1st Grade Suffixes and Compound Words Worksheets

Ages 6-7 · 6 sub-topics · Free previews · Print-ready PDFs

These suffixes and compound words worksheets for first grade teach two of the biggest levers for growing vocabulary at this age: adding endings like -s, -ed, and -ing to change a word's meaning or tense, and combining two small words into one (sun + flower = sunflower). Students identify root words, add the correct suffix, and build or break apart compound words. Both skills let students unlock the meaning of new words on their own instead of needing every word explained (L.1.4b, L.1.4c).

Written by Adi Ackerman, Head Teacher

Suffixes and Compound Words

Frequently Asked Questions

Both skills teach the same underlying idea: a word's meaning can be built from smaller pieces. Suffixes like -s, -ed, and -ing change a root word's meaning or tense (CCSS L.1.4b), while compound words combine two whole words into a new one, like sun and flower becoming sunflower (L.1.4c). Once a student can break a word into its parts, they can often work out the meaning of a brand-new word without ever having seen it before, which is one of the most powerful vocabulary strategies at any age.

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