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 5 - English

Turning adjectives into nouns using the suffixes -ity and -ness

Verb, adjective and noun suffixes

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils learn spelling and grammar conventions associated with certain verb, adjective and noun suffixes like -ing, -ed, -s, -ies, -es, -ves, -ate, -en, -ify and -less. Pupils review and learn more examples of how the addition of a suffix can affect the grammar of a word.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to spell words using the suffixes -ity and -ness.

Key Notes

  • The suffixes -ity and -ness turns adjectives into abstract nouns.
  • When a word ends in a consonant, just add the suffix -ity; when it ends in 'e', remove the 'e', then add -ity.
  • There are other patterns and irregular words, like 'ability' and 'simplicity'.
  • For most words, just add the suffix -ness; when a word ends in 'y', replace the 'y' with 'i', then add the suffix -ness.
  • How to spell the curriculum words: business and opportunity.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • suffix: a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning
  • root word: the base word from which other words are formed often by adding prefixes or suffixes
  • noun: a naming word for a person, place or thing
  • abstract noun: a type of noun that names an idea or quality that cannot be seen

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Pupils think that all nouns are a person, place or thing that you can touch.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

The suffixes -ity and -ness turns adjectives into abstract nouns. When a word ends in a consonant, just add the suffix -ity; when it ends in 'e', remove the 'e', then add -ity.

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

a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Pupils think that all nouns are a person, place or thing that you can touch. Correction: Show a range of different nouns, including common and abstract nouns. Show that they can be described with an adjective.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 5 English guide library.