10 24 Zero affixation What is zero affixation? Many words in English can function asa noun and verb, or noun and adjective, or verb and adjective, with no change in form. The meaning is not always the same, but this unit looks at examples where the words do have the same meaning. What's the answer? (noun} I must clean my room, (verb) Answer the question. (verb) It’s a clean room, (adjective) I don’t like the cold. (noun) I didn’t reply to the letter. (verb) I don’t like cold weather. (adjective) I wrote a reply to the letter. (noun) Note: Other examples in the book are marked like this: ache (n, v), damage (n, vy), dry (¥ adj), Keep a record of them in your notebook Noun and verb ‘You may know these words in one form but not the other. (The definitions are for the verb.) laugh increase queue (= wait ina line) brake (= stop a car using the brake on the floor) ring (= phone) dict (= cat less and lose weight) push (¢ pull) guess (= give an answer without knowing the facts). murder (= kill someone) Note: Other words in this group include: stay, drink, rest, look, cost, and wait, Use a dictionary if you need to check the meaning. Here are a few example ‘We queued for half an hour. We waited in a queue for half an hour. This orange smells/tastes strange. This orange has got a strange smell/taste. I didn’t know the answer, so T guessed. I didn’t know the answer, so | had a guess, Which verb? When you use these words a nouns, you need to choose the correct verb to use with it, Verb Noun ‘We stayed in Paris for a short time We had a short stay in Paris. We rested for a while. We had a short rest. She braked quickly. She put on the brakes quickly: He needs to diet. He needs to go oma diet Tm going to ring him. Tm going to give him a ring, Looked in the paper. Thad a look in the paper, He pushed me. He gave me a push. I dreamt about you last night Thad a dream about you last night. English Vocabulary in Use (pre-intermediate & intermediate)10.8 10.2 10.3 Exercises Rewrite these sentences using the underlined nouns as verbs. The meaning must stay the same, Look at the example first. Example: ‘There was a lot of rain yesterday. It ined a lot yesterday. 1 We had a long wair. 2. 1 lead a cdeeamn wbour you lase nigh, 3° We waited in the queue for half an hour 4. The cost of the holiday was about £500. $ [wrote a reply to his letter yesterday. Now rewrite these sentences using the underlined verbs as nouns. The meaning must stay the same, 1 Pll ring him this evening. 2 I diet if I put on weight. 3 It was very hot, so we rested for a while after lunch. 4 Tbraked bur I still couldn't stop in time. 5 He pushed me. 6 Did you look in the paper# Sometimes the same word form can be a verb and noun but with a very different meaning. Read these pairs of sentences. Does the verb have the same meaning as the noun, a similar ‘meaning, or a completely different meaning? 1 We had a long wait for the bus. If we wait any longer, we may miss the train, 2. Could we have another bottle of warer, please? Tasked her to water the garden, 3 gave him the book. Did you book the table in the restaurant? 4 They always take a break after an hour's work. Did he break his arm skiing? S Igo for a ran most mornings. Iwas late so Thad to cun to get to school on time, English Vocobulary in Use (predntermediate & intermediate) 25