LESSON 17: WORD FORMATION

I. NOUN FORMATION:
1. What is noun?
 Nouns are words that represent people, places, things, or ideas.

2. How to form nouns?

We often make nouns from other types of words, like verbs or adjectives. When we want to make
our language more formal, we can use nouns we've made from verbs or adjectives.

• VERB + -er, -or, -ant/-ent, -ist

E.g.
write  writer
invent  inventor
assist  assistant
tour  tourist
• VERB + -ion, -ment, -ance, -ence
E.g.
invent  invention
improve  improvement
accept  acceptance
depend  dependence
• ADJECTIVE + -ness, -dom, -ity
e.g.
happy  happiness
official  officialdom
popular  popularity

Practice 1. Form the possible nouns from the words below.

1. drive  ___________ 10. equal  ___________
2. free  ___________ 11. educate  ___________
3. discuss  ___________ 12. perform  ___________
4. develop  ___________ 13. celebrate  ___________
5. piano  ___________ 14. reside  ___________
6. different  ___________ 15. decide  ___________
7. kind  ___________ 16. instruct  ___________
8. wise  ___________ 17. important  ___________
9. opportune  ___________ 18. diverse  ___________
Answers:
1. drive  driver 10. equal  equality
2. free  freedom 11. educate  educator - education
3. discuss  discussion 12. perform  performer - performance
4. develop  development 13. celebrate  celebration
5. piano  pianist 14. reside  resident - residence
6. different  difference 15. decide  decision
7. kind  kindness 16. instruct  instructor - instruction
8. wise  wisdom 17. important  importance
9. opportune  opportunity 18. diverse  diversity

II. VERB FORMATION:

We often make verbs from other types of words, like nouns or adjectives.
• NOUN / ADJECTIVE + -ate
E.g.
collaboration  collaborate
valid  validate
• NOUN / ADJECTIVE + -ise/ize
E.g.
apology  apologise/apologize
economic  economise/economize
• ADJECTIVE + -en
E.g.
bright  brighten
dark  darken
• en- + NOUN / ADJECTIVE
E.g.
courage  encourage
large  enlarge

Practice 2. Form the possible verbs from the words below.

1. participation  ___________ 7. modern  ___________
2. recognition  ___________ 8. able  ___________
3. force  ___________ 9. special  ___________
4. demonstration  ___________ 10. active  ___________
5. priority  ___________ 11. length  ___________
6. deep  ___________ 12. danger  ___________
Answers:
1. participation  participate 7. modern  modernise / modernize
2. recognition  recognise / recognize 8. able  enable
3. force  enforce 9. special  specialise / specialize
4. demonstration  demonstrate 10. active  activate
5. priority  prioritise / prioritize 11. length  lengthen
6. deep  deepen 12. danger  endanger

III. ADJECTIVE FORMATION:

• NOUN + -ful / -less
E.g.
harm  harmful / harmless
use  useful / useless
• NOUN / VERB + -y, -al, -ous, -ive, -ic
E.g.
rain  rainy
culture  cultural
danger  dangerous
act  active
class  classic
• VERB + -ent, -ant
E.g.
please  pleasant
obey  obedient
• NOUN / VERB + -able / -ible
E.g.
manage  manageable
comfort  comfortable
response  responsible
access  accessible
Some adjectives with negative meanings are formed by adding un-, in-, im-, ir-, il-, dis- in
front of the adjectives.
E.g.
happy  unhappy
formal  informal
patient  impatient
regular  irregular
legal  illegal
honest  dishonest
Practice 3. Form the possible adjectives from the words below.
1. power  ___________ 10. achieve  ___________
2. finance  ___________ 11. create  ___________
3. noise  ___________ 12. possible  ___________
4. home  ___________ 13. talent  ___________
5. health  ___________ 14. fair  ___________
6. history  ___________ 15. resist  ___________
7. economy  ___________ 16. success  ___________
8. fame  ___________ 17. interest  ___________
9. significance  ___________ 18. enthusiasm  ___________
Answers:
1. power  powerful 10. achieve  achievable
2. finance  financial 11. create  creative
3. noise  noisy 12. possible  impossible
4. home  homeless 13. talent  talented
5. health  healthy 14. fair  unfair
6. history  historical - historic 15. resist  resistant
7. economy  economic 16. success  successful
8. fame  famous 17. interest  interesting – interested
9. significance  significant 18. enthusiasm  enthusiastic

