WORD FORMATION

NOUNS
I People:
-ANT lecturer deportee
1) occupations and manager detainee
participation observer employee
accountant painter evacuee
applicant photographer examinee
assailant player franchisee
assistant producer internee
attendant reader interviewee
claimant reporter licensee
combatant rider mortgagee
consultant runner nominee
contestant speaker payee
defendant teacher trainee
dependant waiter transferee
descendant walker trustee
emigrant winner
immigrant worker 2) someone who
inhabitant writer performs an action
occupant absentee
participant 2) things cohabitee
servant blender devotee
confidant (=the person computer divorcee
who is confided in) cooker escapee
cutter retiree
2) things which have an digger returnee
effect duster WORDS WITH
accelerant grinder OTHER MEANINGS
contaminant hanger matinee
coolant holder negligee
decongestant mixer puree
defoliant mower referee
depressant printer refugee
determinant recorder repartee
disinfectant roller soiree
lubricant sander toupee
pollutant scraper
sealant slicer - ENT
strainer person or thing that
- ER wiper performs the action or
1) occupation or that experiences the
pastime - EE process described by the
baker 1) someone who is original verb
commander affected by an action correspondent
driver addressee corespondent
employer amputee respondent
farmer appointee student
leader assignee superintendent

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 politician perfectionist
WORDS WITH technician realist
OTHER MEANINGS theologian socialist
accent WORDS WITH terrorist
assent OTHER MEANINGS
consent amphibian 2) nouns that refer to a
content Anglican form of discrimination
extent bohemian based on the thing
intent caesarean referred to by the
lament Christian original noun
moment civilian ageist
parent custodian racist
patent equestrian sexist
tangent guardian
mammalian 3) occupations or study
- ESS metropolitan anaesthetist
woman or female animal ovarian artist
actress pedestrian botanist
authoress Presbyterian cartoonist
countess reptilian columnist
duchess republican dentist
empress suburban dramatist
goddess urban economist
heiress utopian educationalist
hostess - IST educationist
lioness 1) beliefs and environmentalist
manageress behaviour historicist
mistress atheist lyricist
pantheress fascist novelist
priestess feminist pharmacist
princess optimist physicist
stewardess pacifist physiotherapist
tigress pessimist psychiatrist
viscountess activist satirist
waitress anarchist scientist
capitalist soloist
- IAN communist therapist
a job or hobby conformist tourist
beautician elitist typist
comedian expressionist - IST also combines in
dietician extremist this way with nouns
electrician humanist ending in -ology
historian idealist anthropologist
magician impressionist archeologist
mathematician industrialist biologist
musician internationalist climatologist
obstetrician Methodist ecologist
optician modernist geologist
paediatrician nationalist graphologist
physician opportunist gynaecologist

2
meteorologist contributor Milanese
microbiologist coordinator Nepalese
neurologist counsellor Portuguese
ornithologist creator Senegalese
psychologist director Sudanese
sociologist distributor Taiwanese
technologist editor Viennese
zoologist governor Vietnamese
inspector
4) musicians instructor 2) languages
accordionist inventor Burmese
altoist investigator Chinese
bassist investor Japanese
bassoonist invigilator Javanese
cellist manipulator Maltese
clarinettist moderator Portuguese
flautist navigator Vietnamese
guitarist operator
keyboardist oppressor 3) an unattractive or
oboist possessor confusing way of
pianist prosecutor speaking or writing
saxophonist protector that is typical of the
trombonist sailor person or place
tympanist spectator mentioned
violinist speculator Americanese
WORDS WITH supervisor Brooklynese
OTHER MEANINGS visitor journalese
chemist oficialese
cyclist 2) things
naturalist applicator - ITE
specialist aspirator
calculator someone who is a follow
compressor or supporter of the person
- OR
detector mentioned f. ex.
1) people who do the
elevator Trotskyite
action described by
escalator Thatcherite etc.
the original verb
reactor
actor
refrigerator
adjudicator
administrator
advisor - ESE
agitator 1) origin – sb or sth as
auditor being from the place
collaborator mentioned
collator Balinese
collector Burmese
commentator Chinese
competitor Japanese
conductor Javanese
conspirator Lebanese
contractor Maltese

