RIC-20235 Primary Grammar and Word Study Year 3 – Understanding and choosing words

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Primary grammar and word study (Book D) 

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Primary grammar and 

word study – Book D 

Foreword 

Primary grammar and word study is a series of seven books designed 

to introduce students to parts of speech, ways to understand and choose 

words, punctuation and figures of speech. 

Titles in this series: 

• Primary grammar and word study Book A (Ages 5– 6) 

• Primary grammar and word study Book B (Ages 6–7) 

• Primary grammar and word study Book C (Ages 7–8) 

• Primary grammar and word study Book D (Ages 8–9) 

• Primary grammar and word study Book E (Ages 9 –10) 

• Primary grammar and word study Book F (Ages 10–11) 

• Primary grammar and word study Book G (Ages 11–12) 

Teaches notes ................................................iv – v 

English curriculum links ....................................... v 

Literacy character explanation ...................... vi – vii 

Checklists.................................................... viii – xi 

Parts of speech .............................................. 2–33 

Nouns .............................................................. 2–5 

Verbs .............................................................. 6–11 

Adjectives..................................................... 12–17 

Adverbs ........................................................ 18–21 

Pronouns ...................................................... 22–25 

Conjunctions ................................................ 26–27 

Determiners ................................................. 28–31 

Prepositions ................................................. 32–33 

Understanding and choosing words ........... 34–57 

Words that are similar ...............................34–41 

Homographs ............................................ 34–35 

Homophones ............................................ 36–37 

Word groups ............................................ 38–41 

Words that change .....................................42–49 

Plurals ...................................................... 42–45 

Prefixes .................................................... 46–47 

Suffixes .................................................... 48–49 

Contents 

Words and their meanings ........................50–57 

Synonyms ................................................ 50–51 

Antonyms ................................................. 52–53 

Confused words .........................................54–57 

Punctuation .................................................. 58–71 

Full stops, question marks and 

exclamation marks ....................................... 58–59 

Capital letters ............................................... 60–61 



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Commas ....................................................... 62–65 

Apostrophes ................................................. 66–69 

Quotation marks ........................................... 70–71 

Figures of speech ......................................... 72–83 

Alliteration .................................................... 72–73 

Anagrams and palindromes .......................... 74–75 

Similes ......................................................... 76–77 

Metaphors .................................................... 78–79 

Onomatopoeia .............................................. 80–81 

Personification .............................................. 82–83 

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Primary grammar and word study

Understanding and choosing words 

checklist 

Name of student Homographs Homophones Word groups Plurals Prefixes Suffixes Synonyms Antonyms 

Confused 

words 



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Understanding and 

choosing words 

Homographs 

Focus 

Homographs 

Definition 

• Homographs are words that are spelt the same but 

have different meanings. 

Example: 

light – the opposite of heavy 

light – pale in colour; e.g. light blue 

(Note: There are more than these two meanings for 

‘light’.) 

Sometimes homographs are pronounced differently. 

Example: 

tear (rhymes with deer)—a drop of water 

that falls from your eye; and tear (rhymes with 

dare)—to rip a page out of a book 

Explanation 

• Recognising and using different homographs 

develops and enriches students’ vocabulary. They 

learn to understand the meaning and application of 

words and the way they work in print. 

Worksheet information 

• As an introduction, give two quiz questions to the 

students to demonstrate two different meanings for 

the same word. 

Example: 

Question 1: What is another word for a large 

stone? Question 2: What can you do with a baby 

in a cradle? 

Ask them to guess the word (rock) and discuss the 

different meanings. Students may suggest other 

meanings for ‘rock’, such as a type of music (rockand-roll). 

• Once completed, discuss the students’ answers for 

Question 1 as a class. 

• In Question 2, students are given one definition 

of various homographs. The answer is in the 

wordsearch. Once each homograph is found, 

students then write another meaning for each word 

on the lines provided. Dictionaries could be used to 

assist. Again, discuss students answers as a class as 

there are more than two meanings for many words. 

• The word ‘wind’ in 2. (d) is an example of a 

homograph that has different pronunciations. 

Discuss this with the students before they complete 

Question 3. 

Ideas for further practice 

• Students compile a class homograph dictionary 

for reference. Students brainstorm to list a specific 

number of words and arrange them in alphabetical 

order. A word can be written at the top of a page 

with two or more definitions underneath. 

• Hold a competition to see which group can come up 

with the most meanings for a homograph. 

Answers 

1. (a) Possible answer: A device for keeping you 

cool, such as a fan. 

(b) Possible answer: A piece of wood or metal 

used for support, such as a fence post. 

Primary grammar and word study 34 

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2. 

c e a w b p g n o e 

o t h i g e r o p n 

n p i n e n e o s i 

e r i d u c k a l f 

u r n n r n a e l m 



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Possible answers: 

(a) a device for writing with 

(b) a score of zero in cricket/ to lower yourself 

down suddenly 

(c) a shape with a circular, flat bottom with 

sides that meet at the top with a point/the 

edible wafer of an ice-cream 

(d) to suddenly have shortness of breath/gas 

from the stomach or bowel 

(e) healthy or well/a monetary penalty paid for 

doing something wrong 

(f) jewellery worn on your fingers/a boxing ring 

(g) in a sloping position/to rest against 

something for support 

3. wind (rhymes with ‘kind’): to wind up a clock or 

similar/a track that turns one way then another

Homographs 

Some words are spelt the same way but have more than one 

meaning. They are called homographs. 

