Prefixes and Suffixes for Kids: Build New Words with un, re, ful, less (Grade 3 English)

Hi, I'm Luna from DoodleBeez. Today we are building words with prefixes and suffixes. A base word is the main word. A prefix goes at the start, and a suffix goes at the end.

The prefix un, spelled U N, means not, or the opposite of. Happy becomes unhappy, which means not happy. Kind becomes unkind. Lock becomes unlock, the opposite of lock.

The prefix ree, spelled R E, means again. Read becomes reread, which means read again. Fill becomes refill, and play becomes replay. This prefix tells you to do it again.

Now suffixes. The suffix ful, spelled F U L, means full of. Joy becomes joyful, full of joy. Help becomes helpful. Notice the suffix has only one L.

The suffix less means without. Fear becomes fearless, without fear. Care becomes careless, without care. Ful and less are often opposites, like careful and careless.

When you meet a long word, break it into parts. Look at unhelpful. Un means not. Help is the base word. Ful means full of. So unhelpful means not helpful at all.

Now it's your turn. What do these words mean? Retell. Painless. Unsafe. Pause and try. Retell means tell again. Painless means without pain. Unsafe means not safe.

Great job! Prefixes like un and ree go at the start. Suffixes like ful and less go at the end. Practice prefixes and suffixes in the English Lab at doodlebeez.com. See you next time!