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II Nouns derived from verbs and adjectives:
- AGE luggage special
1) a process or state manage verbal
assemblage message - ANCE
blockage orphanage 1) with verbs
breakage outrage acceptance
coverage package admittance
drainage passage alliance
leakage patronage appearance
leverage peerage assistance
linkage pilgrimage assurance
marriage postage attendance
seepage sewage clearance
shortage sewerage defiance
shrinkage vicarage disappearance
slippage village disturbance
spoilage dominance
stoppage - AL endurance
storage actions entrance
wastage avowal guidance
wreckage bestowal insurance
2) measurement betrayal maintenance
acreage burial observance
footage committal performance
litreage denial radiance
mileage disavowal reliance
percentage dismissal resemblance
poundage portrayal resistance
tonnage renewal tolerance
voltage rental
yardage withdrawal 2) with adjectives
WORDS WITH WORDS WITH abundance
OTHER MEANINGS OTHER MEANINGS arrogance
advantage banal brilliance
anchorage canal elegance
average editorial extravagance
baggage impartial exuberance
bandage incidental fragrance
barrage internal ignorance
carriage marshal importance
coinage medical insignificance
cottage mineral intemperance
damage minimal intolerance
disadvantage normal invariance
dosage personal irrelevance
garage provisional petulance
garbage sandal predominance
hostage several preponderance
language signal reluctance

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repugnance refer to the state or quintessence
significance quality described by science
vigilance the original adj. sentence
WORDS WITH absence sequence
OTHER MEANINGS adolescence silence
accordance affluence valence
acquaintance benevolence
allegiance competence - ERY
allowance confidence 1) Actions
appliance convenience bribery
grievance decadence butchery
inheritance diffidence cajolery
instance diligence cookery
renaissance disobedience debauchery
surveillance eloquence delivery
vengeance eminence discovery
impotence drudgery
- ENCE indifference embroidery
1) combines with verbs; innocence flattery
such nouns refer to insolence forgery
the action, process intelligence lechery
or state described by obedience mockery
the original verbs patience recovery
adherence presence robbery
coherence prominence trickery
correspondence reticence
defence violence 2) Behaviour
dependence WORDS WITH bravery
divergence OTHER MEANINGS buffoonery
emergence ambience foolery
indulgence audience knavery
insistence cadence prudery
interference circumference roguery
occurrence coincidence savagery
persistence conference snobbery
pretence conscience thuggery
recurrence continence tomfoolery
reference credence
reminiscence essence 3) Places
residence evidence bakery
resurgence experience brewery
reverence incidence cannery
subsidence inexperience colliery
subsistence influence creamery
transcendence jurisprudence distillery
transference licence fishery
offence gunnery
2) combines with pestilence nunnery
adjectives ending in prescilence nursery
‘-ent’; such nouns providence organery

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piggery conclusion enjoyment
refinery connection entertainment
shrubbery contribution excitement
tannery creation improvement
winery decision investment
direction involvement
4) Groups education investment
artillery examination involvement
crockery exhibition management
drapery explanation movement
finery imagination payment
greenery information punishment
imagery operation puzzlement
ironmongery organization replacement
jewellery production requirement
machinery protection resentment
pottery reaction retirement
scenery realization WORDS WITH
WORDS WITH reduction OTHER MEANINGS
OTHER MEANINGS situation apartment
adultery WORDS WITH armament
archery OTHER MEANINGS basement
artery affection comment
battery attention compartment
celery disposition complement
cemetery edition compliment
cutlery mission department
effrontery detriment
gallery - MENT document
grocery abandonment element
hosiery accomplishment embankment
joinery achievement environment
livery acknowledgement equipment
lottery adjustment establishment
mastery advertisement experiment
misery agreement government
monastery amazement instrument
mystery amusement monument
slavery announcement ointment
sorcery argument parliament
stationery arrangement pavement
surgery assessment placement
treachery assignment secondment
upholstery attach-ment sentiment
attainment settlement
- ION commitment shipment
action deployment statement
addition development supplement
collection discouragement temperament
combination employment testament