1. Each word has been written in a sentence to show one of its 

meanings. Use each word in another sentence to show another of its meanings. 

(a) fan: The football fan dressed up in his team’s colours. 

(b) post: I must remember to post her birthday card today. 

2. Read the definitions below and find each answer in the wordsearch. Write 

another meaning for each homograph on the lines provided. 

(a) Pigs are kept in this: 

(b) A bird that says ‘quack’: 

(c) Grows on a pine or fir tree: 

(d) Moving air: 

(e) Sunny without cloud: 

c e a s b p g n o e 

o t h i g e r o p n 

n w i n d n e o s i 

e r i d u c k a l f 

u r n n r n a e l m 



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(f) A circular shape: 

(g) A piece of meat with little or no fat: 

3. Write another meaning for ‘wind’ (rhymes with ‘kind’) on the back of this sheet. 

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Homophones 

Focus 

Homophones 

Definition 

• Homophones are words that sound the same but 

are spelt differently and have different meanings. 

Example: 

prey – an animal hunted for food by another 

pray – to plead with (God or an object of worship), 

to earnestly hope for something 

Explanation 

• The word ‘homophone’ means ‘same sound’. 

Homonyms (‘same name’) include both homophones 

and homographs (‘same writing’). 

• Identifying different homophones and recognising 

how to spell them helps students to communicate 

more clearly in writing. Investigating homophones 

also helps to develop and enrich students’ 

vocabulary. They learn to understand the meaning of 

words and the way they work in print. 

• Correct spelling is essential when using 

homophones. No spelling rules exist for spelling 

pairs or groups of homophones. 


• Read and discuss the definition with the students. If 

desired, tell them the meaning of ‘homo’ and ‘phone’ 

to help them remember the difference between 

homophones and homographs. Give, and ask for, 

some suggestions of words which are homophones. 

List these on the board. 

• Before asking the students to read the text to 

answer Question 1, remind them that the correct 

words have been used, but with incorrect spelling 

which gives each word a different meaning. 

• There are 17 incorrect spellings (incorrect 

homophones) to be circled in the text. Correct these 

as a class before allowing students to write the 

correct homophone above each. Then ask students 

to reread the text when completed to see if it makes 

more sense than the previous version. 

• Students should be able to complete Questions 2 

and 3 independently. 


• Think of some well-known sayings, songs, poems or 

rhymes that contain homophones, such as ‘A sailor 

went to sea, sea, sea to see what he could see, see, 

see …’ or ‘How much wood would a woodchuck 

chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?’ 

• Homophones make eye-catching names for shops. 

Example: 

‘Fish Plaice’ (fish and chip shop—’plaice’ is a 

species of fish ), ‘Sew Fantastic’ (sewing and 

material shop), ‘Home Suite Home’ and ‘Suite 

Dreams’ (furniture shops), ‘Meat at the Corner’ 

(butcher shops). 

Use a local phone book to locate others to share 

with the class. 

• Students write a fun sentence or rhyme which 

helps them remember how to differentiate between 

homophones; for example: beech/beach—‘A beech 

is a tree but the beach is by the sea’ or ‘Wait here 

while I check the weight of the elephant’. 

Answers 

1.–2. Tom 

We finally made it to the airport despite Dad 

stressing the whole time. We were a whole hour 

early, so we had to wait around for ages being 

bored. The plane that we caught seemed huge, 

but by the time everyone was on board there 

wasn’t a lot of room to move around in. We rode 

in a taxi to the hotel and were really tired when 

we got here. Tomorrow, we are going to visit the 

berry farm and I hope we can have scones with 

cream and jam again, like we had before. It’s past 

my bedtime now, so I will write again soon. 



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Your best friend 

Warren 

3. (a) prey (b) rode, road (c) bear 

(d) flower (e) their, there (f) drawer 

4. Teacher check 


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Homophones 

Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelt 

differently and have different meanings. 

1. (a) Read the email below and underline the words used incorrectly. 

Inbox (25 messages) 

Get Mail Delete Junk Reply Reply All Forward New Message Note To Do Search 

MAILBOXES 

Mailbox 

Sent 

Trash 

ON MY COMPUTER 

Spike 

Stacy Y 

Malaika Q 

Jack O 

Gordon D 

Pete F 

Mandy S 

Noah H 

(b) Write the correct word above each incorrect one. 

2. Write a homophone for each word. 

(a) pray 

(c) bare 

(e) they’re 

Tom 

From Subject Date Received 

Warren Tran Nguyen To the airport on time! Saturday 5 December 

Noah Jordan Annika’s going to the party! Saturday 5 December 

Mandy Gordon Are you going to Mike’s party? Saturday 5 December 

We finally maid it to the airport despite Dad stressing the hole time. We were a 

hole our early, so we had to weight around for ages being board. The plain that 

we court seemed huge, but buy the time everyone was on bored their wasn’t a 

lot of room to move around in. We road in a taxi to the hotel and were really tired 

when we got hear. Tomorrow, we are going to visit the bury farm and I hope we 

can have scones with cream and jam again, like we had before. It’s passed my 

bedtime now, sew I will right again soon. 

Your best friend 

Warren 

(b) rowed 



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(d) flour 

(f) draw 

Homophones are good to use for making jokes. 

