1. Decoding/ Word Attack: Structural Analysis: Suffixes:
-able, -ible, -ness, -ment, -less
4th Grade, Lesson 13

2. Listen to me read this word aloud:
darkness
Turn and tell your partner how many syllables are in this word and where you think the word should be divided.
dark/ness
Notice that in this word, the syllable ness, is a suffix. The syllable dark is the root word.

3. Listen to me read this word aloud:
reasonable
Turn and tell your partner how many syllables are in this word and where you think the word should be divided.
rea/son/a/ble
Notice that in this word, the suffix, able, forms the last two syllables in the word. The root word, reason, forms the first two syllables.

4. Let’s try it together.
As each word appears turn to your partner and break the word into syllables, then read the word. Decide how many syllables are in the word and identify the suffix.
breathless
breath
less
con
tent
ment
contentment
loneliness
lone li
ness
adorable a
dor a
ble
divisible di
vis i
ble

5. With a partner find at least 5 words with the suffixes –able,
-ible, -ness, -ment, -less. List the words and sort them by suffix. Then divide the words into syllables and read each word.