Reading: Words With Suffixes Worksheet for kids - Free Printable

To solve this problem, we need to look at each word and decide if it has a suffix.

What is a suffix?
A suffix is a small group of letters added to the end of a root word to change its meaning. Common suffixes include:
- -er (like in *fast* → *faster*)
- -est (like in *tall* → *tallest*)
- -ful (like in *care* → *careful*)
- -ible or -able (like in *visible*)
- -ell (sometimes part of a root, but let's check carefully)

Let’s go through each word one by one:

1. carpet – This is a root word. No suffix. ✘
2. chicken – Root word. No suffix. ✘
3. retell – “Re-” is a prefix (at the beginning), not a suffix. The base word is “tell”. “Retell” doesn’t have a suffix — it has a prefix. So, no suffix here. ✘
*(Note: Some might think “-ell” is a suffix, but “tell” is the root; “re-” is added to front. Suffixes go at the end.)*
4. careful – “Care” + “-ful” → YES! “-ful” is a suffix. ✔
5. light – Root word. No suffix. ✘
6. loudest – “Loud” + “-est” → YES! “-est” is a suffix. ✔
7. brown – Root word. No suffix. ✘
8. slower – “Slow” + “-er” → YES! “-er” is a suffix. ✔
9. apple – Root word. No suffix. ✘
10. blanket – Root word. No suffix.
11. little – Root word. No suffix. ✘
12. visible – “Vis” (from Latin “videre”) + “-ible” → YES! “-ible” is a suffix. ✔
*(Even though “vis” isn’t an English root you use alone, “visible” is built with the suffix “-ible” meaning “able to be seen.” In elementary level, this counts as having a suffix.)*
13. newest – “New” + “-est” → YES! “-est” is a suffix. ✔

Wait — let’s double-check retell. Is there any suffix? “Tell” is the root. “Re-” is definitely a prefix. There’s nothing added to the *end*. So no suffix. Correct.

Now, list all words that DO have a suffix:

- careful ✔
- loudest ✔
- slower ✔
- visible ✔
- newest ✔

That’s 5 words.

But wait — what about “retell” again? Let me think like a 2nd grader. Sometimes teachers say “if you can take off something from the end and still have a real word, it might be a suffix.” Can we take off “-ell” from “retell”? Then we get “ret” — which is not a word. So no. What if we take off “-ll”? Still “rete” — not a word. So definitely no suffix.

What about “carpet”? Take off “-et”? “Car” — yes, that’s a word! But is “-et” a common suffix? Not really for kids’ worksheets. Usually, they teach -er, -est, -ful, -less, -ing, -ed, -ible, -able. “Carpet” is taught as a whole word. Same with “chicken”, “apple”, etc.

In standard elementary curriculum, these are the accepted suffixes for this level:
- -er
- -est
- -ful
- -less
- -ing
- -ed
- -ible / -able

So:

✔ careful → -ful
✔ loudest → -est
✔ slower → -er
✔ visible → -ible
✔ newest → -est

All others do not have those standard suffixes.

Final check: Did I miss any?

Look at “little” — no.
“brown” — no.
“blanket” — no.
“light” — no.
“chicken” — no.
“carpet” — no.
“apple” — no.
“retell” — prefix only.

Yes, only 5 words have suffixes.

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Final Answer:
careful, loudest, slower, visible, newest