Learn to Spell Words Ending in -cious

We can use prefixes and suffixes to change the meaning of some words.  

We call the original word a root word.

 

Prefixes go at the start of words. 

For example: un + kind = unkind. 

The prefix un means not.  When we add it to the root word kind we create its opposite.

 

Suffixes go at the end of words.

For example: cheer + ful = cheerful

The suffix ful turns a noun (naming word) into an adjective (describing word).

 

 

In this activity, we will look at the use of the suffix -cious.

 

This suffix turns a root word into an adjective (describing word). 

 

The suffix means 'full of' or 'having'.  So, the word spacious uses the root word space and the suffix -cious and means 'full of space'.

 

Generally, if the root word ends in ce, we use the -cious ending.  For other words, we use the ending -tious (ambition becomes ambitious), which sounds the same as -cious.  You can practise spelling these words in another activity.  

 

For example: vice (noun) becomes vicious (adjective). 

Did you spot the new ending?

 

However, the root word is not always obvious so we need to practise these words to learn to spell them.

 

Here are some examples of words that use these prefixes that we will practise in this activity:

 

vicious

precious

conscious

delicious

malicious

suspicious

 

You can listen to them here:

You can break the words up into the prefix and the root to help you to spell them:

 

vi cious

pre cious

cons cious

deli cious

mali cious

suspi cious

 

Use Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check to practise spellings a few times before we begin the activities.