Roll An Affix

Setup

Divide your class into pairs (if you have an odd number a group of three will work, though it is not ideal). You will need enough dice for one per pair.

If you cannot get hold of any physical dice, there are a number of online virtual dice that students could access on their phones, if possible/appropriate.

On the board, assign prefixes/suffixes (depending on which you want to practice) to each number on the dice. In case the same number is repeated, try and assign multiple options to each number. Note that it is hard to find enough prefixes alone in particular – the game works best if you can use both prefixes and suffixes. Some suggested assignments are as follows:

1) un- , -ful

2) il-/in-/im- , -less

3) pre-/post- , -ment

4) dis- , -ness

5) re- , -ance/-ence

6) mis- , -sion/-tion /-xion

Game

1. The students take turns rolling the dice.
2. They check the prefix/suffix assigned to the number rolled. The student who rolled says a word that uses that prefix/suffix.
3. The students then take turns saying different words with the same prefix/suffix. If one student can’t think of any other words (or pauses for too long), the other student wins the round and gets a point.
4. The process is repeated, and the first student to reach three or five points wins. Optionally, they can then change partners and play again.

Target Language

The Roll An Affix ESL game is specifically designed for practising prefixes and suffixes. As such it is suitable for intermediate and advanced students. As an extra challenge for advanced students, you could get them to say a sentence containing the word with the prefix/suffix.