Adding Suffixes to Words Ending in y – Free Printable Word Suffix Game

Are you working on teaching students about adding suffixes to words ending in y? If so you will love this free printable word suffix game for first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd grade students. This activity includes verb endings and the sneaky y, adding er and est to adjectives, and nouns ending in y plural.

Adding Suffixes to Words Ending in y

As parents, we’re on a mission to guide our little ones through the twists and turns of mastering the English language. One of the hurdles they encounter is figuring out how to add suffixes like ‘ing’, ‘er’, and ‘est’ to words that end in ‘y’. Today, we’re diving into the rules that govern this tricky territory, and then we’ll jump into a game to put those rules into action. Get ready for some word wizardry and a whole lot of fun!

Rule 1: Verb Endings and the Sneaky ‘Y’

Alright, let’s tackle those tricky verb endings first.

1. When a verb ends with ‘y’ and there’s a consonant before it, that sneaky ‘y’ likes to switch things up to ‘i’ before adding ‘ed’ or ‘es’. So, words like ‘fly’ become ‘flied’ or “flies”when talking about the past.
2. But when we’re talking about the present and adding ‘ing’, no need to switcheroo! Just plop that ‘ing’ right on the end. For example, ‘fly’ turns into ‘flying’ effortlessly!

Let’s break down Rule 1 into bullet points for a clearer understanding:

• Shy
  • Shy → Shying (adding ‘ing’)
  • Shy → Shied (adding ‘ed’)
  • Shy → Shies (for third-person singular, he/she/it)
• Magnify
  • Magnify → Magnifying (adding ‘ing’)
  • Magnify → Magnifies (for third-person singular)
  • Magnify → Magnified (adding ‘ed’)
• Dry
  • Dry → Drying (adding ‘ing’)
  • Dry → Dries (for third-person singular)
  • Dry → Dried (adding ‘ed’)
• Cry
  • Cry → Crying (adding ‘ing’)
  • Cry → Cries (for third-person singular)
  • Cry → Cried (adding ‘ed’)

There you go! With these examples, it should be easier to see how the ‘y’ behaves when we add different suffixes.

Rule 2: Adding ‘er’ and ‘est’ to Adjectives

Now, onto those adjectives! When we want to compare or boast about how sunny or grumpy something or someone is, we have to do a little switcheroo with the ‘y’. First, swap it out for ‘i’, then add ‘er’ or ‘est’. So, ‘sunny’ becomes ‘sunniest’ when we’re talking about the most radiant day of the year!

• Grumpy
  • Grumpy → Grumpier
  • Grumpy → Grumpiest
• Sunny
  • Sunny → Sunnier
  • Sunny → Sunniest
• Messy
  • Messy → Messier
  • Messy → Messiest
• Muddy
  • Muddy → Muddier
  • Muddy → Muddiest

Nouns ending in y plural

Lastly, let’s talk about making plurals. When our little nouns end in ‘y’, like ‘bunny’, ‘penny’, ‘fly’, or ‘candy’, we’re going to transform that ‘y’ into ‘ie’ and then just pop on an ‘s’. So, ‘bunny’ becomes ‘bunnies’ when there’s a whole bunch of them hopping around!

• Bunny
  • Bunny → Bunnies
• Penny
  • Penny → Pennies
• Candy
  • Candy → Candies
• Fly
  • Fly → Flies

Word Suffix Adventure Game

Objective:

Be the first player to reach the end space by correctly forming words with given suffixes.

Players:

2 or more players

Materials:

• Game board with the pictures and spelling of root word
• Game pieces for each player
• Six-sided die
• Spinner with various suffixes and lined paper laminated
• dry erase marker for each player

Setup:

Each player selects a game piece and places it on the start space of the game board.

Each player should have a dry-erase marker and the laminated spinner board.

Place the spinner and die within reach of all players.

Gameplay:

1. Player one begins by rolling the die and moving their game piece forward the number of spaces indicated by the die.
   Once the player lands on a space, they must read the word written on that space aloud.
   After reading the word, the player spins the spinner.
   The player must then write down the word they landed on, adding the suffix indicated by the spinner.
   If the player forms the word correctly, they remain on that space. If not, they must return to their previous position on the board.
2. It is now player two’s turn to roll the die and follow the same steps.
3. Players continue taking turns in this manner, moving, reading, spinning, and writing words with suffixes.
4. The game continues until one player reaches the end space on the board. The player who reaches the end space first is declared the winner.

So, there you have it With these simple rules and a sprinkle of fun, you and your kiddos are ready to conquer the world of suffixes! Enjoy playing the game together, laughing, and learning as you go. Before you know it, those tricky ‘y’ words won’t stand a chance against your word mastery.