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Year 4 - English

The /shun/ suffixes, including -sion

Noun and adjective suffixes

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils learn spelling and grammar conventions associated with certain noun and adjective suffixes like -ity, -ness, -tion, -sion, -ssion, -cian, -cial and -tial. Pupils review how the addition of a suffix can affect the grammar of a word, in most cases by changing its word class.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to spell words using the suffix -sion.

Key Notes

  • Words ending in the suffix -sion are nouns.
  • The suffix -sion sometimes makes the sound /zhun/ like 'division'.
  • Words spelt with -sion often have a root word ending in 'd', 'de' or 'se'.
  • The /shun/ suffix can be spelt -tion, -sion, -ssion or -cian.
  • How to spell the curriculum words: reign, island and February.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • noun: a naming word for a person, place or thing
  • root word: the base word from which other words are formed often by adding prefixes or suffixes
  • suffix: a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • The curriculum words 'reigh', 'island' and 'February' can be mis-spelt, without the silent letters.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

Words ending in the suffix -sion are nouns. The suffix -sion sometimes makes the sound /zhun/ like 'division'.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'noun'

a naming word for a person, place or thing.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: The curriculum words 'reigh', 'island' and 'February' can be mis-spelt, without the silent letters. Correction: Practise saying the word how it is spelt, e.g. Feb-ru-ar-y. Use the 'naughty letters' strategy to emphasise unusual letters in the words.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 4 English guide library.