Y3 Grammar Game - Loop Cards - Word Families

Looking for a fun and engaging grammar game to teach or revisit word families with pupils in KS2?

This pack contains a loop card game that is perfect for a whole class or small groups to develop their understanding how words are related in word families. This simple game asks pupils to find a word that belongs to the same word family as the root word given, with each card having an answer and a new question. There are 32 cards, allowing the game to be played by the whole class as a starter activity to revisit previous learning; or groups could create the loop as part of a main teaching activity on word families.

Once the resource is created, it can be used time and time again to revisit this area of learning as part of whole class teaching or an intervention for pupils who may need further support.

What is a word family?

Word families are words that are related to each other in a combination of having the same word root (with prefixes, suffixes or other words added to make compound words like superman), grammar and meaning.

The words play, playful, playing and replay are all part of the same word family as they all have the same word root (play) and are related in meaning.

What is a root word?

A root word is a basic word that does not have any prefixes or suffixes added to it.

What is a prefix?

A prefix is a group of letters that can be added to the beginning of a word to a create a new word. Prefixes have different meanings so they can be used to change the meaning of a word.

Examples of prefixes

un-, dis-, mis-, in-, super-, anti-, auto-, sub-, semi-, bi-, non-

What is a suffix?

A suffix is a group of letters that can be added to the end of a word. The suffix can change the word’s meaning.

Examples of suffixes

-ing, -ed, -er, -est, -ness, -less, -ful, -ly, -ment,-ous

National Curriculum programme of study links

Year 3 English Appendix 2

• Word families based on common words, showing how words are related in form and meaning [for example, solve, solution, solver, dissolve, insoluble]

This resource is part of the Grammar Games collection.
View more from this collection

• 32 loop cards
• 32 inksaver loop cards
• Answers
• Teacher notes