Skip to content

Study Hub

Study Guides

This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.

Year 4 - English

Adding the suffix -ed to verbs

Verb and adjective suffixes

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils learn spelling and grammar conventions associated with certain verb and adjective suffixes, like -ate, -en, -ify, -ise and -ous. Pupils will review and learn more examples of how the addition of a suffix can affect the grammar of a word, for example its word class or tense.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to spell a word in the past tense using the suffix -ed.

Key Notes

  • Adding the suffix -ed turns the verb into the past tense and the -ed can sound like /id/, /d/ or /t/.
  • When a verb has two syllables and the final syllable is stressed, double the consonant and add -ed.
  • When a verb ends in 'e', remove the 'e' and add the suffix -ed.
  • When a verb ends in 'y', swap it for an 'i' and add the suffix -ed.
  • How to spell the common exception words: heard, appear and circle.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • suffix: a letter or group of letters added to the end of a root word
  • present tense: tells the reader the action is happening now
  • past tense: shows that the action happened before now
  • verb: a doing or being word

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Pupils can think that all verbs ending in 'y' follow the rule remove the 'y' and add -ied.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

Adding the suffix -ed turns the verb into the past tense and the -ed can sound like /id/, /d/ or /t/. When a verb has two syllables and the final syllable is stressed, double the consonant and add -ed.

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

a letter or group of letters added to the end of a root word.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Pupils can think that all verbs ending in 'y' follow the rule remove the 'y' and add -ied. Correction: Look at examples that add -ed and remove the 'y' and add -ied. Focus on the sound the 'y' is making and see if it is part of a digraph.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 4 English guide library.