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treatment
III Nouns derived from other nouns:
bureaucracy curiosity
- CY diversity
1) a state or quality candidacy equality
accuracy captaincy familiarity
ascendancy chaplaincy formality
buoyancy chieftaincy generosity
complacency consultancy hostility
consistency magistracy immunity
decency occupancy intensity
deficiency piracy originality
delicacy presidency popularity
dependency regency productivity
despondency tenancy prosperity
diplomacy viscountcy security
discrepancy WORDS WITH sensitivity
efficiency OTHER MEANINGS simplicity
expectancy agency superiority
fluency confederacy WORDS WITH
frequency conservancy OTHER MEANINGS
hesitancy conspiracy locality
illiteracy constituency majority
immediacy contingency minority
inadequacy currency morality
inconsistency efficacy personality
inefficiency emergency principality
infancy fallacy priority
insufficiency fancy publicity
intimacy legacy
irrelevancy mercy - NESS
legitimacy pharmacy aggressiveness
literacy policy attractiveness
militancy primacy awareness
obstinacy procuracy awkwardness
poignancy prophecy bitterness
potency tendency bendiness
pregnancy boldness
prwacy - ETY / - ITY carelessness
proficiency anxiety cleverness
redundancy variety consciousness
secrecy society deafness
transparency drunkenness
urgency abnormality effectiveness
absurdity emptiness
2) rank, position or anonymity foolishness
occupation authenticity goodness
accountancy brutality happiness
advocacy complexity helplessness
baronetcy creativity illness

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kindness boxful sisterhood
loneliness cupful
loveliness fistful - ISM
madness glassful 1. Beliefs and behaviour
nervousness handful atheism
openness houseful fascism
permissiveness jugful feminism
rudeness ladleful optimism
sadness mouthful pacifism
sickness panful pessimism
sweetness plateful absenteeism
tenderness pocketful alcoholism
ugliness roomful anarchism
weakness sackful barbarism
youthfulness saucerful capitalism
WORDS WITH tablespoonful Catholicism
OTHER MEANINGS tankful communism
business teaspoonful consumerism
forgiveness thimbleful cynicism
likeness expressionism
witness - HOOD extremism
Combines with nouns that heroism
- DOM refer to people in order to Hinduism
1) a state or condition form new nouns: hooliganism
boredom adulthood humanism
chiefdom babyhood idealism
dukedom bachelorhood impressionism
earldom boyhood industrialism
freedom childhood internationalism
gangsterdom daughterhood Judaism
hippiedom fatherhood liberalism
martyrdom girlhood methodism
officialdom guesthood modernism
princedom maidenhood nationalism
stardom manhood opportunism
wisdom motherhood patriotism
nationhood perfectionism
2) a realm or territory parenthood professionalism
christendom selfhood protestantism
dukedom 2 meanings spinsterhood realism
earldom studenthood scepticism
kingdom widowerhood socialism
princedom widowhood symbolism
wifehood terrorism
- FUL womanhood totalitarianism
Things that can contain WORDS WITH vandalism
or carry things OTHER MEANINGS
armful brotherhood 2. names (examples)
bagful knighthood Marxism
bottleful neighbourhood Thatcherism

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 stewardship
3. Form of studentship
discrimination traineeship
ageism
racism 2) Skills and ability IV. Nouns used to mean
sexism craftsmanship “small” (examples)
drafstmanship
4. Action and ceremonies horsemanship - EN
baptism marksmanship kitten
criticism musicianship
exorcism oarsmanship - ETTE
hypnotism salesmanship novelette
magnetism seamanship
mechanism showmanship - IE
plagiarism sportsmanship Jackie
specialism statesmanship
WORDS WITH workmanship - LET
OTHER MEANINGS booklet
euphemism 3) Connections coverlet
journalism acquaintanceship cutlet
mannerism companionship droplet
organism comradeship eaglet
tourism friendship froglet
truism kinship islet
witticism partnership owlet
relationship piglet
- SHIP rivulet
1) Occupation and 4) Boats and other starlet
position vehicles streamlet
ambassadorship airship
apprenticeship battleship - Y
authorship flagship Janey
chairmanship gunship Danny
chancellorship spaceship Birdies
citizenship steamship Doggy
deanship troopship Daddy
directorship warship mummy
doctorship WORDS WITH
editorship OTHER MEANINGS
governorship censorship
headmastership championship
leadership courtship
lectureship dictatorship
librarianship hardship
membership ladyship
ownership cordship
premiership readership
professorship scholarship
proprietorship sponsorship
rectorship township

