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    Word Formation

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    Gia Hung Ta
    1. The document discusses common prefixes and suffixes used to form new words in English, specifically verbs, nouns, and adjectives. For verbs, common prefixes include re-, dis-, over-, under-, etc. For nouns, common prefixes include co-, sub- and common suffixes include -tion, -ity, -ness. For adjectives, common suffixes are -al, -ent, -ive, -ous, -ful, -less. 2. Suffixes like -ise, -ate and -fy are used to form verbs meaning "to cause to be". Noun suffixes include -er, -ment, -ant, -ship. Negative prefixes for adjectives include

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    Word Formation

    Uploaded by

    Gia Hung Ta
    77 views4 pages
    1. The document discusses common prefixes and suffixes used to form new words in English, specifically verbs, nouns, and adjectives. For verbs, common prefixes include re-, dis-, over-, under-, etc. For nouns, common prefixes include co-, sub- and common suffixes include -tion, -ity, -ness. For adjectives, common suffixes are -al, -ent, -ive, -ous, -ful, -less. 2. Suffixes like -ise, -ate and -fy are used to form verbs meaning "to cause to be". Noun suffixes include -er, -ment, -ant, -ship. Negative prefixes for adjectives include

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    1. The document discusses common prefixes and suffixes used to form new words in English, specifically verbs, nouns, and adjectives. For verbs, common prefixes include re-, dis-, over-, under-, etc. For nouns, common prefixes include co-, sub- and common suffixes include -tion, -ity, -ness. For adjectives, common suffixes are -al, -ent, -ive, -ous, -ful, -less. 2. Suffixes like -ise, -ate and -fy are used to form verbs meaning "to cause to be". Noun suffixes include -er, -ment, -ant, -ship. Negative prefixes for adjectives include

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    77 views4 pages

    Word Formation

    Uploaded by

    Gia Hung Ta
    1. The document discusses common prefixes and suffixes used to form new words in English, specifically verbs, nouns, and adjectives. For verbs, common prefixes include re-, dis-, over-, under-, etc. For nouns, common prefixes include co-, sub- and common suffixes include -tion, -ity, -ness. For adjectives, common suffixes are -al, -ent, -ive, -ous, -ful, -less. 2. Suffixes like -ise, -ate and -fy are used to form verbs meaning "to cause to be". Noun suffixes include -er, -ment, -ant, -ship. Negative prefixes for adjectives include

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 4

    WORD FORMATION

    Verbs

    1. prefix + verb   verb

    Prefix Meaning Examples


    re- again or back restructure, revisit, reappear, rebuild, refinance
    dis- reverses the meaning of the verb disappear, disallow, disarm, disconnect, discontinue
    over- too much overbook, oversleep, overwork
    un- reverses the meaning of the verb unbend, uncouple, unfasten
    mis- badly or wrongly mislead, misinform, misidentify
    out- more or better than others outperform, outbid
    be- make or cause befriend, belittle
    co- together co-exist, co-operate, co-own
    de- do the opposite of devalue, deselect
    fore- earlier, before foreclose, foresee
    inter- between interact, intermix, interface
    pre- before pre-expose, prejudge, pretest
    sub- under/below subcontract, subdivide
    trans- across, over transform, transcribe, transplant
    under- not enough underfund, undersell, undervalue, underdevelop

    2. Suffix used to form verbs with the meaning "cause to be".

    Suffix Example
    -ise stabilise, characterise, symbolise, visualise, specialise
    -ate differentiate, liquidate, pollinate, duplicate, fabricate
    -fy classify, exemplify, simplify, justify
    -en awaken, fasten, shorten, moisten

    Nouns
    The most common prefixes used to form new nouns in academic English are: co- and sub-. The most
    common suffixes are: -tion, -ity, -er, -ness, -ism, -ment, -ant, -ship, -age, -ery. By far the most common
    noun affix in academic English is -tion.

    1. prefix + noun   noun

    Prefix Meaning Examples


    anti- against anticlimax, antidote, antithesis
    auto- self autobiography, automobile
    bi- two bilingualism, biculturalism, bi-metalism
    co- joint co-founder, co-owner, co-descendant
    counter- against counter-argument, counter-example, counter-proposal
    dis- the converse of discomfort, dislike
    ex- former ex-chairman, ex-hunter
    hyper- extreme hyperinflation, hypersurface
    in- the converse of inattention, incoherence, incompatibility
    in- inside inpatient,
    inter- between interaction, inter-change, interference
    kilo- thousand kilobyte
    mal- bad malfunction, maltreatment, malnutrition
    mega- million megabyte
    mis- wrong misconduct, misdeed, mismanagement
    mini- small mini-publication, mini-theory
    mono- one monosyllable, monograph, monogamy
    neo- new neo-colonialism, neo-impressionism
    out- separate outbuilding,
    poly- many polysyllable
    pseudo- false pseudo-expert
    re- again re-organisation, re-assessment, re-examination
    semi- half semicircle, semi-darkness
    sub- below subset, subdivision
    super- more than, above superset, superimposition, superpowers
    sur- over and above surtax
    tele- distant telecommunications,
    tri- three tripartism
    ultra- beyond ultrasound
    under- below, too little underpayment, under-development, undergraduate
    vice- deputy vice-president

    2. Suffix added to a verb (V), noun (N) or adjective (A)    noun

    Suffix Meaning Examples


    -tion alteration, demonstration
    action/instance of V-ing
    -sion expansion, inclusion, admission
    person who V-s advertiser, driver
    -er
    something used for V-ing computer, silencer
    -ment action/instance of V-ing development, punishment, unemployment
    -ant assistant, consultant
    person who V-s
    -ent student
    -age action/result of V breakage, wastage, package
    -al action/result of V denial, proposal, refusal, dismissal
    -ence preference, dependence, interference
    action/result of V
    -ance attendance, acceptance, endurance
    action/instance of V-ing bribery, robbery, misery
    -ery/-ry
    place of V-ing refinery, bakery
     Suffix Meaning Examples
    -er person concerned with N astronomer, geographer
    -ism doctrine of N Marxism, Maoism, Thatcherism
    -ship state of being N friendship, citizenship, leadership
    -age collection of N baggage, plumage
     Suffix Meaning Examples
    -ity state or quality of being A ability, similarity, responsibility, curiosity
    -ness state or quality of being A darkness, preparedness, consciousness
    -cy state or quality of being A urgency, efficiency, frequency

    Adjectives
    Many adjectives are formed from a base of a different class with a suffix (e.g. -less, -ous). Adjectives can
    also be formed from other adjectives, especially by the negative prefixes (un-, in- and non-).

    The most common suffixes are -al, -ent, -ive, -ous, -ful, -less.

    1. Suffix added to verbs or nouns   adjective

    Suffix Example
    -al central, political, national, optional, professional
    -ent different, dependent, excellent
    -ive attractive, effective, imaginative, repetitive
    -ous continuous, dangerous, famous
    -ful beautiful, peaceful, careful
    -less endless, homeless, careless, thoughtless
    -able drinkable, countable, avoidable,

    2. negative + adjective   adjective

    Prefix Examples
    un- unfortunate, uncomfortable, unjust
    im-/in-/ir-/il- immature, impatient, improbable, inconvenient, irreplaceable, illegal
    non- non-fiction, non-political, non-neutral
    dis- disloyal, dissimilar, dishonest

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