data
basis: The basis of something is the foundation
bronchitis: Smoking will make bronchitis worse
diagnosis: The diagnosis of illness is to find its cause
emphasis: You underline a word for emphasis
oasis: An oasis is a green patch in the desert
paralysis: Inability to move is paralysis
synthesis: The synthesis of some materials is very hard
'..ology'
apology: An apology is saying you're sorry
mythology: The study of myths is mythology
technology: Applied science is called technology
theology: The study of religion is theology
'..ose'
comatose: The sleepy dog looked comatose
grandiose: The grandiose palace had many turrets
morose: To be morose is to be gloomy and out of sorts
'..scent'
adolescent: An adolescent is no longer a child and not yet an adult
convalescent: The convalescent was ready to leave hospital
effervescent: Sparkling lemonade is effervescent
fluorescent: She highlighted words with her fluorescent pen
incandescent: An incandescent object is hot enough to give off light
reminiscent: Her perfume was reminiscent of a cottage garden
Further suffixes (Latin)
'..age'
blockage:
The leaves in the drain caused the blockagecoverage: The coverage of the news item was very thorough
leakage: The leakage from the gas pipe caused the explosion
passage: The passage to her house was very dark at night
postage: A stamp is there to pay the postage
wastage: There is wastage when some of the fruit is bad
'..ancy'
buoyancy: A buoyancy aid will keep you afloat
discrepancy: There is a discrepancy when two accounts don't match
infancy: A nursemaid looked after him in his infancy
pregnancy: During pregnancy the baby grows within the womb
redundancy: You get redundancy pay when you lose your job
truancy: Skipping school is known as truancy
vacancy: There was a vacancy so she applied for the job
'..ary'
dictionary: A dictionary gives the meaning of words
library: A library houses a collection of books
necessary: If necessary we will send a replacement
ordinary: Do you want ordinary baked beans or curried beans?
temporary: A box made a temporary table
voluntary: It was voluntary work they did for free
'..ate' adjective
accurate: It takes an accurate shot to hit the bull
affectionate: My affectionate puppy licks my hand
immaculate: His crisp white shirt looked immaculate
literate: To be literate means able to read and write.
numerate: To be numerate is to understand sums
obstinate: Donkeys are well known for being obstinate
passionate: She's passionate about football and watches every game
'..ate' verb
activate: Pull this lever to activate the robot
dedicate: She asked the DJ to dedicate a song to her mum
donate: He is going to donate half his money to charity
motivate: Praise will motivate people to work better
operate: The doctors had to operate to save her life
punctuate: A comma can punctuate a sentence
vaccinate: The nurse needed to vaccinate the children against disease
'..cy'
accuracy: It takes accuracy to hit the bull's-eye
bankruptcy: The gambler lost all his money and declared bankruptcy
conspiracy: There was a conspiracy against the new king
delicacy: A delicacy is a treat to eat
diplomacy: A diplomat must be skilled in diplomacy
fallacy: It is a fallacy to say that time can run backwards
piracy: Robbery on the high seas is piracy
'..ice'
avarice: A greedy desire for wealth is avarice
cowardice: Not facing up to a challenge is cowardice
justice: Justice had been done when the murderer went to jail
malice: She did not like him so spoke of him with malice
prejudice: A prejudice is an unreasonable dislike
'..ience'
audience: The audience clapped as the play ended
conscience: Guilty conscience kept the thief awake
convenience: I buy ready-cooked food for convenience
obedience: I took my puppy for obedience training
patience: You need plenty of patience to train a puppy
'..iety'
anxiety: Before doing the bungee jump she was filled with anxiety
notoriety: Captain Kidd gained notoriety by being an infamous pirate
piety: Monks and nuns live lives of piety
society: A society is a group of people
variety: Sweets of every variety lined the shelves
'..ity'
morality: Doing the right thing is a question of morality
neutrality: The state of not taking sides is neutrality
possibility: Rain is unlikely, but it is a possibility
probability: In all probability it will rain in April
reality: I nodded off and lost touch with reality
'..mony'
acrimony: They spoke sharp words in bitter acrimony
ceremony: The wedding was a happy ceremony
matrimony: Weddings unite couples in matrimony
testimony: I believe the testimony of an honest witness
'..sion' convert > conversion
conversion: To change pounds to kilos you need a conversion table
diversion: There was a diversion due to roadworks
inversion: A reversal in order can be called an inversion
subversion: To plot against authority is subversion
'..ssion' concede > concession
accession: Elizabeth II became Queen at her accession
concession: A bus pass is a concession for cheaper travel
procession: The procession of carnival floats was spectacular
recession: A recession is when the economy slows down
'..tude'
altitude: The plane climbed to its cruising altitude
attitude: A positive frame of mind is a good attitude
fortitude: She bore her pain with fortitude
gratitude: She showed gratitude for his help
latitude: Lines of latitude are called parallels
longitude: Lines of longitude are called meridians
multitude: A multitude gathered to greet the band
solitude: Alone on his island, Crusoe found solitude
'..ule' diminutive
capsule: A capsule of medicine can be hard to swallow
globule: A globule of sweat ran down her forehead
granule: A granule of sugar makes a feast for a fly
minuscule: This tiny book has minuscule print
module: Astronauts used a module to land on the Moon
molecule: The least water you can get is a single molecule
schedule: The plane left late but landed on schedule
'..ure' create > creature
creature: The dodo's a creature that's now extinct
enclosure: We keep rabbits in a grassy enclosure
pleasure: A baby's smile gives everyone pleasure
Living word-formation
'-like'
flower-like:
Fireworks exploded flower-like in the skyfrog-like: He squatted frog-like by the pond
jewel-like: A jewel-like drop of water nestled in the leaf
pastry-like: The biscuits were pastry-like in texture
'-wise'
food-wise: A full fridge means you're OK food-wise
fun-wise: My job's poorly paid but fun-wise it's great
money-wise: My job's poor money-wise but I really enjoy it
transport-wise: Country life can be very hard, transport-wise
'anti-'
anti-noise: The drummer's dad was extremely anti-noise
anti-rust: Restore your rusty bike with our anti-rust paint
anti-work: I woke up this morning feeling very anti-work
anti-wrinkle: Keep your skin smooth with this anti-wrinkle cream
'ex-' (as former)
ex-boyfriend: Long after parting she met her ex-boyfriend again
ex-convict: The ex-convict intended to stay out of prison
ex-egg: Is a chicken an ex-egg?
