ful

Everyday

1. «-ful» is an ending added to a word to make an adjective meaning «full of» or «having»: careful, hopeful, colourful, helpful. tree →
2. «-ful» added to a container noun makes a noun for an amount: a spoonful, a handful, a cupful. tree →
3. As a separate word «ful» is not English; it is a fragment, a spelling mistake for «full», or part of a broken word. tree →

In the lessons

In spelling lessons, pupils learn that the suffix has only one «l»: «beautiful», not «beautifull», even though «full» has two. When added to a word ending in «y», the y changes to i: beauty → beautiful, pity → pitiful. In maths and cooking, «a spoonful» and «a cupful» are amounts. Phrases: careful, wonderful, thankful, mouthful.

Examples

• Be careful when you cross the road. tree →
• Add two spoonfuls of sugar. tree →
• She was hopeful about the test. tree →
• The garden was full of colourful flowers. tree →
• Spell «helpful» with one «l» at the end. tree →
• He grabbed a handful of sweets. tree →
• How thank-ful-ly he looked at the man who had brought it! tree →

Note

Not a word by itself; write «full» when you mean the word. The suffix «-ful» always has one «l». Plural of «spoonful» is «spoonfuls» (not «spoonsful»). Opposite suffix is often «-less»: careful / careless, hopeful / hopeless.