3. Read the jokes below, then write a similar joke of your own on the back of this 

sheet. 

(a) There was a lady who wore a size 16 dress. When she was younger, she wore a 

much smaller size. 

Question: Why do you think she now wears a size 16 dress? 

Answer: Because she eight and eight. (8 + 8) (ate and ate) 

(b) Question: Why are you lying around like that, doing nothing? 

Answer: Because I am (a) board. (bored) 





Word groups 

Focus 

Alphabetical order 

Explanation 

• Alphabetical order is a system used to arrange 

items so they can be easily found. It is used in many 

ways with which students are familiar, such as class 

registers, dictionaries and libraries. 

• Initially, words are ordered by the first letter, then the 

second, third and so on. 


• Prior to completing the sheet, show students 

examples of how alphabetical order is used in daily 

life, such as street names in road books, names in 

telephone directories and indexes at the back of 

books. 

• Give students short lists of related words to place in 

alphabetical order, explaining that if there are two 

or more words beginning with the same letter, the 

ordering is by the second, third etc. letter. 

• In Question 1, students order the South American 

countries from 1 (Argentina) to 12 (Venezuela). 

• In Question 2, students rearrange the letters to find 

the six sports and then place them on the puzzle. 

Counting the number of letters in each word can be 

offered as a clue if necessary. The boxes are then 

numbered as in Question 1. 


• Make several lists of words for students to place 

in alphabetical order by first, second or third letter 

or a mixture of all three. Choose subjects that are 

of some interest to the students such as sports, TV 

programs, popular authors and local suburbs. 

• Students find synonyms and antonyms of a selection 

of words and place them in alphabetical order. 

• Challenge students to be the first to find words in a 

dictionary, street names in a map book or telephone 

numbers in a telephone directory. 

Answers 

1. 1. Argentina 2. Bolivia 

3. Brazil 4. Chile 

5. Colombia 6. Ecuador 

7. Guyana 8. Paraguay 

9. Peru 10. Suriname 

11. Uruguay 12. Venezuela 

2. (a) (i) squash 

(ii) tennis 

(iii) rowing 

(iv) swimming 

(v) netball 

(vi) rugby 

(b) (c) 



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Alphabetical order 

Alphabetical order is an effective way to organise all sorts of 

information so it can be found easily. 

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 

1. Number the boxes from 1 to 12 to arrange the countries in alphabetical order. 

P A R A G U A Y C O L O M B I A 

2. (a) Rearrange the letters in each word to reveal the names of six sports. 

(i) auhqss 

(iii) iognrw 

(v) aebllnt 

(b) Place each sport on the puzzle. 

(ii) einnst 

(iv) gimminsw 

(vi) ubgry 

(c) Number the boxes to arrange the sports in alphabetical order. 

S 

C U R U G U A Y 

A H R A 

R I B O L I V I A N 

G L N A 

V E N E Z U E L A B 

N M R 

T P E C U A D O R 

I E Z 

N R I 



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G 

U 





Word groups 

Focus 

The names of different occupations 

Explanation 

• Occupations can be categorised in many ways. 

Example: 

trades – electrician, plasterer, plumber, builder, 

gardener 

health – doctor, dentist 

protection – police, firefighter 

personal – hairdresser, fitness instructor 

• Occupations can also be categorised by the name of 

what they study. 

Example: 

speleologist (speleology) 

palaeontologist (palaeontology) 


• Note that each pair of occupations has a different 

word ending. 

• Students find the words in the wordsearch. The 

words can be found vertically, horizontally and 

diagonally and can be written backwards or 

forwards. 

• Students write a definition for each given occupation 

in Question 2. 

• Students add an occupation to each word group and 

write a definition. 


• Make a list of occupations of people who work in a 

particular environment, such as the school, a leisure 

centre, a restaurant or a shopping centre. 

• Conduct a survey to determine the occupations of 

the students’ parents and occupations the students 

would like to have in the future. 

Answers 

1. 

N R O T A R T S U L L I 

A A I G G F R Z N P R M 

I A I P E E E A H A E A 

R M U R Y O I U U Z B G 

A Y A W O C L D V E M I 

R D A N I T I O Y V U C 

B L Z T S T S S G Y L I 

I T E G O M O I H I P A 

L I U R B R R N H H S N 

D Z O O L O G I S T Z T 

2. (a) (i) auditor – checks reliability of information 

illustrator – produces art to enhance 

writing 

(ii) historian – researches past events 

librarian – organises information in a 

library 

(iii) dietician – gives advice on food and 

nutrition 

magician – performs seemingly impossible 

tricks 

(iv) zoologist – studies all aspects of animals 

geologist – studies the physical structure 

of the planet 



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(v) plumber – instals and maintains pipe 

systems 

lawyer – a person with an understanding 

of the law 

(b) Teacher check. 

Answers could include: 

(i) censor, editor, inventor, janitor, sailor, 

sculptor, tutor, translator, surveyor 

(ii) musician, statistician, technician, mortician, 

mathematician 

(iii) paediatrician, electrician, physician, 

veterinarian 

(iv) cartoonist, dentist, chemist, scientist, 

psychologist, journalist, machinist 

(v) boilermaker, diver, cleaner, engineer, 

gardener, hairdresser, director, designer 



Occupations 

1. Find the words from the box in the wordsearch. 

N R O T A R T S U L L I 

A A I G G F R Z N P R M 

I A I P E E E A H A E A 

R M U R Y O I U U Z B G 

A Y A W O C L D V E M I 

R D A N I T I O Y V U C 

B L Z T S T S S G Y L I 

I T E G O M O I H I P A 

L I U R B R R N H H S N 

D Z O O L O G I S T Z T 

2. (a) Use a dictionary to find and write the definition of each occupation. 

