Year 6 - English
Spelling words with the -able suffix
Letter strings, etymology and curriculum words
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils review and learn a wide range of Year 6 spellings, including letter strings, words with the suffixes -ant, -ance, -ent, -ence, -able and -ible, silent letters, French and Greek origin words, curriculum words and words that use the hyphen in two ways.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to spell words with the suffix -able and -ably.
Key Notes
- The -able and -ably endings are the most common spellings for this sound and are therefore the best bet.
- Removing the -able suffix generally leaves a recognisable word, e.g. understand - understandable
- Words in word families using the suffixes -ation, -able and -ably are connected in spelling and meaning.
- Drop the final -e of the root word before adding the suffix -able unless the words end in -ce or -ge
- How to spell the curriculum words: privilege, system.
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
- adjective: describes a noun
- adverb: describes a verb
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Children mix up the -ible and -able spellings.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
The -able and -ably endings are the most common spellings for this sound and are therefore the best bet. Removing the -able suffix generally leaves a recognisable word, e.g. understand - understandable.
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: Children mix up the -ible and -able spellings. Correction: Use the rules shown in the lesson: Is there is a recognisable root word without the ending? Is this a modern word? Is there a related word ending in -ation? These will all help to identify the -able spelling.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Recognising the different sounds made by the letter strings 'ough' and 'au' Study Guide
- Recognising the different sounds made by the letter strings "ou", "ear" and "ice" Study Guide
- Spelling key curriculum words Study Guide
- Spelling words from the Y5/6 curriculum list Study Guide
- Spelling words with French etymology Study Guide
- Spelling words with Greek and Latin etymology Study Guide
- Spelling words with the -ible suffix Study Guide
- Spelling words with the 'ee' sound spelt 'ei' Study Guide
- Spelling words with the 'ee' sound spelt 'ie' Study Guide
- Spelling words with the silent letters 'b', 'k', 'g', 'w' and 't' Study Guide
- Spelling words with the silent letters 'h', 'p', 'n', 'l' and 's' Study Guide
- Spelling words with the suffixes -ant and -ance Study Guide
- Spelling words with the suffixes -ent and -ence Study Guide
- Using hyphens to create adjectives Study Guide
- Using hyphens to join prefixes to root words Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 6 English guide library.