Nouns

-age -ene e
Verb No un Verb Noun
break breakage confide confidence
cover coverage depend (in)dependence
pack package differ difference
post postage exist existen ce
store storage insist insisten ce
wreck wreckage o bey obedience
Adjective No un
occur occurrence
offend offence
short shortage
persist persisten ce
-al
recur recurren ce
Verb
Adjective Noun
No un
absent absence
( dis )approve (dis)approval
(in)competent (in)competence
arrive arrival
(in)convenient (in)convenience
bury burial
evident evidence
den y denial
innocent innocence
dismiss dismissal
intelligent intelligence
propase proposal
(im)patient (im)patience
rehearse rehearsal
present presence
remove remo val
violent violence
renew renewal
revive revival
survive survival
-cy
Adjective Noun
-ance
(in)accurate (in) accuracy
Verb Noun (in)adequate (in)adequacy
annoy annoyance
(in)decent (in)decency
( dis )appear ( dis )appearance
(in)efficient (in)efficiency
attend attendance
(in)frequent (in)frequency
disturb disturban ce
immediate immediacy
endure enduran ce
infant infancy
en ter en trance
intima te intimacy
ignore ignorance
(il)literate (il)literacy
inherit inheritance
pregnant pregnancy
perform performance
priva te privacy
rely reliance
redundant redundancy
resemble resemblance
secret secrecy
resist resistance
urgent urgency
signify (in)significance
vcant vacancy
tolerate (in)tolerance
Adjective Noun
arrogant arrogan ce
distant distan ce
( un)important ( un)importance
(ir )relevant (ir )relevan ce
reluctant reluctance
116
Word formation list -
-dom -ity
Adjective No un
Adjective Noun
bored boredom
(un)able (in)ability
free freedom
(in)active (in)activity
wise wisdom
complex complexity
credible credibility
Person Abstract noun
curious curiosity
king kingdom (un)equal (in)equality
star stardom ( un)familiar (un)familiarity
ferocious ferocity
-ful
(in)flexible (in)flexibility
(in)formal (in)formality
No un Noun (Quantity) generous generosity
arm armful
hostil e hostility
cup cupful
immune immunity
fist fistful
in tense intensity
hand handful
major majority
house houseful
minor minority
room roomful
(im)mobile (im)mobility
spoon spoonful
objective objectivity
( un)original ( un)originality
-hood
personal personality
(un)popular ( un)popularity
Person Abstract noun prosperous prosperity
adult adulthood (im)pure (im)purity
child childhood (in)secure
/
(in)security
father fatherhood (in)sensitive (in)sensitivity
man manhood severe severity
mother motherhood similar similarity
neighbour neighbourhood ;, simple simplicity
parent parenthood (in)sincere (in)sincerity
woman womanhood stupid stupidity
;'neighbourhood
subjective subjectivity
part of a town or city where people live
(in)valid (in)validity
Adjective No un
-ing
likely likelihood
Verb Noun
-iety
adverts e advertising
build building
Adjective No un gather gathering
anxious anxiety like liking
notorious notoriety live living
sober sobriety meet meeting
various variety record recording
say saying
set setting
suffer suffering
117
Word formation list
-ment
Verb
achieve
(dis)agree
amaze
amuse
announce
argue
arrange
commit
content
develop
disappoint
discourage
embarrass
employ
encourage
enjoy
entertain
excite
govern
improve
invest
involve
judge
manage
measure
m ove
(re)pay
punish
refresh
replace
require
retire
settle
treat
-ness
Adjective
(un)aware
careless
el ose
( un)conscious
deaf
eager
(in)effective
(un)friendly
great
hard
hopeless
(un)selfish
serious
stiff
thorough
tired
useful
weak
118
Noun
achievement
(dis)agreement
amazement
amusement
announcement
argument
arrangement
commitment
contentment
development
disappointment
discouragement
embarrassment
( un)employment
encouragement
enjoyment
entertainment
excitement
government
improvement
investment
involvement
judgement/judgment
management
measurement
movement
\
(re)payment
punishment
refreshment
replacement
requirement
retirement
settlement
treatment
No un
( un)awareness
carelessness
closeness
( un)consciousness
deafness
eagerness
(in)effectiveness
( un)friendliness
greatness
hardness
hopelessness
(un)selfishness
seriousness
stiffness
thoroughness
tiredness
usefulness
weakness
-ship (
Person Abstract noun
champion championship
companion companionship
friend friendship
leader leadership
member membership
owner ownership
partner partnership
scholar scholarship"'
sponsor sponsorship * *
'''scholarship
money given to someone to help pay for their
studies
'""'sponsorship
\
money given to someone/an organization to help
pay for something, eg an event
Adjective
hard
-sis
Verb
diagnose
emphasize
-ston
Verb
collide
convert
erode
exclude
expand
in elude
persuade
supervise
-son
Verb
compare
No un
hardship
No un
diagnosis
emphasis
Noun
collision
conversion
erosion
exclusion
