Endings Able and Ible

Have your child say the rule out loud before choosing each ending. For ant and ent, write the related word next to the answer. Check with the answer key and note which endings still need practice.

Choose able or ible by checking whether the root is a whole word. A root is the main part of a word. If the root is a whole word, add able (comfortable). If it is not a word by itself, add ible (terrible). The directions on the page read: Write able or ible to finish each word, and write the whole word on the line below it. Then, circle the correct spelling in each row. The page opens with a worked example, and the answer key shows every answer.

Yes, both. We made it for 5th Grade spelling, and the page works the same whether it lands on a kitchen table or a center rotation. At home, most families go through it together and talk the answers out loud, and that talking is where most of the learning happens with word endings. In class it runs well as independent work while you pull a small group. Print one copy or thirty, whichever the day needs.

If the root is a whole word, add able (dependable, comfortable). If it is not a word on its own, add ible (possible, terrible). There are exceptions, but the rule works for most words.

Think of a related word. If it has ance, ancy or ation (tolerance, hesitation), use ant. If it ends in ence (confidence), use ent. The same link works for ance and ence.

Le is the most common (table, bubble). El often comes after m, n, r, v or w (camel, tunnel, travel). Al usually ends describing words (magical, tropical).

Yes. All four sheets have an answer key that shows every spelling, so a parent or teacher can check the work in a minute.

5th graders are expected to spell grade-level words correctly and consult references when needed (CCSS L.5.2.E). In practice that means spelling words with prefixes and suffixes, choosing tricky endings like able or ible, handling double consonants and silent letters, and breaking long words into syllables.

A useful rule of thumb: if the root is a complete word, the ending is usually able (comfortable, readable). If the root is not a word on its own, it is usually ible (visible, possible). The word endings pages practice this and the ant and ent, ance and ence pairs.

Say the word slowly and split it into syllables, then spell one syllable at a time. Pay extra attention to the unstressed syllable, where vowels often sound like uh (the schwa sound), as in the a of about. The multisyllabic words pages walk through this step by step.