ex-king: Boris, the ex-king, once ruled his country
ex-parrot: A dead parrot is an ex-parrot, says Monty Python
ex-serviceman: The ex-serviceman told tales of Army life
'pre-'
pre-book: We must pre-book our tickets for the concert
pre-punched: The holes are there in pre-punched paper
pre-Roman: This hill-fort goes back to pre-Roman times
'pro-'
pro-British: A Frenchman can be pro-British too
pro-cycling: I am pro-cycling yet seldom ride
pro-fitness: I am pro-fitness but I don't like training
pro-hunting: Some country folk are pro-hunting, some against
compound words
birthday: Your birthday marks the day you were born
dustbin: The dustbin is for household rubbish
handbag: She keeps her purse in her handbag
lipstick: Use lipstick to colour your lips
milkman: A milkman delivers milk
notebook: He jotted some notes in his notebook
sunset: The western sky glows red at sunset
windmill: Wind drives the sails of the windmill
Other common prefixes
'ab..'
abominable:
The abominable snowman is a mythical creatureabound: Autumn orchards abound with fruit
abrupt: The busy teacher gave an abrupt answer
absent: She was absent because she was ill
absorbent: You mop up spills with an absorbent cloth
abstain: I find it hard to abstain from eating sweets
absurd: A dog in trainers looks absurd
'ad..'
address: We have moved to our new address
adjacent: A wall divides us from the adjacent room
admire: I admire your neat handwriting
admission: The museum charges for admission
adore: I would adore a choc-ice
adventure: Exploring the forest is quite an adventure
advice: Ask for advice if you are unsure what to do
advise: A lawyer is paid to advise you
'com..'
comfort: I love the comfort of my own armchair
command: The sheepdog obeys his master's command
comment: My comment was just a passing remark
company: Come and keep me company on my walk
compare: You cannot compare dogs and oranges
complete: One more piece makes the puzzle complete
composed: The Beatles composed their own music
'con..'
concern: Her mother felt concern for the tiny child
concert: The school choir gave a concert at the town hall
condemn: Don't condemn me until you hear me out
confront: I'll confront the reporters face to face
connect: You'll need to connect this hose to the tap
conquer: The general set out to conquer the rebels
contain: I counted to ten to contain my anger
continue: Roadworks can continue for ages
'de..' as very
deliver: The postman knocked to deliver a parcel
demand: The gas company sent a final demand for payment
deserve: After all this work I deserve a rest
devastate: A huge flood can devastate wide areas
'de..' down, from, away
defence: Castle walls made a strong defence
defer: Let's defer the meeting until John can be here
deflate: That pin could deflate my ball
descend: We watched the balloon descend to the ground
describe: Let me describe the view for you
destroy: You can destroy weeds by pulling them up
detergent: This detergent is said to wash off grease
'dis..'
disappointed: She was so disappointed to lose
discovery: A little hidden beach was our great discovery
disgusting: That greasy sink looks disgusting
dismay: With utter dismay they saw the boat sink
disposable: We throw our baby's disposable nappies away
'ex..' out of
excavate: The bulldozers rolled in to excavate the site
except: February has 28 days except in leap years
excluding: The price is two pounds excluding postage
excursion: Let's go on the excursion to the theme park
exit: You leave the building by the nearest exit
export: We export cars to many countries
extract: The dentist pulled hard to extract the tooth
'im..'
imbalance: An imbalance exists between rich and poor nations
immaculate: His crisp white shirt looked immaculate
immediate: A drowning man needs immediate help
immense: The extent of the sea is immense
immune: The immune system protects the body from infection
impede: Thick weed in the canal would impede our boat
'im..' as into
imbibe: Let us imbibe some fine ale, my good man
immerse: I just immerse myself in a bath to relax
immigrant: The immigrant settled well into his new country
implode: Pressure from outside made the flask implode
imply: Yawns imply that you are tired
import: We import bananas because they don't grow here
improve: I hope my spelling will improve with practice
'in..' as into
include: I'll include a card with my gift
infect: Bacteria can infect an open wound
infer: What can you infer from these results?
inflate: You'll need a pump to inflate an airbed
inhabited: A light in the window showed the house was inhabited