1. 4th Grade Decoding/ Word Attack Structural Analysis: Suffixes: -tion, -sion, -al, -ial
Lesson 23

2. Look at this word and listen to me read it out loud
Look at this word and listen to me read it out loud. As I read, decide how many syllables you hear and where the word should be divided. Turn and tell your partner what the suffix is and what the root word is.
concentration
Give a thumbs up if you said that the word has 4 syllables, (con/cen/tra/tion) the suffix is tion and the root word is concentrate.

3. Look at this word and listen to me read it out loud
Look at this word and listen to me read it out loud. As I read, decide how many syllables you hear and where the word should be divided. Turn and tell your partner what the suffix is and what the root word is.
division
Give a thumbs up if you said that the word has 3 syllables, (di/vi/sion) the suffix is sion and the root word is divide.

4. Look at this word and listen to me read it out loud
Look at this word and listen to me read it out loud. As I read, decide how many syllables you hear and where the word should be divided. Turn and tell your partner what the suffix is and what the root word is.
tropical
Give a thumbs up if you said that the word has 3 syllables, (trop/ic/al) the suffix is al and the root word is tropic.

5. Look at this word and listen to me read it out loud
Look at this word and listen to me read it out loud. As I read, decide how many syllables you hear and where the word should be divided. Turn and tell your partner what the suffix is and what the root word is.
facial
Give a thumbs up if you said that the word has 2 syllables, (fa/cial) the suffix is ial and the root word is face.
If students have forgotten, remind them that when e or i follows the letter c, the letter c will usually make the soft sound /s/

6. A suffix such as –tion, -sion, -al, or –ial is usually the last syllable in a word. The suffix –ial is usually pronounced with 2 syllables (although it wasn’t in facial). When you come across a longer word, you should try breaking the word into syllables and word parts such as prefixes, suffixes and root words. Decoding each syllable will help you pronounce the word.

7. Look at the words below. With your partner, identify the suffix in each word. Then break the rest of the word into syllables and use these syllables to read the word
Word
janitorial
occasional
illogical
conversation
jan i
tor i al oc ca
sion al il lo
gic al
con
ver
sa tion

8. IIndependent Practice
With your partner, look through your social studies book for words with the suffixes –tion, -sion, -al, and –ial. Write the words you find, circle the suffixes and practice reading the words aloud.