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

key notes:

What does -ful mean?

When you see the word -ful at the end of a word, it means full of something or having a lot of something.

Think of it like this: a cup that is full of water.

Examples of Words with -ful

• Helpful: Full of help. A helpful friend likes to help you!
• Colorful: Full of color. A colorful picture has lots of different colors.
• Thankful: Full of thanks. We are thankful when someone does something nice for us.
• Careful: Full of care. Be careful when you cross the street so you don’t get hurt.

What does -less mean?

When you see the word -less at the end of a word, it means without something or not having something.

Think of it like an empty cup. It’s less full.

Examples of Words with -less

• Careless: Without care. A careless person might drop things because they aren’t paying attention.
• Fearless: Without fear. A fearless person is not afraid of anything!
• Homeless: Without a home. Someone homeless doesn’t have a house to live in.
• Useless: Without use. A broken toy might be useless because it doesn’t work.

Summary

-ful means full of or having a lot of.

-less means without or not having.

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