(b) Add another occupation with the same word ending to each group and write its 

definition. 

(i) auditor 

illustrator 

(ii) historian 

librarian 

(iii) dietician 

magician 

auditor 

historian 

dietician 

zoologist 

plumber 

illustrator 

librarian 

magician 

geologist 

lawyer 



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(iv) zoologist 

geologist 

(v) plumber 

lawyer 





Plurals 

Focus 

Plurals: 

Irregular plurals: 

Definition 

adding s or es 

words ending in is changing to es 

words always in the plural form 

• A plural is a word used to indicate more than one. 

Example: 

three apples, three brushes 

Explanation 

• ‘Singular’ means one. ‘Plural’ means more than one. 

• There are many ways to form the plural of a word. 

• To form the plural of most nouns, we just add an s. 

• To form the plural of words ending in sh, ch, s and 

x, we add es to make the word easier to pronounce. 

• To form the plural of some words, the word ending 

changes. 

Example: 

one crisis – many crises 

• Some words have the same form whether the word 

is singular or plural. 

Example: 

one pair of glasses – many pairs of glasses 

• It is important students realise that there are many 

exceptions to most spelling rules. They should be 

encouraged to identify exceptions and to share them 



• Students may be unfamiliar with some terms used 

on this worksheet. If possible, have the equipment 

available for students to see. Have them guess the 

name of each piece. 

• Discuss each rule and share further examples with 

students. Record all shared information. 


• Create a class list of types of jobs. Students then 

research to find out the type of equipment and 

any special terms related to each job. Record the 

singular and plural form of each. 

Answers 

1. Add s: drills, hammers, spanners, screwdrivers, 

spirit levels 

Add es: metal presses, winches, toolboxes, 

wrenches, wire brushes 

2. axes: mathematician; diagnoses: vet, doctor, 

dentist; hypotheses: scientist; theses: university 

student, lecturer 

3. 

t o n g s a s 

w s b c r e c 

e f e l u k i 

e p l i e r s 

z p l p t l s 

e s o p a v o 

r x w e c s r 

s t s r e d s 

g l a s s e s 



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Plurals – 1 

Plural means ‘more than one’. Most nouns are made plural 

by adding s. Nouns ending in ch, sh, s or x are made plural by 

adding es to make them easier to say. 

1. Workers use many different types of 

equipment. Sort the equipment listed 

below under the correct headings in 

the table. Write each word in its plural 

form. 

metal press 

drill 

winch 

hammer 

toolbox 

spanner 

wrench 

screwdriver 

wire brush 

spirit level 

Many nouns ending in is 

change to es when plural. 

2. Write the plural form of these words, 

then find out who might use each 

word in their job. 

axis 

Who? 

Plural: 

Add s 

Add es 

Some nouns are written in the plural form and 

stay the same whether they are singular or plural. 

3. Find the eight hidden tool names 

which stay written the same way. 

t o n g s a s 



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w s b c r e c 

diagnosis 

Who? 

hypothesis 

Who? 

thesis 

Who? 

Plural: 

Plural: 

Plural: 

e f e l u k i 

e p l i e r s 

z p l p t l s 

e s o p a v o 

r x w e c s r 

s t s r e d s 

g l a s s e s 





Plurals 

Focus 

Plurals: 

Definition 

words ending with a vowel followed by y 

words ending with fe 

words ending with a vowel followed by o 

• A plural is a word used to indicate more than one. 

Example: 

six giraffes, six boxes 

Explanation 

• ‘Singular’ means one. ‘Plural’ means more than one. 

• There are many ways to form the plural of a word. 

• To form the plural of words ending in a vowel and y, 

add s. 

Example: 

key – keys 

• To form the plural of words ending in fe, change the 

f to v and add s. 

Example: 

wife – wives 

• To form the plural of words ending in a vowel and o, 

add s. 

Example: 

radio – radios 

• It is important students realise that there are many 

exceptions to most spelling rules. They should be 

encouraged to identify exceptions and to share them 



• Discuss each rule and share similar examples with 

students. Record all shared information. 


• Talk about holiday activities and things students 

might take on holiday. Sort them into categories 

according to how the words are made plural. 

Answers 

1. (a) holidays (b) boys (c) monkeys 

(d) valleys (e) toys (f) trays 

2. 

1. 

2. 

5. 

6. 

K A N G A R O O S 

N 

3. 4. 

I W I V E S 

V 

E 

S T E R E O S 

I 

D 

O 

L I V E S 



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Z 

O 



Plurals – 2 

Plural means more than one. A word ending in a vowel followed 

by y can be made plural by adding s. 

1. Write the plural of each of these words to complete the sentences. 

monkey valley holiday tray toy boy 

(a) We are spending our 

to do there. 

(b) The 

beach. 

(c) We saw plenty of 

(d) There are heaps of hills and 

(e) My younger brothers take lots of 

car. 

(f) The waiters in the restaurant use 

in the south-west. There is so much 

are going to spend time fishing while the girls go to the 

at the zoo. 

When a word ends in a vowel followed by o—just add s. 

