Free Year 5 Base words + common prefixes/suffix... Practice | Skillo

Year 5 students preparing for NAPLAN need to be confident with base words + common prefixes/suffixes. Build and spell new words from knowledge of known words, base words, prefixes and suffixes (un-, dis-, -ness, -ment). Skillo has targeted practice questions for this exact skill, mapped to the Australian Curriculum v9.0, free and ready to go.

Start Free Practice →

What is tested: Base words + common prefixes/suffixes

  • Build and spell new words from knowledge of known words, base words, prefixes and suffixes (un-, dis-, -ness, -ment).
  • Questions present words in sentence context
  • Australian English spelling conventions apply throughout

Sample questions

Question 1Easy

Priya felt ___ when she lost her library book.

A) unhappy
B) unhappey
C) unnhappy
D) unhappie

Answer: The prefix 'un-' is added to the base word 'happy' to make 'unhappy'. The prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' is simply placed before the base word without changing its spelling. Options B, C, and D all contain misspellings of either the prefix or the base word.

Question 2Medium

Priya felt ___ when she lost her library book. Choose the correct spelling.

A) unhappy
B) unhapy
C) unnhappy
D) unhappey

Answer: The prefix 'un-' is added to the base word 'happy' to make 'unhappy'. The prefix 'un-' never doubles its final letter, and the base word 'happy' keeps all its letters. 'Unhapy' drops the double-p, 'unnhappy' wrongly doubles the n, and 'unhappey' adds an incorrect vowel at the end.

Question 3Hard

Choose the correct spelling to complete the sentence. Mia's ___ at remembering animal names amazed her class.

A) clevernes
B) cleverness
C) clevereness
D) clevernis

Answer: The suffix '-ness' is added to the base word 'clever' to form 'cleverness'. No letters are dropped or changed when '-ness' is added to a word ending in a consonant. Options A, C, and D all misspell the suffix '-ness'.

How to use Skillo for Year 5 Spelling

  1. Select Year 5 and Spelling on the home screen
  2. Use Quick Practice — questions on base words + common prefixes/suffixes will appear as part of the session
  3. Check the Skill Breakdown on your profile to track your accuracy on base words + common prefixes/suffixes specifically
  4. Review explanations after each question to understand the reasoning behind correct answers

Skillo is free, requires no email or account details, and is built specifically for Australian students. Every question is mapped to the Australian Curriculum v9.0 and filtered by skill so your child practises exactly what they need.

Start Free Practice →

No account needed. No email. No credit card.