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      Spelling further words with the suffix -ed

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can spell irregular past tense verbs.

      Key learning points

      1. Adding the suffix -ed turns the verb into the past tense.
      2. When the vowel sound is long, we just add the suffix -ed.
      3. When the vowel sound is short, we double the consonant and add the suffix -ed.
      4. How to spell irregular verbs in the past tense, such as slept.
      5. How to spell the common exception words: different, material and busy.

      Keywords

      • Suffix - a letter or group of letters added to the end of a root word

      • Irregular - not conforming to a regular or predictable pattern

      • Present tense - when the action is happening now

      • Past tense - when the action has happened before now

      • Verb - a doing or being verb

      Common misconception

      Some pupils may overgeneralise applying regular -ed rules to irregular verbs such as 'buy' -'buyed'.

      Expose pupils to irregular past tense verbs in reading activities, encourage them to use mnemonics and hunt for words in sentences together.

      Teacher tip

      Use spelling strategies to practise irregular past tense verbs as well as showing the words in full sentences to help pupils learn and remember the spellings.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      What rule is being used when the word 'worry' becomes 'worried' when adding the suffix -ed?

      Just add -ed.
      Correct answer: Remove the 'y' and add -ied.
      Remove the 'e' and add -ed.
      Double the consonant and add -ed.

      Q2.
      What rule is being used when the word 'share' becomes 'shared' when adding the suffix -ed?

      Just add -ed.
      Remove the 'y' and add -ied.
      Correct answer: Remove the 'e' and add -ed.
      Double the consonant and add -ed.

      Q3.
      What rule is being used when the word 'control' becomes 'controlled' when adding the suffix -ed?

      Just add -ed.
      Remove the 'y' and add -ied.
      Remove the 'e' and add -ed.
      Correct answer: Double the consonant and add -ed.

      Q4.
      What rule is being used when the word 'play' becomes 'played' when adding the suffix -ed?

      Correct answer: Just add -ed.
      Remove the 'y' and add -ied.
      Remove the 'e' and add -ed.
      Double the consonant and add -ed.

      Q5.
      Match the verbs to the rule they use when the suffix -ed is added.

      Correct Answer:jump - jumped,Just add -ed.

      Just add -ed.

      Correct Answer:fry - fried,Remove the 'y' and add -ied.

      Remove the 'y' and add -ied.

      Correct Answer:like - liked,Remove the 'e' and add -ed.

      Remove the 'e' and add -ed.

      Correct Answer:stop - stopped,Double the consonant and add -ed.

      Double the consonant and add -ed.

      Q6.
      Choose the correct spelling of the word in bold in this sentence: She hureed to the shops before they closed.

      hurryed
      huried
      hurryd
      Correct answer: hurried

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      When do we 'remove the 'y' and add -ied' when using the suffix -ed?

      Correct answer: when the root word ends in 'y' after a consonant
      when the root word ends in 'e'
      when the root word ends in two consonant letters
      when the root word is a single syllable with a short vowel
      when the root word has two syllables with a stressed final syllable

      Q2.
      When do we 'double the consonant, then add -ed' when using the suffix -ed?

      when the root word ends in 'y' after a consonant
      when the root word ends in 'e'
      when the root word ends in two consonant letters
      Correct answer: when the root word is a single syllable with a short vowel
      Correct answer: when the root word has two syllables with a stressed final syllable

      Q3.
      Match the present tense verb to the irregular past tense verb.

      Correct Answer:bring,brought

      brought

      Correct Answer:make,made

      made

      Correct Answer:go,went

      went

      Correct Answer:sleep,slept

      slept

      Q4.
      Choose the correct spelling of the word in bold in this sentence: He thort he knew the answer.

      thaught
      thouhgt
      Correct answer: thought
      thuoght

      Q5.
      Choose the correct spelling of the word in bold in this sentence: She kneww the answer so she raised her hand.

      knowed
      knue
      knewd
      Correct answer: knew

      Q6.
      Correct the spelling of the word in bold in this sentence: The restaurant was extremely bizy.

      Correct Answer: busy

      To help you plan your 4 English lesson on: Spelling further words with the suffix -ed, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...