When a word ends in fe—change the f to v, then add s. 

2. Use the clues to help you complete the crossword. 

Across 

2. jumping marsupials 

3. the partners of husbands 

5. devices used to listen to 

music 

6. the plural of life 

2. 

to explore while on holiday. 

to play with while in the 

to carry our meals. 



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3. 4. 

1. 

Down 

1. places where people go to 

view animals in enclosures 

2. cutting tools 

4. filmed memories 

5. 

6. 





Prefixes 

Focus 

Prefixes: un, re and tri 

Definition 

• A prefix is a letter or group of 

letters added to the beginning of a 

word to alter its meaning and form 

a new word. 

Example: 

Michael was unhappy about 

having to rewrite his homework. 

Explanation 

• A prefix is a word part that has a 

meaning of its own, and is often 

derived from Greek or Latin. 

Prefixes usually do not occur as 

independent words. The prefix is 

added to the front of a base word 

to change its meaning, without 

changing the spelling of that word. 

Sometimes a hyphen is placed 

between the prefix and the base (or 

root) word, such as: 

– when prefixes come before 

proper nouns 

Example: 

un-Australian, anti-American 

– when prefixes ending in a or i 

are added to a word that begins 

with the same letter 

Example: 

ultra-ambitious 

– when the prefix is ex or self, 

except for selfish and selfless. 

Example: 

ex-husband, self-centred 

• Ensure students learn to be aware 

of letter clusters that look like 

prefixes, but aren’t. 

Example: 

un in uncle, in in invented 

Students can practise identifying 

these ‘trick’ prefixes by looking at 

the base or root word that is left. 

The prefixes that cause the most 

difficulty are re, in, and dis. 

• Learning the meanings of prefixes 

can help students decipher, spell 

and understand words, especially 

larger words, and increase their 

vocabulary. Understanding that the 

spelling of neither the prefix nor the 

base word change can help students 

to spell commonly misspelled words 

such as unnecessary, misspell and 

disappointment. 

• un is a negative prefix which often 

comes before adjectives; 

Example: 

unsafe, unable, unclean, unequal 

in participles used as adjectives; 

Example: 

unfeeling, unflinching, unfinished, 

unsaid 

or sometimes before nouns. 

Example: 

unbelief, unconcern 

• un has a number of meanings: 

– not 

Example: 

unhappy, unfaithful 

– opposite of 

Example: 

unrest 

– and to reverse or undo the result 

of an action. 

Example: 

unlock, unwrap 

• re is usually added to verbs and can 

mean back. 

Example: 

rewind 

– re is usually added to verbs and 

can also mean again. 

Example: 

regroup, resurface 

– or to do something in a new way. 

Example: 

reword 

• tri means three. 

Example: 

triceratops (three horns), triathlon 


• By completing the worksheet activity, 

students will discover for themselves 

the meaning of the prefixes un, tri and 

re. They will need scissors and access 

to a dictionary for this activity. 

• Students can work in small groups, 

ideally of three or four, and require 

only one worksheet per group, 

preferably photocopied onto white 

card. Students cut words, then play 

a concentration-style game, turning 

two cards over at a time to try 

and correctly match prefixes with 

words. Those they match should 

be written down and the meaning 

found in a dictionary or online. 

(Each student should have three 

or four words. If they have more 

or less, ask the group members to 

distribute the words evenly in the 

group.) As a group, the students 

then decide upon a definition for 

the prefix, write it on a separate 

sheet of paper and present to the 

class. 

• As a follow-up activity, give each 

student a card containing either 

a prefix or a root word. Students 

must find the person with a prefix 

or word to match theirs to make 

a word with a new meaning. After 

pairing up with that person, the 

students agree upon a sentence 

that demonstrates their knowledge 

of the word’s meaning. 

Ideas for further 

practice 

• has a number of interactive 

games involving matching prefixes 

to their meaning. 

• Students can use words with 

prefixes to make a crossword 

puzzle at . 



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Answers 

un: unlikely, unhappy, unpick, untie 

re: refresh, retell, review, rewrite, 

tri: tricycle, tripod, triweekly, triangle 



Prefixes 

Prefixes are groups of letters in front of a word that change its 

meaning and create a new word. 

Match the words and prefixes, then find the meanings of the new words. 

What do the prefixes un, re and tri mean? 

un re un 

tri re tri 

re tri un 

likely tell happy 

write pick tri 



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re un view 

cycle angle weekly 

fresh tie pod 





Suffixes 

Focus 

Suffixes: ness, ment, less and ful 

Definition 

• A suffix is a letter or group of letters added to the 

end of a base word to change its meaning and form 

a new word. 

Explanation 

• The suffixes used in this exercise do not usually 

change the spelling of the base word and are a good 

starting point for learning about suffixes. 

• The suffix less usually changes a noun to an 

adjective and means ‘free from’ or ‘without’. When 

less is added to some verbs, such as ‘count’ and 

‘harm’, it means the action ‘can’t be done’. 

• The suffix ful means something is ‘full of’ or 

‘characterised by something’. 

• The suffix ness means ‘a state or quality of being’. It 

often converts adjectives to nouns. 

• The suffix ment means ‘an action or process’. 

• When ness, ful and less are added to words ending 

in y, the y is often changed to i. 

Example: 

merciless, cleanliness, clumsiness, bodiless, dutiful, 

beautiful, pitiful, fanciful 

Exceptions include ‘joyful’ and ‘playful’. 

