• 4th Grade
  • Writing
  • About 10 minutes

Tion or Sion

Change each word into a noun. Circle the ending it takes, -tion or -sion, then write the new word. Words ending in d, de, se or ss usually take -sion.

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This is sheet #168924601.

How to do it

  1. Read the word.
  2. Circle the ending its noun takes.
  3. Write the new word.

Teaching tip

Say the new word out loud. Notice how the end of the base word changes. This sheet is aligned with Common Core L.4.2d.

Tion or Sion worksheet for 4th grade (spelling with roots), free printable
Printable preview

About this worksheet

Verbs like decide and invent to turn into nouns ending in -tion or -sion. Fewer, Standard or More give 8, 10 or 12. Includes an answer key.

What kids practice

Many longer words are built from a root plus a prefix or a suffix, like inspect, transportation and visible. A root is spelled the same way in every word, so learning it once helps with many words. A few rules cover what happens when parts are added: keep every letter when you add a prefix, drop a silent e or change y to i before some suffixes, and choose between endings like -able and -ible or -tion and -sion.

Watch for

  • Dropping a letter when a prefix makes a double letter, like mispell for misspell.
  • Keeping the silent e before a vowel suffix, like createion.
  • Forgetting to change y to i, like happyness.
  • Spelling a root the way it sounds instead of the way it's built, like microscop or autograf.

It's free to print, with Fewer, Standard or More on the page and an answer key. See the full spelling with roots guide for 4th grade.

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