expansion
inclusion
persuasion
supervision
Noun
comparison
Word formation list -
-ation -th
Verb No un
Adjective No un
adapt adaptation
broad breadth
administer administration
deep depth
apply application
long length
combine combination
strong strength
compile compilation
true truth
consider consideration
expectation
warm warmth
expect
wide width
explain - explanation
young youth
identify identification
imagine imagination Verb No un
inflame inflammation
grow growth
inform information
inspire inspiration
interpret interpretation
-ure
observe observation
Verb
preparation
No un
prepare
present presentation
el ose closure
publish publication
compase composure
(dis)qualify ( dis )qualification
depart departure
realize realization
expose exposure
resign resignation
fail failure
vary variation
please pleasure
proceed procedure
-tion
sign signature
Verb No un
-y
accommodate accommodation
(re)act (re)action Adjective No un
associate association
difficult difficulty
collect collection
(dis)honest ( dis )honesty
complica te complication
poor poverty
compase composition
safe safety
(dis)connect (dis)connection
(un)certain (un)certainty
contamina te contamination
demonstrate demonstration
Verb No un
direct direction discover discovery
evolve evolution en ter entry
hesita te hesitation
imita te imitation
inhibit inhibition
investigate investigation
(de )motiva te (de)motivation
opera te operation
perceive perception
predict prediction
prescribe prescription
receive reception
recognize recognition
reduce reduction
repeat repetition
(dis)satisfaction
(re)solve (re )solution
subscribe subscription
substitute substitution
119
Word formation list
People
"
-ant -tan
\
Verb Person Noun Person
apply applicant electricity electrician
assist assistant history historian
confide confidant(e) library libraran
consult consultant mathematics mathematician
con test contestant music musician
defend defendant politics politician
inhabit inhabitant
occupy occupant
-ist
participa te participant
Noun Person
bicycle cyclist
-ar
environment environmentalist
Verb Person
motor (car) motorist
nature naturalist
lie liar
novel novelist
psychiatry psychiatrist
-ative science scientist
Verb Person
specialism specialist
violn violinist
represent representative
-or
-er
Verb Person
Verb Person
act actor
employ employer
collect collector
lecture lecturer
communicate communicator
manufacture manufacturer
compete competitor
present presenter
conduct conductor
read reader
con tribute contributor
research researcher
demonstrate demonstrator
win winner
distribute distributor
instruct instructor
invent inventor
spectate spectator
120
Word formation list -
Nouns formed with up, down, in, away, out, back
up-
upbringing
upkeep
uprising
uproar
upset
upturn
down-
downfall
downpour
downside
downturn
-down
breakdown
tn-
in come
input
insight
intake
-away
getaway
hideaway
runaway
takeaway
Miscellaneous
Verb Noun
(mis)behave (mis)behaviour
choose choice
complain complaint
die death
give gift
know knowledge
laugh laughter
lose loss
prove proof
receive receipt
respond response
(
out-
outbreak
outburst
outcome
outline
outlook
output
outset
-out
breakout
checkout
handout
knockout
lookout
payout
turnout
workout
-back
comeback
drawback
feedback
setback
back-
background
Verb
sell
succeed
think
try
weigh
Adjective
high
No un
sale(s)
success
thought
tri al
weight
No un
height
121
Word formation list
Adjectives
-ah le
Verb Adjective
accept ( un)acceptable
advise (in)advisable
afford affordable
agree (dis)agreeable
apply (in)applicable
appreciate appreciable
approach ( un)approachable
avoid ( un)avoidable
bear (un)bearable
believe (un)believable
compare (in)comparable
consider (in)considerable
desire ( un)desirable
dispense (in)dispensable
forget ( un)forgettable
imagine ( un)imaginable
irrita te irritable
note notable
notice noticeable
pay payable
predict ( un)predictable
prefer preferable
prevent preventable
regret regrettable
rely (un)reliable
remar k ( un)remarkable
respect respectable
understand understandable
work (un)workable
Noun Adjective
comfort ( un)comfortable
fashion ( un)fashionable
knowledge knowledgeable
memory (un) memorable
profit ( un)profitable
reason ( un)reasonable
val u e valuable/invaluable''
''invaluable:
extremely useful. eg invaluable advicelexperience!help
122
-ible
No un
access
flexibility
sense
Verb
comprehend
respond
'' sensible:
Adjective
(in)accessible
(in)flexible
(in)sensible*
Adjective
(in)comprehensible
(ir )responsible
showing or having good sense eg Cycling with a
broken arm is not a very sensible thing to do.
insensible:
a unconscious
eg He was found drunk and insensible.
b not caring about or unaware of
eg She seemed insensible to the d n g ~ r s involved.
