English · Suffix word-building worksheet
Suffixes Worksheet: -ful, -less and -ly (Free KS2)
This free printable worksheet helps children in Years 3 and 4 build new words by adding the suffixes -ful, -less, -ly and -ness to root words. The colourable picture of a child carefully carrying a wobbling stack of plates gives a memorable hook for the words careful, careless and carefully, so children can see how one root word can grow in several directions.
It is designed to print neatly onto one A4 page. Children write the new words on the lines, tick the sentences that use a suffix correctly, then colour the illustration. The notes below explain the spelling rules involved and link directly to the National Curriculum so you can see exactly what is being practised.
Suffixes: -ful, -less and -ly
Free English worksheet · Ages 7 to 9
Build the new word
Add the suffix in brackets to the root word and write the new word on the line. Watch your spelling, especially the single l in -ful and any y that changes to i.
care + ful
care + less
care + ly (from careful)
hope + less
kind + ness
beauty + ful
gentle + ly
happy + ly
Tick the correct sentence
Read each sentence. Tick the box if the suffix word is used and spelt correctly.
- The child carried the plates carefully so they did not fall.
- It was carefull of her to hold them so still.
- Dropping a plate would be careless.
- The pile of plates looked beautiful in the light.
- He felt hopeless when the table was too far away.
- She showed great kindless by helping him.
Suffixes: -ful, -less and -lyowee.worldAnswer key
- care + ful — careful
- care + less — careless
- care + ly (from careful) — carefully
- hope + less — hopeless
- kind + ness — kindness
- beauty + ful — beautiful
- gentle + ly — gently
- happy + ly — happily
- The child carried the plates carefully so they did not fall. — tick
- Dropping a plate would be careless. — tick
- The pile of plates looked beautiful in the light. — tick
- He felt hopeless when the table was too far away. — tick
What a suffix does and why -ful and -less make opposites
A suffix is a group of letters added to the end of a root word to change its meaning or its word class. The suffix -ful usually means 'full of' (a careful person is full of care; a helpful friend is full of help), while -less means 'without' (a careless person acts without care; a helpless kitten is without help). Because they pull in opposite directions, -ful and -less frequently create antonyms from the very same root: hope becomes hopeful or hopeless, use becomes useful or useless, fear becomes fearful or fearless. Pointing this pattern out helps children remember both suffixes at once and quietly builds their understanding of opposites.
How -ly forms adverbs and -ness forms nouns
The suffix -ly most often turns an adjective into an adverb, which is a word that describes how something is done: quick becomes quickly, careful becomes carefully, sad becomes sadly. Encourage children to ask 'How did they do it?' to check that an -ly word is working as an adverb. The suffix -ness turns an adjective into an abstract noun, a naming word for a quality you cannot touch: kind becomes kindness, dark becomes darkness, happy becomes happiness. Talking about word class (adjective, adverb, noun) as the words change gives children the vocabulary they will need throughout KS2 grammar lessons.
Spelling rules to watch when adding these suffixes
Most of the time these suffixes are simply added to the root with no change: care + ful = careful, care + less = careless, slow + ly = slowly. There are a few reliable adjustments worth modelling. When a root ends in a consonant followed by y, the y usually changes to i before -ful, -ness and -ly: beauty becomes beautiful, happy becomes happiness and happily. When -ly is added to a word ending in -le, the -le is replaced by -ly: gentle becomes gently, simple becomes simply. Note too that -ful as a suffix has only one l, even though the word 'full' has two; this is a very common spelling slip for this age group.
How to use this worksheet at home or in class
Read the worksheet through together first and say each new word aloud so children hear the extra syllable the suffix adds. For the writing task, let them build the words by saying 'root word plus suffix' before they write, which slows them down and reduces errors. For the tick task, ask them to explain why a sentence is right or wrong rather than just marking it; this turns proofreading into reasoning. Finish with the colouring, which gives a calm, low-pressure end to the activity and a chance to revisit the careful/careless/carefully word family one more time. The sheet works well as morning revision, homework, or a quick assessment of which suffix rules need more practice.
Frequently asked questions
What suffixes do children learn in Years 3 and 4?
In lower KS2, children consolidate the suffixes -ful, -less and -ness from KS1 and focus particularly on the suffix -ly to form adverbs, along with the spelling changes each one can require, such as changing a final y to i.
What is the difference between -ful and -less?
The suffix -ful means 'full of' (careful means full of care) and -less means 'without' (careless means without care). Because they mean opposite things, adding them to the same root word often creates a pair of opposites, such as hopeful and hopeless.
Does the suffix -ful have one l or two?
As a suffix, -ful is always spelt with a single l, even though the separate word 'full' has two. So we write careful, helpful and beautiful, not carefull. This is one of the most common spelling errors at this age, so it is worth pointing out directly.
What does the suffix -ly do to a word?
The suffix -ly usually turns an adjective into an adverb, a word that describes how something is done, for example quick to quickly and careful to carefully. When a root word ends in -le, the -le is replaced by -ly, as in gentle to gently.
Is this suffixes worksheet free to print?
Yes. This worksheet is completely free to download and print, designed for a single A4 page. You are welcome to use it at home or in the classroom for ages 7 to 9 (Years 3 and 4).
Curriculum links
- English Appendix 2 (Years 3 to 4 spelling): the suffix -ly is added to an adjective to form an adverb, with the rules for adding it (-ly straight on, -y to -i, -le to -ly).
- English Appendix 2: forming nouns using a range of suffixes, including -ness (for example, kind to kindness).
- English Appendix 2 (Years 1 to 2, consolidated at lower KS2): using the suffixes -ful and -less, including changing the final y of a root word to i.
- English Years 3 to 4 vocabulary, grammar and punctuation: using and understanding the grammatical terminology adverb and word family.
- Spelling: spell words that are often misspelt, including watching that the suffix -ful is written with a single l.
Made by The Owee education team. Updated 02/06/2026. Free to print and share.
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