Spelling words with the prefixes ad- and al- and hyphens | English

Starter quiz

Select the prefixes.
- abc
- anti- ✓
- first
- -ly
- il- ✓
What does the prefix co- usually mean? Example words are 'coordinate' or 'copilot'.
- with ✓
- before
- against
What does the word 'recover' mean?
- to return to a normal state of health or strength after illness or setback ✓
- to get back something that was lost or misplaced
- to find or learn something again
Match the words to their meanings.
- almost
  
  ⇔
  
  nearly, very close ✓
- altogether
  
  ⇔
  
  completely, in total ✓
- alone
  
  ⇔
  
  by oneself, without others ✓
Match the words to their meanings.
- aboard
  
  ⇔
  
  on board, onto a ship, train or other vehicle ✓
- ex-wife
  
  ⇔
  
  a former (past) wife ✓
- self-belief
  
  ⇔
  
  belief in yourself ✓
Correct the spelling of the word in bold. Please riwind the film.
- 'rewind' ✓

Exit quiz

Match the prefixes to the root words.
- non-
  
  ⇔
  
  negotiable ✓
- self-
  
  ⇔
  
  centred ✓
- ex-
  
  ⇔
  
  girlfriend ✓
- pre-
  
  ⇔
  
  exisiting ✓
Match the prefix to its meaning.
- a-
  
  ⇔
  
  in the state of ✓
- al-
  
  ⇔
  
  all ✓
- ad-
  
  ⇔
  
  towards ✓
Select the correct spelling of the word.
- allso
- also ✓
- alsow
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. I allredy have that football card.
- 'already' ✓
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. Allthow I arrived late, the film had not begun.
- 'Although' ✓
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. He was a very kind and afible man.
- 'affable' ✓

Worksheet

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

A prefix is a letter or group of letters at the start of a word which changes its meaning.
The prefixes ad- and af- mean ‘towards’.
The prefix al- means ‘all’ and a- means ‘in the state of’.
A hyphen can join a prefix to a base word to avoid ambiguity in meaning or spelling.
How to spell the curriculum words: experience, extreme and increase.

Common misconception

Pupils may think that for every word with a prefix the meaning of the prefix will be very literal.

Show a range of words with the focus prefixes in. Whilst with some words the meaning of the prefix may be clear, with others it is not. Explain this is linked to the complex way that language develops over time.

Keywords

Prefix - a letter or group of letters added to the start of a root word to change its meaning
Root word - the base word from which other words are formed often by adding prefixes or suffixes
Hyphen - a hyphen can join a prefix to a base word to avoid ambiguity in meaning or spelling