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 A TEST ON NOUNS
I GIVE THE ABSTRACT NOUNS:
1. illiterate – 6. tranquil –
2. vain – 7. prude –
3. craftsman – 8. cheap –
4. brother – 9. hope –
5. brutal – 10. wise –

II CHANGE INTO APPROPRIATE NOUNS:

1. Can you explain her (ABSENT)?
2. Take one (MOUTH). Don’t be ashamed.
3. He is a (TEXAS).
4. We suffered from (BORE) during our holidays.
5. His (REFUSE) shocked his parents.
6. The police are interested in the sudden (APPEAR) of the valuable painting.
7. The cost of (CARRY) must be paid by the buyer.
8. The (REMOVE) men began loading our furniture into the van.
9. The only (OFFEND) she’d ever committed was for parking.
10. I’ve given the problem a lot of thought and I think I may have found a (SOLVE).
11. He’s acting as the Prime Minister’s (REPRSENT) at the state funeral.
12. The restaurant is now under new (MANAGE).
13. If you leave your children unattended for more than 15 minutes it is either negligence
or just plain (RESPOND).
14. Many young people start smoking cigarettes as anticipation of (ADULT).
15. Stammering is a serious (IMPEDE) for anyone who wishes to become a TV presenter.
16. I had to check the wages in (ADD) to my normal work.
17. He showed his (APPROVE) by leaving the room without a word.
18. He had no (SUSPECT) that he was being watched.
19. Good artist achieve (MORTAL) because of the works of arts they leave to posterity.
20. He was given 5 years of (PRISON).

NOUN FORMATION
/MACKENZIE/
III (EX 10.) LOWER. GIVE THE ABSTRACT NOUNS OF:
1. wise 2. true 3. sweet
4. boy 5. long 6. patient
7. lovely 8. to know 9. strong
10. to ignore 11. shy 12. to err
13. timid 14. short 15. young
16. pleasant 17. stupid 18. dry
19. peculiar 20. proud 21. clean
22. solid 23. vast 24. gallant
25. sudden 26. hollow 27. confident
28. humid 29. damp 30. scare
31. sterile 32. to discover 33. terrible
34. jealous 35. real 36. conservative
37. cannibal 38. rich 39. savage
40. monarch 41. to hate 42. broad

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43. high 44. to hope 45. girl
46. to believe 47. acid 48. partner
49. Christian 50. hero 51. anxious
52. independent 53. tolerant 54. perfect
55. suspicious 56. cheap 57. swift
58. despot 59. elegant 60. republican

IV (EX 11.) HIGHER. GIVE THE ABSTRACT NOUNS OF:

1. candid 2. sober 3. valiant
4. quiet 5. crude 6. poor
7. sugar 8. brutal 9. to oblige
10. mean 11. splendid 12. prude
13. to feel 14. vain 15. to receive
16. to grow 17. to decrease 18. squalid
19. craftsman 20. general 21. zealous
22. bandit 23. false 24. veracious
25. brother 26. diffident 27. secure
28. miser 29. nude 30. relevant
31. frigid 32. incongruous 33. to expand
34. to expend 35. illiterate 36. coward
37. fastidious 38. prison 39. to conspire
40. tranquil

V (EX 15.) HIGHER. GIVE THE DIMINUTIVES OF THE FOLLOWING AND POINT OUT ANY CHANGES IN
MEANING.
1. duck 2. goose 3. lamb
4. pig 5. book 6. leaf
7. tower 8. river 9. hill
10. table 11. man 12. cigar
13. pill 14. drop 15. globe
16. flower 17. tart 18. brook
19. lance 20. novel

/L.G. ALEXANDER/
2.1.ONE-WORD NOUNS
2.1A Noun endings: people who do thing/people who come from places [>LEG 2.2,App 2]

1 We use some words only as nouns: e.g. desk, hat, tree, etc.
2 However, we often make nouns from other words by adding different endings or suffixes
and sometimes making other small changes. For example, if we add –er to a verb like play,
we get the noun player, if we add –ity to the adjective active, we get the noun activity.
There is no easy rule to tell us which endings to use to make nouns.
3 Typical endings which make nouns:
- people who do things: actor, assistant, beggar, driver, engineer, historian, pianist.
- people who com from places: Athenian, Berliner, Milanese, Muscovite, Roman.
Study:

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Write: Give the nouns which describe people who do things or who come from places.
Use these noun endings: -an, -ant, -ar, -er, -ian, -ist, -or. Some are used more than once.
1. He acts very well. He’s a fine actor.. 6. She’s from Athens. She’s an ……………..
.
2. Don’t beg. You’re not a ………………….. . 7. Manuel assists me. He’s my
……………. .
3. I can’t play the piano. I’m not a ………….. . 8. She always tells lies. She’s such a
……… .
4. She drives well. She’s a good …………….. . 9. He’s from Texas. He’s a ……………….. .
5. I’m from Berlin. I’m a ………… . 10.Anna is studying history. She’s a fine
…. .

