Grade 3 · List 4 of 7 · 39 words

Suffixes -ful, -less, -ly, -ness, -ment

These suffixes just add on. A free 3rd grade spelling list: hear each word, print a practice sheet, or take the test.

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The words

  • careful
  • helpful
  • cheerful
  • hopeless
  • careless
  • quickly
  • slowly
  • quietly
  • kindness
  • darkness
  • helpless
  • payment
  • sadness
  • enjoyment
  • softly
  • thankful
  • bravely
  • brightly
  • carefully
  • friendly
  • safely
  • wonderful
  • playful
  • joyful
  • colorful
  • useful
  • powerful
  • peaceful
  • fearless
  • endless
  • harmless
  • loudly
  • gladly
  • neatly
  • kindly
  • goodness

Tricky words to learn by heart

These come up alongside this pattern but don't follow it.

  • library
  • heard
  • straight

In a sentence

  • careful: Be careful when you cross the bridge over the river.
  • helpful: The friendly dragon was helpful to the little elf.
  • cheerful: The cheerful fairy sang as she painted the flowers.
  • hopeless: The little bird was not hopeless; it found its way home.
  • careless: The careless dragon left its toys on the castle steps.
  • quickly: The little dragon flew quickly over the green hills.

Mistakes to watch for

For grown-ups helping at home: these are the kinds of slips this pattern tends to bring.

WordOften written as
carefulcarefol, carful
helpfulhelpfull, helpfal
cheerfulcherful, cheerfull
hopelesshopless, hopeles
carelesscarless, carelss

Take the Suffixes -ful, -less, -ly, -ness, -ment spelling test

10 words, read aloud. No sign-up, no timer, and nothing is saved.

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A sample practice sheet for a hero named BraveOtter42, with the letters ai and ou blanked out of words and sentences to fill in.
Sample practice sheet
A sample certificate of mastery for BraveOtter42, for the spelling of ai and ay.
Sample certificate
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