-al
No un Adjective
accident accidental
addition additional
alphabet alphabetical
behaviour behavioural
centre central
culture cultural
ecology ecological
emotion ( un)emotional
environment environmental
exception ( un)exceptional
experiment experimental
fact factual
globe global
intention intentional
medicine medicinal
method methodical
monument monumental
nation national
occasion occasional
occupation occupational
origin (un)original
parent parental
person (im)personal
practice (im)practical
profession ( un)professional
sensation ( un)sensational
society social
temperament temperamental
tradition traditional
universe universal
-ial
Noun
benefit
commerce
controversy
fa ce
finan ce
industry
influence
manager
matrimony
residen ce
secretary
substance
territory
-ant
Verb
ignore
please
rely
resist
signify
tolera te
-ent
Verb
appear
confide
depend
differ
insist
o bey
persist
recur
No un
absence
(in)competence
(in)convenience
evidence
(in)frequency
innocence
intelligence
(im)patience
presence
violence
Adjective
beneficia!
commercial
( un)controversial
facial
financia!
industrial
influential
managerial
matrimonial
residential
secretaria!
(in)substantial
territorial
Adjective
ignorant
(un)pleasant
reliant
resistant
(in)significant
(in)tolerant
Adjective
apparent
confident
(in)dependent
(in)different
insistent
(dis)obedient
persistent
recurrent
Adjective
absent
(in)competent
(in)convenient
evident
(in)frequent
innocent
intelligent
(im)patient
present
violent
-ate
No un
accuracy
adequacy
appropriacy
consideration
fortune
moderation
-ative
Verb
administer
argue
compare
consult
imagine
inform
prevent
provoke
represent
Word formation list -
Adjective
(in)accurate
(in)adequate
(in)appropriate
(in)considerate
(un)fortunate
(im)moderate
Adjective
administrative
argumentative
comparative
consulta ti ve
( un)imaginative
( un)informative
preventative
provoca ti ve
(un )representa ti ve
123
Word formation list
-ive
Verb Adjective
act (in)active
adopt adoptive
appreciate ( un)appreciative
assert ( un)assertive
attend (in)attentive
attract ( un)attractive
communicate ( un)communicative
compete ( un)competitive
conclude (in)conclusive
construct ( un)constructive
coopera te ( un)cooperative
crea te (un)creative
deceive deceptive
decide (in)decisive
defend defensive
describe descriptive
destroy destructive
disrupt disruptive
divide divisive
explode explosive
express expressive
extend extensive
impress ( un)impressive
include inclusive
invent inventive
offend (in)offensive
persuade persuasive
possess possessive
produce ( un)productive
progress progressive
protect protective
receive ( un)receptive
respect (ir )respective
respond ( un)responsive
speculate speculative
succeed successive
support ( un)supportive
No un Adjective
aggression ( un)aggressive
effect (in)effective
expense (in)expensive
secret secretive
sense (in)sensitive
124
\
-ing!-ed
The following verbs can be used to form participle
adjectives
eg worryinglworried
alarm, amaze, amuse, annoy, astonish, bore,
confuse, convince, depress, disappoint, disgust,
embarrass, entertain, excite, exhaust, fascinate,
frighten, frustrate, increase, interest, irritate,
motivate, move, refresh, relax, satisfy, shock,
surprise, terrify, threaten, thrill, tire, worry "
The following -ing adjectives are commonly used
with the nouns in brackets.
Verb
clase
consult
recur
run
support
-ous
Noun
( dis )advantage
ambition
anxiety
caution
courtesy
curiosity
danger
disaster
glamour
hazard
humour
luxury
monster
mystery
nerve
number
poison
religion
suspicion
Verb
infect
vary
Adjective
closing (date)
consulting (room)
recurring (illness, nightmare,
problem, theme)
running (water)
supporting (actor, actress,
evidence, role)
Adjective
( dis )advantageous
( un)ambitious
anxious
cautious
(dis)courteous
curious
dangerous
disastrous
( un)glamorous
hazardous
humorous
luxurious
monstrous
mysterious
nervous
numerous
poisonous
(ir )religious
suspicious
Adjective
infectious
various
-ful!-less
Root -fui
beauty beautiful
ca re careful
cheer cheerful
colour colourful
count
deceit deceitful
delight delightful
effort
end
event eventful
faith faithful
fault faulty
flight
gratitud e grateful
hair hairy
harm harmful
heart
help helpful
home
hope hopeful
job
meaning meaningful
pain painful
peace peaceful
point
power powerful
price
relent
res o urce resourceful
respect respectful
skill skilful"' 1 skilled ''
sleep
speech
stress stressful
success successful
taste t a s t y ~ /tasteful j,
thought thoughtful''
time
truth truthful
use useful
waste wasteful
wonder wonderful
worth
youth youthful
-less/un_ful
careless
cheerlessj'
colourless
countless
effortless
endless
uneventful
unfaithful
faultless
flightless
ungrateful
hairless
harmless
heartless
helpless'' /unhelpful ''
homeless
hopeless
jobless
meaningless
painless
pointless
powerless
priceless''
relentless
unresourceful
disrespectful
unskilled
_ sleepless
speechless
unstressful
unsuccessful
tasteless
thoughtless
timeless
untruthful
useless
worthlessj'
Word formation list -
cheerless: used mainly to describe the weather or a
room which is not bright or pleasant
helpless: unable to do anything to help or protect
yourself
unhelpful: not willing to help other people
priceless: used to describe an object which has a
very high value; it is worth so much money that the
price cannot be calculated (compare with worthless
below)
skilful & skilled: both can be used to describe a
person who has the necessary ability, experience
and/or training to do something well.
