Spelling words with the comparative suffix -er | English

Starter quiz

Identify the adjectives in this sentence: The bright, white moon shone in the sky.
- bright ✓
- white ✓
- moon
- shone
- sky
How many syllables are in the following words: colder, fresher, faster.
- 1
- 2 ✓
- 3
- 4
Select the suffixes.
- -ed ✓
- un-
- -er ✓
- -ing ✓
- de-
Select all the words containing the suffix -er.
- player ✓
- referring
- hopeless
- healthier ✓
- fitter ✓
Match the words ending with the suffix -er to their root words.
- heavy
  
  ⇔
  
  heavier ✓
- big
  
  ⇔
  
  bigger ✓
- calm
  
  ⇔
  
  calmer ✓
- brave
  
  ⇔
  
  braver ✓
What rule is being used when the word 'quick' becomes 'quicker' when adding the suffix -er?
- Just add -er. ✓
- Remove the ‘y’ and add -ier.
- Remove the ‘e’ and add -er.
- Double the consonant and add -er.

The suffixes -er and -est help us to...
- change the tense of a word.
- create a plural noun.
- compare things. ✓
- create an adjective.
What rule is being used when the word 'flat' becomes 'flatter' when adding the suffix -er?
- Just add -er.
- Remove the ‘y’ and add -ier.
- Remove the ‘e’ and add -er.
- Double the consonant and add -er. ✓
What rule is being used when the word 'early' becomes 'earlier' when adding the suffix -er?
- Just add -er.
- Remove the ‘y’ and add -ier. ✓
- Remove the ‘e’ and add -er.
- Double the consonant and add -er.
What rule is being used when the word 'safe' becomes 'safer' when adding the suffix -er?
- Just add -er.
- Remove the ‘y’ and add -ier.
- Remove the ‘e’ and add -er. ✓
- Double the consonant and add -er.
What rule is being used when the word 'quiet' becomes 'quieter' when adding the suffix -er?
- Just add -er. ✓
- Remove the ‘y’ and add -ier.
- Remove the ‘e’ and add -er.
- Double the consonant and add -er.
Write the correct spelling of the word in bold in the following sentence: I took the largr piece of cake!
- 'larger' ✓

Loading worksheet ...

Loading presentation ...

If the root word ends in 'y', remove the 'y' and add -ier.
If the root word ends in 'e', remove the 'e' and add -er.
If the root word contains a short vowel sound, double the consonant and add -er.
'Good' is irregular as it does not follow the same pattern. Instead we have good, better and best.
How to spell the curriculum words: necessary and average.

Pupils often forget to double the consonant when adding the suffix -er.

Show non-examples when the consonant has not been doubled after a short vowel sound (hot-hoter). Explain how this alters our pronunciation.

Suffix - a letter or group of letters added to the end of a root word
Root word - the base word from which other words are formed often by adding prefixes or suffixes
Comparative - the form of an adjective or adverb that compares two or more things