• Knowing the meanings of common suffixes can 

help students work out the meaning of unfamiliar 

words. A sound knowledge of suffixes can also help 

students spell correctly and develop their vocabulary. 

An understanding of suffixes can, furthermore, help 

students identify which part of speech (noun, verb, 

adjective, adverb) a word belongs to. 


• Discuss suffixes with the students. Explain they are 

word parts at the end of some words and that when 

these word parts are added to a word, they change 

the meaning of the word, creating a new word. Also, 

we are better able to understand or spell new words 

if we can recognise and understand the meaning of 

suffixes. 

• Read the suffix definitions with the students. They 

then draw a line from the base words on the left to 

the suffixes on the right to form a new word. 

• Students then use the definitions provided in the 

boxes at the top of the worksheet to write definitions 

for the words they made in Question 2. Students 

may need dictionaries to check the words they have 

made are ‘real’ words. 


• Call out one of the suffixes. Students try to write as 

many words that end with that suffix during a set 

time period. 

• Write a list of words containing the focus suffixes 

on the board. Make a small number of cards with 

these words. One at a time, students take a card and 

mime the word. The other students try to guess the 

word the student is acting out. 

• Ask students to list some current songs with any of 

the above suffixes in the lyrics. 



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Answers 

2. ageless, useful/useless, careful/careless, madness, 

payment, hopeless/hopeful, movement. 

3. Teacher check. Answers will vary but definitions 

should include some of the words used in the 

suffix descriptions at the top of the worksheet. 



Sticky suffixes 

A suffix is a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word 

to make a new word. 

1. Read the definitions of these four common suffixes. 

ness 

ment 

2. Match each base word to a suffix to form a new word. 

(a) age • • less 

(b) use • • less 

(c) care • • ment 

(d) mad • • ness 

(e) pay • • ful 

(f) hope • • ful 

(g) move • • ment 

3. List the new words you made, then write a definition for each. Use the suffix 

definitions in the boxes above to help. 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

‘The state of being something’; 

e.g. laziness is ‘the state of being lazy’, 

happiness is ‘the state of being happy’. 

ful 

‘Full of’ or ‘filled’; 

e.g. helpful means ‘full of help’, 

beautiful means ‘full of beauty’. 

Note: When full is a suffix, it has one l. 

‘Action’ or ‘process of’; 

e.g. enjoyment is ‘the act of enjoying’, 

amazement is ‘the act of being amazed’. 


Primary grammar and word study 

less 

‘Without’ or ‘can’t be done’; 

e.g. endless means ‘without end’, 

fearless means ‘without fear’. 



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Synonyms 

Focus 

Synonyms 

Definition 

• Synonyms are words that have the same or similar 

meaning. 

Example: 

magnificent – fantastic – wonderful 

Note: The choice of each synonym depends on the 

context the word is used. We would probably say 

that we had a ‘fantastic’ or ‘wonderful’ time rather 

than a ‘magnificent’ time. 

Explanation 

• Identifying and using different synonyms develops 

and enriches students’ vocabulary. Varying 

vocabulary use of appropriate synonyms enhances 

their written and verbal communication. 


• Ask students how they would feel if they heard a 

strange noise outside their bedroom window. Ask 

them for words to describe these feelings. 

Example: 

scared, frightened, afraid, spooked 

Explain how these words are similar and are called 

synonyms and have the same or almost the same 

meaning. 

• Discuss each part of the worksheet with the 

students. They can complete it independently or with 

teacher assistance as necessary. If they are having 

difficulty in finding the words in Activity 1, give them 

the first letter as a clue, then the second etc. Discuss 

the different synonyms students choose. Students 

may need dictionaries or thesauruses to complete 

Activity 2. 

• Discuss different synonyms students may have 

chosen for the activity and if all were appropriate for 

the context in which they were used. 


• Give students an example paragraph in which a 

word is repeated. 

Example: 

‘Last Sunday was a great day. We all had a great 

time at the fun park. All the rides were great, 

especially the Giant Slalom.’ 

Students rewrite the paragraph using synonyms for 

‘great’ so the paragraph still retains its meaning and 

is more interesting with varied vocabulary. 

• Give students crossword puzzles as these often 

require students to think of synonyms for answers. 

• Hold a ‘synonym relay’. Teams of students have 

turns at writing synonyms for a nominated word. 

Thesauruses could be used. After a set time, check 

to see which team has written the most correct 

synonyms. 

Answers 

1. Words clockwise from top left (possible synonyms 

listed): 

unkind – mean/nasty 

chair – seat/bench 

tired – sleepy/weary 

untidy – messy/cluttered 

delight – joy/happiness 



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2. Possible answers: 

house – home, mansion 

burgled – robbed 

wealthy – rich, expensive 

house – (previous answer above) 

vacant – empty, unoccupied 

robbers – thieves 

trampled – squashed, crushed 

beautiful – pretty, stunning, magnificent 

smashing – breaking, shattering 

questioned – asked, interviewed 

answered – replied, responded 

wild – fierce, howling 

loud – noisy, blaring, booming 

robbers – (previous answer above) 

cash – money 

priceless – expensive, costly 



Synonyms 

Synonyms are words that have the same or almost the same 

meaning. 

1. Use the letters in each section of the puzzle and the middle letter 

i to make five words. Write each word under the puzzle, then write 

synonyms for each word. 

