Determine the meaning of a word with -ful or -less

key notes:

-ful: Full of Fun and Meaning!

The suffix -ful means full of. When you add -ful to a word, it means the thing is filled with that quality. Imagine a cup full of juice!

Let’s look at some examples:

Help + ful = Helpful Someone who is helpful is full of help! They like to lend a hand. 🙋‍♀️Joy + ful = Joyful If you are joyful, you are full of joy! You’re super happy! 😄Care + ful = Careful Being careful means you are full of care! You pay close attention to avoid mistakes. 🧐

Helpful Joyful Careful

-less: Missing Something!

Now, let’s explore -less. The suffix -less means without. So, when you add -less to a word, it means missing that quality or thing. Imagine a cup with less juice, almost empty!

Here are some examples:

Care + less = Careless Someone who is careless is without care! They don’t pay attention, which can lead to accidents. 😬Fear + less = Fearless If you are fearless, you are without fear! You’re brave and not afraid of danger. 🦸Use + less = Useless Something useless is without use! It can’t help you with anything. 🗑️

Careless Fearless Useless

Quick Quiz!

Time to test your word detective skills!

1. What does hopeful mean? Is it full of hope or without hope?
2. What does homeless mean? Is it full of home or without a home?
3. If you are thankful, are you full of thanks or without thanks?
4. If something is powerless, is it full of power or without power?

Think about the full cup and the empty cup to help you remember -ful and -less! 🎉

Next Steps

Now that you’re word detectives, keep an eye out for words with -ful and -less in your reading! See if you can figure out what they mean all by yourself. Happy word hunting! 🕵️‍♀️🔍

Let’s practice🖊️