eg He's a skilful footballer. This work was done by
skilled craftsmen.
skilled: can also be used to describe a job or piece
of work that requires special skill and training
eg Nursing is a skilled job.
tasty: used to describe food with a strong and
pleasant flavour
tasteful: used to describe clothes, decoration etc
which is attractive and shows good taste
thoughtful:
a to describe a person who is quiet and serious
because they are thinking about something
b to describe someone who thinks and cares about
the feelings and needs of other people
worthless: used to describe an object with no
value in money (compare with priceless above)
-te
No un Adjective
allergy allergic
drama drama tic
optimism optimistic
pessimism pessimistic
science scientific
strategy strategic
125
Word formation list
-ary
Verbs
No un Adjective
-ate
caution cautionary
Verb
literature literary
Noun
revolution revolutionary
alien aliena te
assassin assassinate
Verb Adjective
difference differen tia te
imagine imaginary
val u e evaluate
volunteer (in)voluntary
Adjective Verb
active activa te
-ory
captive captivate
Verb Adjective dominant domina te
advise advisory
valid valida te
celebra te celebratory
contradict contradictory
en-
explain explanatory
introduce introductory No un Verb
migra te migratory act enact
oblige obligatory circle encircle
prepare preparatory courage encourage ( discourage)
satisfy ( un)satisfactory danger endanger
supervise supervisory force enforce
list enlist
-ly
rage enrage
trust en trust
No un Adjective
friend (un)friendly
Adjective Verb
able enable
life lively
large enlarge
time (un)timely
rich enrich
sure ensure
-y
No un Adjective -ify
chat chatty
No un Verb
cloud cloudy
class classify
e ase easy
example exemplify
fault faulty
fog foggy
glory glorify
frost frosty
identity identify
note notify
grass grassy
( dis )qualification ( dis )qualify
guilt guilty
ha ir hairy
Adjective Verb
hill hilly
clear clarify
mist misty
just justify
mud muddy
pure purify
rain rain y
simple simplify
rock rocky
so lid solidify
sleep sleepy
sun sunny
wealth wealthy
126
-en
Adjective
black
bright
broad
dar k
dead
deaf
deep
fat
flat
hard
high
long
less
loo se
red
sad
sharp
short
soft
stiff
straight
strong
sweet
thick
tight
weak
wide
worse
Noun
threat
-ize
No un
character
clima te
computer
criticism
emphasis
maximum
memory
mnimum
moisture
pressure
revolution
standard
summary
symbol
sympathy
Verb
blacken
brighten
broaden
darken
deaden
deafen
deepen
fatten
flatten
harden
heighten
lengthen
lessen
loasen
redden
sadden
sharpen
shorten
soften
stiffen
straighten
strengthen
sweeten
thicken
tighten
weaken
widen
worsen
Verb
threaten
Verb
characterize
acclimatize
computerize
criticize
emphasize
maximize
memorize
minimize
moisturize
pressurize
revolutionize
standardize
summarize
symbolize
sympathize
Word formation list -
Adjective
commercial
familiar
formal
general
item
modern
social
special
stable
visual
Verb
commercialize
familiarize
formalize
generalize
itemize
modernize
socialize
specialize
stabilize
visualize
Verbs formed with up,
down, over, under, out
up-
update
upgrade
uphold
uplift
uproot
upset
upstage
down-
downgrade
download
downplay
downshift
downsize
over-
overcome
overcook
overeat
overestimate
overexpose
overflow
overhear
overheat
overload
overlook
overrate
overrule
overrun
overshadow
oversleep
overspend
overstay
overstretch
overtake
overthrow
overuse
overwork
127
Word formation list
under-
underachieve
undercharge
undercut
underestimate
undergo
underline
underrate
understate
undertake
undervalue
out-
outgrow
outlast
outlive
outnumber
outplay
outrun
outstay
128