• : 

• : 

• : 

• : 

• : 

2. Read the newspaper article. Write a synonym for each word in brackets. 

Another (house) has been (burgled) in the 

(wealthy) 

d n u n k c h r a 

t l e d g h i 

r e t d 

was (vacant) 

n t d u y 

seaside suburb of South Beach. The (house) 



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as the owners were on 

holiday. (Robbers) (trampled) several 

(beautiful) 

garden beds before (smashing) 

a downstairs window to gain entry. When neighbours were (questioned) 

if they heard or saw anything suspicious, they (answered) 

that they didn’t because there was a (wild) 

storm that night with (loud) 

escaped with (cash) 

claps of thunder. The (robbers) 

and several items of 

(priceless) 

jewellery. 





Antonyms 

Focus 

Antonyms 

Definition 

• Antonyms are words that are opposite in meaning. 

Example: 

shallow – deep 

Explanation 

• Identifying antonyms develops and enriches 

students’ vocabulary and enhances their written and 

verbal communication. 


• Discuss the word ‘antonym’ with students. As a 

stimulus activity, each student could face a partner 

and listen carefully for words you call out. When 

each pair hears a word, students race to say an 

antonym before the partner does. 

• Discuss each part of the worksheet with the 

students before they complete it. A thesaurus can 

be used. Discuss the words used by students in 

Question 2 and whether they were appropriate 

antonyms within the context of the story. 


• Pairs of students make a list of 15 words. They write 

an antonym for each word on grid paper to make a 

wordsearch. They swap with other pairs to find the 

answers. 

• In pairs or individually, students make up a similar 

puzzle to the one on top of the worksheet and swap 

with other students. 

Answers 

1. (a) 

6. 

g u i l t y 

(b) The mystery word is antonym and its antonym 

is synonym! 

2. Possible answers: 

3. 

1. 

2. 

4. 

t a k e 

e n e m y 

e n t r a n c e 

f o r w a r d 

Wednesday was a wonderful/fantastic day. It 

was full of joy/happiness. For a start, Cooper 

woke up early. He remembered which side of the 

bed to get out of. Also, the bedroom was bright 

and cheerful as it was a sunny day. 

The water in the shower was hot and his towel 

was dry as he had remembered to hang it 

up. Cooper did enjoy his breakfast as the juice 

container was full and the cereal was fresh. 

He was early for school and remembered he 

was going to have a division test. Cooper got 

most of the 20 problems correct and was very 

pleased. He had brought his new football boots 

for lunchtime practice instead of his old ones and 

they were much more comfortable. 

When Cooper went to bed that night, he slept with 

a smile/grin on his face and had pleasant/sweet 

dreams. 

5. 

7. 

n i e c e 

m i d d a y 



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Antonyms 

An antonym is a word that has the opposite meaning to another. 

1. (a) Complete the word puzzle by writing the antonym of each clue. 

1. 

1. give 

2. 

2. friend 

3. exit 

4. backward 

5. nephew 

6. innocent 

7. midnight 

(b) Write the mystery word going down the puzzle and its antonym. 

The mystery word is and its antonym is ! 

2. Read the story. It is about a boy who gets out of the wrong side of the bed and 

has a bad day! Then read it again, but this time write an antonym for each word 

in bold print neatly above the word. Now read what his day would have been like 

if he had got out of bed on the right side! 

Wednesday was a dreadful day. It was full of woe. For a start, Cooper woke 

up late. He forgot which side of the bed to get out of. Also, the bedroom was 

dark and gloomy as it was a cloudy day. 

The water in the shower was cold and his towel was wet as he had forgotten 

to hang it up. Cooper didn’t enjoy his breakfast as the juice container was 

empty and the cereal was stale. 

He was late for school and forgot he was going to have a multiplication 

test. Cooper got most of the 20 problems incorrect and was very 

disappointed. He had brought his old football boots for lunchtime practice 

instead of his new ones and they were much more uncomfortable. 

When Cooper went to bed that night, he slept with a frown on his face and 

had unpleasant dreams. 

6. 


Primary grammar and word study 

3. 



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4. 

5. 

7.



Confused words 

Focus 

• Unrelated words that look and sound similar. 

Example: 

angel/angle, diary/dairy, addition/edition 

Explanation 

• The words in each pair are completely unrelated to 

each other. Confusion occurs because: 

– the words have similar sounds and/or spellings 

– the difference in meaning and use of each word is 

not recognised. 

• Working with the words in pairs will help students to 

understand their meaning and use. 


• Students write the definition(s) of each word in each 

pair to highlight the difference between them. 

• Students choose one of the six words for each space 

in the cloze. Each word can be used once only. The 

word ‘angel’ is required in the text in its plural form, 

‘angels’. 


• Using a separate sheet of paper for each word, 

record associated words (adverbs, adjectives, nouns, 

verbs). 

Example: 

angel: angelic, angelically 

Illustrate each page with associated pictures. 

• Brainstorm to list other pairs of similar but unrelated 

words. Repeat the above activity. Collate all pages 

alphabetically in a folder. 

• Create a class book of unrelated word pairs. 

Students write sentences for each word. Use for 

five-minute quiz activities, reading out sentences 

minus the word. Students say or write the correct 

word to insert. 

