Suffix: -ation
Year group: 3/4
Source: DfE, English Appendix 1: Spelling, National Curriculum for England (2013) — Years 3–4, Suffixes
Curriculum requirement: Statutory
Purpose: Years 3–4 guide to the suffix -ation — how it turns verbs into nouns, spelling patterns, and practice with statutory vocabulary.
The rule
The suffix -ation is added to verbs to make nouns. It means "the act or process of" doing something.
inform (verb) → information (noun)
adore (verb) → adoration (noun)
sense (verb) → sensation (noun)
When the verb ends in a silent e: drop the e before adding -ation.
adore → ador + -ation = adoration
sense → sens + -ation = sensation
When the verb ends in a consonant: add -ation directly.
inform + -ation = information
transform + -ation = transformation
Why this is one of the most powerful suffixes in English
-ation (and its close relatives -tion, -sion, -ssion) comes from Latin and is extraordinarily common in academic and subject-specific vocabulary. A child who recognises -ation can read and spell a large proportion of the complex nouns they will encounter in history, science, geography, and PSHE from Year 3 onwards.
Etymology note: The suffix entered English via French from Latin -atio / -ationis. Many -ation words came into English after the Norman Conquest (1066) when French-influenced vocabulary expanded dramatically in formal registers. This is why -ation words tend to feel "formal" or "academic" — they were originally the vocabulary of administration, law, and religion.
Examples
Verb → noun with -ation (no spelling change to base):
| Verb | Noun |
|---|---|
| inform | information |
| transform | transformation |
| confirm | confirmation |
| form | formation |
| perform | performance (note: -ance here, not -ation) |
| consider | consideration |
| admire | admiration (drop the e) |
From the Y3/4 statutory word list:
- imagine → imagination (imagine + -ation, drop the e)
- observe → observation (non-statutory but useful)
- educate → education (drop the e)
Common -ation words children encounter in KS2 subjects:
- information (computing, English)
- investigation (science)
- transformation (maths, art)
- communication (PSHE)
- civilisation (history)
- organisation (all subjects)
Common mistakes and why they happen
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| informaion | information | The t belongs to the suffix: inform + -ation |
| adoration → adoreration | adoration | Drop the e from adore before adding -ation |
| sensitiveation | (not a word) | sensitive takes -ity not -ation; learn which suffix fits which base |
| confirmashun | confirmation | The -ation ending is always spelled -ation regardless of how it sounds |
Pronunciation note: The -ation ending is pronounced /eɪʃən/ (as in "ay-shun"). Children sometimes spell it -ashun or -ation confusedly. The spelling is always -ation — pronunciation does not change the spelling.
Morpheme family web
Show children how one base word generates multiple forms:
FORM / \ inform formation | | information transformation | | informative transformational
For the classroom: Write FORM on the board. Ask children to build as many words as they can using form as the base, adding prefixes and suffixes. How many can the class find in 2 minutes?
form, reform, inform, transform, conform, uniform, format, formation, information, transformation, reformation, confirmation, deformation, formal, informal, formally...
Word sort activity
Sort these words: which base verb does each -ation noun come from?
Words: information · admiration · organisation · examination · exploration · celebration · imagination · invitation · relaxation · transformation
| Base verb | -ation noun |
|---|---|
| inform | information |
| admire | |
| organise | |
| examine | |
| explore | |
| celebrate | |
| imagine | |
| invite | |
| relax | |
| transform |
Extension: For each verb, can you use the -ation noun in a sentence?
Dictation sentences (teacher-ready)
Read aloud. Children write. Mark together.
- The information on the display board helped everyone understand the task.
- She looked at the picture with admiration because the colours were so vivid.
- The science lesson required careful observation of the plants each day.
- With great imagination, he built an entire world from a pile of bricks.
- The transformation of the caterpillar into a butterfly took two weeks.
Classroom questions
- What verb is hiding inside the word information?
- If -ation turns verbs into nouns, what does exploration mean? What is the base verb?
- Why do we drop the e from adore before adding -ation? (Link to Y2 drop-the-e rule)
- Can you think of a science word that ends in -ation? What does the base verb mean?
Links to other rules
- Y3/4 rule 03 — Suffixes -tion, -sion, -ssion, -cian: all related endings; -ation is the most common form
- Y2 drop-the-e rule — why adore becomes adoration not adoreeation
Source: DfE English Appendix 1: Spelling (2013). All statutory word examples verified against the published statutory word lists for Years 3–4.