iphone 5 - when typing a message autofill does not give me suggested words. This feature is turned on in settings.

Hello there, annettefromjersey.

It sounds like predictive text is not working for you in Messages on your iOS device. Although the following Knowledge Base article was written for 3rd party applications, the initial recommendations are useful for troubleshooting your issue:

If an app you installed unexpectedly quits, stops responding, or won’t open - Apple Support

Restart the app

Close the app and open it again.

Restart your device

Turn your device off and back on.

Check for iOS and app updates

1. Make sure that you're using latest version of iOS.
2. Open the App Store and tap Updates.
3. If updates are available, tap Update All.
4. If asked, enter your Apple ID password.

You might need a Wi-Fi connection to update some apps.

Thanks for reaching out to Apple Support Communities.

Cheers.