Using Suffixes - Grammar Worksheet | Teach Starter - Free Printable

Let’s solve this step by step.

First, we need to add the correct suffixes (-ed, -ful, -less) to each base word to make new words.

---

Column 1: Add “-ed”

These are past tense verbs.

- walk → walked (already done)
- need → needed
- add → added
- like → liked

✔ So:
need → needed
add → added
like → liked

---

Column 2: Add “-ful”

This means “full of” — turning nouns into adjectives.

- mouth → mouthful (a full mouth)
- help → helpful (full of help)
- thank → thankful (full of thanks)
- use → useful (full of use)

✔ So:
mouth → mouthful
help → helpful
thank → thankful
use → useful

---

Column 3: Add “-less”

This means “without” — also turns nouns into adjectives.

- thought → thoughtless (without thought)
- care → careless (without care)
- fear → fearless (without fear)
- help → helpless (without help)

✔ So:
thought → thoughtless
care → careless
fear → fearless
help → helpless

---

Now, let’s fill in the sentences using the new words we made.

---

Sentence 1:
> Naomi _______________ to charge her computer so she could work on her assignment.

We need a verb in past tense. From our list, “needed” fits perfectly.

Naomi needed to charge her computer...

✔ That makes sense.

---

Sentence 2:
> Emmanuel was _______________ when he picked up the spider.

We need an adjective describing how Emmanuel felt or acted. He picked up a spider — that takes courage! So he was probably fearless (without fear).

Emmanuel was fearless when he picked up the spider.

✔ That fits well.

---

Final Answer:

Table Completion:

-ed column:
need → needed
add → added
like → liked

-ful column:
mouth → mouthful
help → helpful
thank → thankful
use → useful

-less column:
thought → thoughtless
care → careless
fear → fearless
help → helpless

Sentences:

1. Naomi needed to charge her computer so she could work on her assignment.
2. Emmanuel was fearless when he picked up the spider.