Practice 4. Use the words in capitals to form a new word that fits into each blank.
1. He gave us a detailed __________ of how the accident happened. (DESCRIBE)
2. She has been doing research work as a __________. (SCIENCE)
3. I wanted to __________ but Dad cut me off at once. (APOLOGY)
4. Most bird species are under __________ by law. (PROTECT)
5. He is the most famous __________ who has ever had an exhibition in this gallery. (ART)
6. Can you tell me the __________ of the new restaurant? (LOCATE)
7. The hotel offers a great __________ of activities tourists can do. (SELECT)
8. The view from the top of the mountain is absolutely __________. (FASCINATE)
9. Even the FBI could not solve the __________ crime. (MYSTERY)
10. She runs a __________ business in Los Angeles. (SUCCEED)
11. They are doing some research on the __________ of nuclear weapons. (DESTROY)
12. We were __________ that our mother would survive surgery and get better soon.
(HOPE)
13. There were a lot of __________ parts that she did not understand. (MEANING)
14. After a few days, the family reported the __________ to the police. (APPEAR)
Answers:
1. He gave us a detailed description of how the accident happened. (DESCRIBE)
2. She has been doing research work as a scientist. (SCIENCE)
3. I wanted to apologise/apologize but Dad cut me off at once. (APOLOGY)
4. Most bird species are under protection by law. (PROTECT)
5. He is the most famous artist who has ever had an exhibition in this gallery. (ART)
6. Can you tell me the location of the new restaurant? (LOCATE)
7. The hotel offers a great selection of activities tourists can do. (SELECT)
8. The view from the top of the mountain is absolutely fascinating. (FASCINATE)
9. Even the FBI could not solve the mysterious crime. (MYSTERY)
10. She runs a successful business in Los Angeles. (SUCCEED)
11. They are doing some research on the destruction of nuclear weapons. (DESTROY)
12. We were hopeful that our mother would survive surgery and get better soon. (HOPE)
13. There were a lot of meaningless parts that she did not understand. (MEANING)
14. After a few days, the family reported the disappearance to the police. (APPEAR)
HOMEWORK
1. Use the words in capitals to form a new word that fits into each blank.
a. ___________ people are not always the happiest. (WEALTH)
b. There was an ___________ line of cars waiting to cross the border. (END)
c. He runs a ___________ restaurant near the beach. (FASHION)
d. The new cars are equipped with very ___________ engines. (POWER)
e. She deserved the ___________ she was given by the headmistress. (PUNISH)
f. The refugees got ___________ from the local police force. (PROTECT)
g. It was very ___________ at the disco, so we decided to go somewhere else. (NOISE)
h. There are thousands of ___________ people in the large cities of the world. (HOME)
i. Use your ___________ and think of something that will work. (IMAGINE)
j. If you accept this job you will have an enormous ___________ towards your colleagues.
(RESPONSIBLE)
k. She didn't give us any information that turned out to be very ___________. (USE)
l. It was ___________ to see anything in the thick fog. (POSSIBLE)
m. There are ___________ methods of succeeding. (VARY)
n. The train was very ___________, and we had to stand. (CROWD)
o. He took a lot of ___________ with him because it would be a long expedition. (EQUIP)
p. I ___________ eating alone. I always have to have someone to talk to. (LIKE)
q. The student council provided financial and ___________ help for new students.
(PRACTICE)
r. The drive up to the mountains ended with a ___________ view of the sea. (FANTASY)

Answers:
a. Wealthy people are not always the happiest. (WEALTH)
b. There was an endless line of cars waiting to cross the border. (END)
c. He runs a fashionable restaurant near the beach. (FASHION)
d. The new cars are equipped with very powerful engines. (POWER)
e. She deserved the punishment she was given by the headmistress. (PUNISH)
f. The refugees got protection from the local police force. (PROTECT)
g. It was very noisy at the disco, so we decided to go somewhere else. (NOISE)
h. There are thousands of homeless people in the large cities of the world. (HOME)
i. Use your imagination and think of something that will work. (IMAGINE)
j. If you accept this job you will have an enormous responsibility towards your colleagues.
(RESPONSIBLE)
k. She didn't give us any information that turned out to be very useful. (USE)
l. It was impossible to see anything in the thick fog. (POSSIBLE)
m. There are various methods of succeeding. (VARY)
n. The train was very crowded, and we had to stand. (CROWD)
o. He took a lot of equipment with him because it would be a long expedition. (EQUIP)
p. I dislike eating alone. I always have to have someone to talk to. (LIKE)
q. The student council provided financial and practical help for new students. (PRACTICE)
r. The drive up to the mountains ended with a fantastic view of the sea. (FANTASY)

2. Read the text and use the words in brackets to form a new word that fits into each blank.

Scientific research is like a thrilling journey into the unknown. Scientists are like (1)
____________ (EXPLORE), seeking answers to questions that puzzle us. They (2)
____________ (INVESTIGATION) the world around us and uncover its mysteries.
To begin a research project, scientists first ask a question they want to explore. For example, they
might wonder why certain plants grow better in one soil type than another. Then, they plan their
methods and experiments. They design experiments to test their ideas.
During the experiments, scientists collect data and (3) ____________ (OBSERVE) to see if their
ideas are correct. They might measure how fast plants grow in (4) ____________
(DIFFERENCE) soils or observe how animals react to new environments. These findings and
observations provide (5) ____________ (VALUE) information.
After the experiments, scientists analyze and interpret the data they collected. They analyze the
results to draw (6) ____________ (CONCLUDE). This part of research is like solving a puzzle.
Sometimes, the results are (7) ____________ (SURPRISE) and lead to new questions.
Scientific research is essential because it helps us understand the world better. It leads to new (8)
____________ (INVENT), medicines, and discoveries that improve our lives. Next time you see
a scientist at work, remember they are on an exciting adventure, unlocking the secrets of our
fascinating world.

Answers:
Scientific research is like a thrilling journey into the unknown. Scientists are like (1) explorers,
seeking answers to questions that puzzle us. They (2) investigate the world around us and uncover
its mysteries.
To begin a research project, scientists first ask a question they want to explore. For example, they
might wonder why certain plants grow better in one soil type than another. Then, they plan their
methods and experiments. They design experiments to test their ideas.
During the experiments, scientists collect data and (3) observations to see if their ideas are correct.
They might measure how fast plants grow in (4) different soils or observe how animals react to
new environments. These findings and observations provide (5) valuable information.
After the experiments, scientists analyze and interpret the data they collected. They analyze the
results to draw (6) conclusions. This part of research is like solving a puzzle. Sometimes, the results
are (7) surprising and lead to new questions.
Scientific research is essential because it helps us understand the world better. It leads to new (8)
inventions, medicines, and discoveries that improve our lives. Next time you see a scientist at
work, remember they are on an exciting adventure, unlocking the secrets of our fascinating world.