Prefix and suffix meaning game: Part Meanings

What Part Meanings practices

Part Meanings is a prefix and suffix meaning game. A word appears with one part highlighted, and your child chooses what that part means from three options, each read aloud.

The first playable set includes un- and dis- for “not or opposite” and common endings such as -s, -es, -ing, -ed, -ly, -ful, -less and -ness. Later in the ReadPals journey, re- for “again” (replay) and pre- for “before” (preview) join the game.

Who it suits

Readers who can already decode short words and are ready to use word parts to work out meaning. The game begins with familiar prefixes and endings, then adds more as the ReadPals journey progresses.

How a round goes

Your child listens to the question, looks at the highlighted part and taps a meaning. A wrong choice brings “Try again” and a wiggle. A right choice celebrates and its little symbol animates the meaning. When every option has a symbol, the symbols show on the tiles from the start, which helps a child who is still reading the choices.

The parts take turns, so each one comes back before any repeats. Each question is short, and a ring of five takes about two minutes.

A tip for home

Pick one prefix for the week, such as un-, and collect examples together: unhappy, unlock, untie, unpack. Act a few out. Owning one word part properly is worth more than skimming a list of ten.

Try next

• Add the Ending — adds -s, -ing and -ed to make words match a picture.
• Split the Word — chunks longer words, which often splits off these parts.
• Story Time — reads a whole little story and answers a question about it.
• Read and Do — reads a whole sentence and makes it true on the stage, putting word meaning to work.

More from “Longer words and word parts”

• Syllable Types — Name the syllable pattern: closed, open or consonant-le.

Read more

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