Answers 

1. angel – a messenger of God (noun); someone who 

is good or kind 

angle – the point at which two lines meet; a point 

of view; to move at an angle; to put a bias on; to 

fish using a line 

diary – a record of events, thoughts, appointments 

dairy – the place where cows are milked; a 

processing plant where dairy products are made; a 

refrigerated place where milk and its products are 

stored 

addition – something which is added on 

edition – a printing of a book, magazine, 

newspaper, circular etc. 

2. 1. diary 2. angle 3. addition 

4. dairy 5. angels 6. edition 



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Confused words – 1 

Some words sound or look similar but have very different meanings. 

1. Use a dictionary to find the meaning(s) of each word. Write the 

meaning(s) in the boxes. 

angel 

angle 

2. Read the text and choose one of the above words for each space. 

Tom had kept a 

diary 

addition 

Tom’s wonderful holiday 

dairy 

edition 

1. 

of the summer holiday spent at his 



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uncle’s farm. He wanted it to be of interest to others so he found a new 

2. 

for presenting it. With the help of his computer and the 

3. 

of several photographs, he turned his thoughts into a 

book about a city boy learning to love the country life. 

Tom’s favourite job was in the 

4. 

. He loved the large beasts, 

admiring their gentle nature as they stood patiently while being milked. 

His aunt called them her 

5. 

because they were so good. 

As a gift to his uncle and aunt, he sent them the first 

6. 

of his 

book, Tom’s wonderful holiday. 





Confused words 

Focus 

me and I 

Explanation 

• Me and I are often confused. I is always the subject 

and me the object. Strategies are required to help 

students determine the correct role of each pronoun. 

See worksheet information below. 


• Before giving the worksheets to the students, use 

the steps below (and many examples) to explain 

how to determine which pronoun, me or I, to use. 

• I is the subject of the verb, me is used as the object. 

Example: 

I stared at the cat. (I is the subject.) 

The cat stared at me. (Me is the object.) 

• When a second person is involved in the activity, 

choosing the correct word is more difficult. 

Example: 

James and (I or me) went to Grandma’s house. 

As a hint, say the sentence with only one of the 

pronouns. 

I went to Grandma’s house. 

Me went to Grandma’s house. 

It is correct to say ‘James and I went to Grandma’s 

house’ because I is the subject of the verb. 

• At the end of a sentence, is it I or me? 

Example: 

He gave the books to Susan and (I or me). 

Say the sentence with only one of the pronouns. 

He gave the books to I. 

He gave the books to me. 

It is correct to say ‘He gave the books to Susan and 

me’ because me is the object of the verb. 

Example: 

Question: Who can play chess? 

Answer: Jake and (I or me). 

Say the answer with only one of the pronouns and 

add the implied verb can. 

Jake and I can. 

Jake and me can. 

It is correct to say ‘Jake and I’. 

• If we can be substituted in the sentence in place 

of a second party and I or me, then I is the correct 

pronoun to use as both I and we are subject 

pronouns. 

Example: 

(James and I) We went to Grandma’s house. 

• If us can be substituted, then me is the correct word 

to use as they are both object pronouns. 

Example: 

He gave the books to (Susan and me) us. 

• Students use the strategies given to complete 

the cloze procedure in Question 1 and correct the 

sentences in Question 2. 

• In Question 3, students write two sentences 

containing me and I. They should aim to use each 

pronoun correctly rather than deliberately use them 

incorrectly. 




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• Write a number of cloze sentences to give as quick 

oral quiz questions. Repeat frequently. 

• Students explain to each other and to younger 

students the strategies for determining the correct 

use of each pronoun. 

• Display examples of the different types of sentences 

in which me and I are used. Change them regularly 

and encourage students to study them individually 

and in small groups. 

Answers 

1. (a) I (b) I (c) I (d) me (e) I 

(f) I (g) me (h) me (i) me (j) I 

2. (a) incorrect (b) correct (c) correct 

(d) correct (e) incorrect (f) incorrect 

3. Teacher check 



Confused words – 2 

Me and I 

These two little words cause a lot of confusion. It is important 

to know when to use them. 

1. Read the text and write either me or I in the spaces. 

As the storm raged outside on the cold winter night, 

(a) 

was sitting 

beside the log fire in my grandparents’ old house. Later, Dad and 

were going to play chess, but first 

(c) 

had to eat. 

‘Who wants to help 

(d) 

lay the table?’ 

(e) 

asked. 

‘Sally and 

‘Give those plates and bowls to 

(f) 

’, replied my young sister, Katie, with a big smile. 

(g) 

, Sam’, she said. 

As she brought the soup to the table, Grandma announced, 

‘This is a secret recipe belonging to your mother and 

(h) 

. Enjoy.’ 

After tea, Dad beat 

(i) 

in the first game of chess, but 

(j) 

won 

the next two games. 

2. Write a tick ( ) or a cross ( ) after each sentence to show if the words me or I 

are used correctly. 

(a) Joe and me played football at the park. .......................................................... 

(b) The horse belongs to Sophie and me. ............................................................. 

(c) ‘Who plays the piano?’ ‘Amy and I.’ ................................................................ 

(d) Mum and I baked a cake. ............................................................................... 

(e) Dad and me washed the car. .......................................................................... 

(f) My friend gave a gift to I. ................................................................................. 

3. Write two sentences using the words I and me. Ask a partner to check them. 

• 



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(b) 

•

RIC-20235 Primary Grammar and Word Study Year 3 – Understanding and choosing words

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