Year 1 — Spelling

Adding endings

Add endings to words — -s for more than one, -ing for 'doing it now', -ed for 'already happened', and -er/-est for comparing.

Back to Year 1

💡Understand

We can change a word by adding an ending. Add -s for more than one (cat → cats). Add -ing for something happening now (jump → jumping). Add -ed for something that already happened (jump → jumped). Add -er or -est to compare (small → smaller → smallest).

“I am jumping now. Yesterday I jumped too.”

'Jumping' has -ing added because it's happening right now. 'Jumped' has -ed added because it already happened, in the past.

🔍Spot it

Which ending is being used?

Question 1

I have two cats.

💡 'Cats' has -s added to show there is more than one cat.

Question 2

She is playing outside.

💡 'Playing' has -ing added because it's happening right now.

Question 3

He walked to school.

💡 'Walked' has -ed added because it already happened, in the past.

🧠Think about it

If 'small' becomes 'smaller' and then 'smallest', what do you think -er and -est do?

✍️Try it

Which ending is used here?

Yesterday, I painted a picture.

Question 1

What ending does 'painted' use?

💡 The word 'yesterday' is a clue that this already happened.

📝Practise

Choose the correct word with the right ending.

Question 1

I have three ___ (dog).

Question 2

Right now, she is ___ (sing).

Question 3

Yesterday, he ___ (kick) the ball.

Question 4

Add -est to the word 'tall' to say something is the most tall of all.

💡 -est shows the top of a whole group.

Question 5

This box is ___ (big) than that one.

Question 6

I have five ___ (toy).

🎯Apply

Read the passage, then answer the questions below.

Yesterday, Ben played with two balls. He is jumping over the biggest one now.

Question 1

What ending does 'played' use, and why?

💡 Look at the word 'yesterday' at the start.

Question 2

What ending does 'jumping' use, and why?

💡 Look at the word 'now' at the end of the sentence.

Question 3

Which ending does 'biggest' use, showing it's the top of the whole group?

💡 This ending shows something is the most out of everything.

🏆Challenge

Can you take the word 'small' and add -er, then -est, to make two new words?

🔄Review

A quick mastery check — 3 questions.

Question 1

I have four ___ (cup).

Question 2

Right now, I am ___ (read).

Question 3

This is the ___ (fast) runner in the class.