2.1B Noun formed from verbs, adjectives, other nouns [>LEG 2.2-3,App 2,3-2]

1 Some nouns have the same form as verbs: act, attempt, blame, book, call, copy, cost,
dance, fall, fear, help, joke, kiss, laugh, try, vote, wait, walk, wash, wish.
2 Typical endings which make nouns form:
- verbs: acceptance, agreement, arrival, behaviour, discovery, knowledge, possession.
- adjectives: absence, activity, anxiety, constancy, happiness.
- other nouns: boyhood, kingdom, lunacy, mouthful, sexism.

And note –ing forms used as nouns: I’ve given your shirt an ironing. [>2.2A, 16.5]
Study:

Write: Give the nouns derived from verbs, adjectives or other nouns. Use these endings:
-age, -hood, -action, -ion, -ful, -ence, -ency, -ness, -al, -(er)y, -ment, -ety, -ism –ity, -ing.
1. I decide this. It was my decision. 11. Try again. Have another …………….… .
2. Don’t be so anxious. Control your……………….. . 12. Be more efficient. Improve your ………. .
3. Ann’s socialist. She believes in …………………. . 13. Don’t so curious. Control your ………… .
4. We all want to be happy. We all seek …………… . 14. Address this envelope. I’ll give you the …
5. We all agree. We’re all in ……………………….. . 15. I refused their offer. My ……….. in final.
6. Who discovered this? Who made this …………… ? 16. I warned you. I gave you enough ……. .
7. We’ll all arrive. We’ll be met on ………………… . 17. Put in it your mouth. Take one ………… .
8. I was a child then. That was in my ………………. . 18. Can you explain it? Is there an ………… .
9. She is absent. Can you explain her ……………….? 19. They tried him. I was at the ……………. .
10. I’ll post this. What’s the …………………………? 20. Don’t argue. I don’t want an ………… .

2.1D Context.

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Write: Refer to the words in brackets and put in the right nouns.

COMPUTER TANTRUMS
A clever computer built at Imperial College, London, often suffers
from (bore) 1………….. . The computer was built to find out about
human (communicate) 2…………………. . The computer acquired a
simple vocabulary in the same way as babies do: through (babble)
3
……………… . It is common (know) 4……………… that when
babies babble, it is a (prepare) 5……………… for speech. When babies make sounds like real
words, they are encouraged to remember them. With (encourage) 6……………….. from their
parents, babies quickly build up their vocabulary. In the same way, the clever computer learnt
to use real words. For example, it learnt to identify a black cat. It was then shown a white cat
to test how good it was at (recognize) 7………………… . It refused to co-operate because the
(solve) 8………………… to the problem was too easy. At first this (refuse) 9………………
puzzled scientists, but then they decided the computer was having a tantrum. ‘It just sits there
and goes on strike,’ a (science) 11………………… said. ‘These clever computers must also be
taught good (behave) 10………………. .’

A TEST ON NEGATIVES PREFIXES

1. Look at the words listed below. Write down their negative forms with an appropriate prefix:
……legal ……smoker ……capable ……practical
……religious ……relevant ……possible ……obey
……security ……loyal ……happy ……rational
……agreement ……mature ……responsible ……ability
……logical ……officially ……willingness ……convenient
……athletic ……arm ……naturalize ……contaminate
2. Explain in English what these words mean:
inaudible –
inedible –
illegible –
illiterate –
invisible –

3. Which of them are words with negatives prefixes (write N) and which are words with
other meanings (write O)?
unwritten…… inset…… infamous…… ingratitude……
disfavour…… distaste…… unnerve…… display……
inaction…… unusually…… discourage…… unwell……
non-virtue…… inflammable…… unconsciousness…… discredit……
unless…… nonentity…… insensitive…… disembark……

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