Learn how prefixes and suffixes like un-, dis-, mis-, re-, sub-, -ly and -ation change words, by building, splitting and sorting word blocks with Dot.
Prefixes and Suffixes is an interactive game that teaches children aged 7–9 how prefixes such as un-, dis-, mis-, re- and sub- and suffixes such as -ly and -ation change what words mean. It follows the Year 3 and 4 spelling curriculum for England.
Guided by Dot the robot, children work through six workshop rooms. They snap colour-coded word blocks together, split long words into parts, sort words and spell with letter tiles. Along the way they meet the root word, the part that can stand on its own, and learn the rules that change spelling, such as happy to happily and prepare to preparation.
Each chapter has a narrated animated intro, hints that build step by step, practice, a quick check and 'Did you know?' facts. The game ends with a 12-question challenge.
A prefix is a group of letters added to the front of a word, and a suffix is added to the end. Both change the word: un- turns kind into unkind, and -ly turns quick into quickly.
The prefix un- usually means 'not', as in unhappy or unfair. It can also mean undoing an action, as in untie, unlock or unzip. In the game, children sort un- words into these two meanings.
Most words just add -ly, as in sadly or finally. If a word ends in a consonant and y, the y changes to i (happily). Words ending in -le change to -ly (gently), words ending in -ic take -ally (basically), and truly and publicly are exceptions.
It is designed for children aged 7–9, matching Years 3 and 4 of the national curriculum for England. The final chapter on longer words like misinformation also gives confident learners an extra challenge.
There are six chapters, each with an animated intro, guided steps, practice and a quick check, plus a 12-question final challenge. Playing everything takes about an hour, and progress is saved so children can play one chapter at a time.
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