6th grade suffixes -tion and -sion worksheets
Sixth graders spell the family fluently in real writing, where -tion words carry much of the academic vocabulary of every subject.
Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.6.4.b.
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Need one more? These are the skills next door at this grade.
The kind of words you'll complete and sort
Fill in the missing letters to make a real word, then write the whole word in its column.
expreseducastamisdeciinven
Columns: -tion and -sion. Only tion turns "inven_" into a real word, so invention goes under -tion; Only sion turns "expres_" into a real word, so expression goes under -sion.
Every print pulls a new set of words at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different mix.
What's on a 6th grade sheet
6th grade sheets draw from 24 words, 14 to a page. 5th and 6th grade print from the same 24 words. What changes is the standard (L.6.4.b here) and the teaching notes below.
Some of the words:
actiondirectioncelebrationvacationattentiondecisionconfusiontelevisionpermissionoccasion
- Complete and sort. Fill in the missing letters to make a real word, then write the whole word in its column. 14 words per page.
Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.
How to teach this
Collect -tion words from one page of a science or history book. There will be many, and seeing the suffix carry a textbook's vocabulary shows why it was worth a page of its own.
Watch for: -tion is the overwhelming favorite: when in doubt, -tion is the smart first guess, then check. -sion belongs to certain base families (-de, -se, -ss, -mit). Both endings do the same JOB: they turn a verb into a noun. Kids who see act/action and discuss/discussion as pairs learn the meaning along with the spelling.
Common questions about 6th grade suffixes -tion and -sion
- Why does this suffix matter so much?
- It builds the nouns school runs on: multiplication, revolution, discussion, conclusion. Owning the suffix is owning a slice of every subject's vocabulary.
- What is the sign of mastery?
- Producing pairs on demand: give the verb, get the noun (invent, invention; divide, division) with correct spelling, no hesitation.
Related worksheets
- 5th grade suffixes -tion and -sion A step easier, same skill
- 6th grade absorbed prefixes (im-, il-, ir-) Same grade, nearby skill
- 6th grade adages and proverbs Same grade, nearby skill
- 6th grade analogies Same grade, nearby skill
- 6th grade connotation and denotation Same grade, nearby skill
- Suffixes -tion and -sion, all grades The full progression
- All 6th grade English worksheets Every skill at this level
- All 6th grade worksheets Everything at this level
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Aligned to Common Core L.6.4.b. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 241, updated October 2026.
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