EXTRA EXERCISES

UNIT 3: WORD FORMATION

I. Choose the best answer A, B, C or D
1. In linguistics, …………. is the smallest meaning unit, the smallest component of a word.
A. morpheme B. root C. Stem D. Affix
2. …………..is the basic part of a word which cannot be further analyzed without total loss of
identity.
A. Morpheme B. Root C. Stem D. Affix
3. ………….. is a collective term referring to a bound morpheme that joined before, after, or within
a root or stem.
A. Prefix B. Suffix C. Affix D. Infix
4. Derived words have a root and a/an ……………. .
A. Prefix B. Suffix C. Affix D. Infix
5. Mother-in-law is a ……………. word.
A. root B. derived C. contracted D. compound
6. Modernization and industrialization are ……………. words.
A. root B. derived C. contracted D. compound
7. ASEAN, WTO, UN are ……………... words.
A. root B. derived C. contracted D. compound
8. …………. is that occurs inside of a root or stem.
A. Prefix B. Suffix C. Affix D. Infix
9. What is the formation of new words by adding affixes to other words or morphemes?
A. Derivation B. Conversion C. Composition D. Contraction
10. What is the formation of new words by contracting certain elements of existing words or word
groups?
A. Derivation B. Conversion C. Composition D. Shortening
11. ……………. the information of new words by changing the category of part of speech of
existing ones with their morphemic shape remaining unchanged.
A. Derivation B. Conversion C. Composition D. Shortening
12. In the sentence “My company has experienced so may ups and downs in the past years”, “ups
and downs” are ………….. become nouns.
A. conjunctions B. adverbs C. adjectives D. verbs
13. The word “Progressives” in the sentence “He is not a native here. Progressives do not behave
like that.” is a/an…………..
A. nouns B. adjective C. adverb D. pronoun
14. If the noun is the name of a/an ……………, the verb indicates the action of putting something
into it.
A. tool B. implement C. container D. animal
15. If the noun is the name of a/an ………………, the verb indicates the action caused by it.
A. natural phenomenon B. implement C. container D. animal
16. Under/un/in/im/mis are ……………..
A. prefixes of location C. negative prefixes
B. prefixes of time and order D. prefixes of size
17. Which of these words consists of a prefix of size?
A. inability B. interchange C. irregular D. microcomputer
18. Which of these words consists of a prefix of location?
A. nonsense B. international C. postpone D. semicolon
19. In English, some verbs are added –ence or ance to form ……………..
A. adjectives B. nouns C. adverbs D. conjuctions
20. In English, we often ad –al, -ar, -ary to the end of words to form ……………
A. adjectives B. nouns C. adverbs D. verbs
II. Match the words to their definitions
A B
1. Bound morphemes a. is the formation of new words by combining two or
more existing words.
2. Derivational morphemes b. is merging parts if existing words into one to form a
new word.
3. Composition c. are ones whose meanings do not correspond to the
meanings of their components.
4. Neutral compounds d. is the system of grammatical forms of a word.
5. Idiomatic compounds e. is excluding certain part of the existing word.
6. Abbreviation f. is a word element that cannot stand alone as a word,
including both prefixes and suffixes.
7. Blending g. are those formed by combining two stems without using
any linking elements.
8. Paradigm h. is a collective term referring to a bound morpheme that
is joined before, after, or within a root or stem.
9. Affix i. is the process in which a word is formed from the initials
of a word group.
10. Clipping j. is an affix that derives a new word or a new form of an
existing word.
III. Fill in the gaps with a suitable word:
1. Word formation is the process by which new words are formed by adding an …………
2. A …………… is that part of the word to which grammatical affixes are added.
3. There are four major types of word formation namely: affixation, compounding, …………….
and contraction.
4. Prefixes a/for/in/mis and suffixes –er/-ster/-hood/--full are called………………..
5. ………………..include Latin affixes and Greek affixes. 6. Pseudoscientific and pseudonymous
are examples of …………………
7. Automatic, electrical, dangerous, helpful and foxy are examples of ………………
8. Semantically, when a word is formed by………………, its meaning may be slightly different
from which it was made.
9. Boyfriend, earthquake, fast-food are known as ……………
10. Structurally, compounds can be divided into three types namely, neutral, ……………….. and
syntactic.
11. ……………compounds are ones whose meaning can be seen as the sum of the meanings of
their components.
12. Lady-in-waiting, know-all, you-know-what are examples of ……………..
IV. Decide whether the following sentences are True (T) or False (F)
1. Every form to which affix can be added is a stem.
2. An affix is a bound morpheme that attaches to a root or stem to form a new word, or a variant
form of the same word.
3. A prefix is a group of letters that is placed after the root of a word.
4. A root word is a complete word that you can't break down any further.
5. A derived word is a word formed on a base or a stem word combined with a prefix or a suffix.
6. Conversion (zero derivation): It is the creation of a word from an existing word with some
change in form.
7. Syntactic compounds are those formed by combining two stems with the help of a linking
vowel or consonant.
8. Enlarge/widen/modernize are examples of verb-forming.
9. Triangle/decade/multiform are examples of prefixes of size.
10. Co-operate/counter-attack/ antisocial are examples of attitude.
V. Do as the following directions:
1. Give five examples for each type of the following prefixes:
- Negative prefixes: ……………………………………………………………………………
- Prefixes of location: ………………………………………………………………………….
- Prefixes of time and order: …………………………………………………………………..
- Prefixes of size: ………………………………………………………………………………
- Prefixes of number: ………………………………………………………………………….
- Prefixes of attitude:…………………………………………………………………………..
2. Give 10 examples of:
- Compound nouns:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

- Compound adjectives:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

- Compound verbs:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. Give 5 examples for each type of words

- Root words: ……………………………………………………………………………………..
- Derived words: ………………………………………………………………………………….
- Compound words: ………………………………………………………………………………
- Contracted words: ……………………………………………………………………………….