The Word Postman has dropped his letters. On these three Year 1 pages, pupils sort twelve words into four postboxes by ending: -ing, -ed, -er and -est. The bank includes jumping, shouted, slower and loudest, and the root word never changes. Two questions follow. Pupils name the trickiest word, then make one new word for each ending. The key gives the full sort and notes that waited can confuse because of its id sound. It follows England National Curriculum spelling.
Spelling
“Using -ing, -ed, -er and -est where no change is needed in the spelling of root words [for example, helping, helped, helper, eating, quicker, quickest]”
Every word in the bank adds its ending with no change to the root, such as help to helped.
Spelling
“Apply simple spelling rules and guidance, as listed in English Appendix 1”
Question 2 asks pupils to spell new words using the no-change rule, and the key warns against dropped e or doubled letters for now.
Twelve words with endings, three for each suffix, such as playing, waited, longer and softest.
Four columns headed Ending in -ing, -ed, -er and -est for pupils to write each word into.
Pupils say which word was hardest to sort and write one new word for each ending.
Suffix lesson
Teach -ed first, then hand out the sort. Ask pupils to read each word aloud before they post it.
Hands-on sort
Cut out the twelve words and let pairs post them into four paper envelopes before they write.
Listening for -ed
Use question 1 to talk about waited, which ends in an id sound, and helped, which ends in a t sound.
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