Spelling Sheet 1

In Spelling lessons over the next week, we will be focusing on the prefixes il, ir, im and in.

Il, ir, im and in prefixes

inactive impassable
inaccurate impossible
incorrect impatient
illegal irregular
illegible irresponsible
illogical irrelevant

What is a prefix?
A prefix is a group of letters that can be added to the start of a
root word. Different prefixes have different meanings so, when
you add a prefix to a word, you change its meaning to make a
new word.

Task One:
Look carefully at your spelling words and then fill in the table on the next page. Find the
root word in each spelling. Then, find the prefix. Explain how the prefix changes the
meaning of the root word. An example has been done for you.
Spelling word Root word Prefix How does the prefix change the meaning of
the root word?
immature mature im It makes it opposite. Instead of sounding
grown up, immature makes someone sound
young for their age.

Task Two:
Question: What did you notice about what the prefixes did to the root words? How did it
change their meanings? The answer is on the next page.
Answer for Task Two: Im, il, ir and in prefixes are all negative. They all mean ‘not’. They
therefore completely change the meaning of the root word to the opposite. Adding the
prefix ‘ir’ to the root word ‘responsible’ creates ‘irresponsible’ meaning ‘not responsible’.
Task Three:
Question: If I want to change a root word to its opposite, how do I know which prefix to
select? Look carefully at your table from Task One. Do you notice anything about what the
root word begins with for certain prefix choices?
Answers for Task Three:

Prefix Use it when

il The root word begins with l
ir The root word begins with r
im The root word begins with m or p
in The root word begins with any other letter

Task Four:
Use your understanding of the rules above to complete this task. The missing words in the
second sentences mean the opposite of the underlined root words in the first sentences.
Add the correct prefixes to the root words to complete the sentences.

Charlie is an active boy: he plays hockey almost every day.

Ben is an _______________ boy: he hardly does any sport.

It is probable that it will rain.

It is ________________ that we will have a tornado.

Some changes to materials are reversible.

Some changes to materials are _________________.

If I am going to read your story, your writing has to legible.

I cannot read your story because your writing is __________________.

If something is mortal, one day it will die.

If something is ___________, it will never die.

Louise is capable of fixing the chair herself.

Morgan is _____________ of fixing the chair herself.

Answers for Task Four: inactive, improbable, irreversible, illegible, immortal, incapable