Indra Muis, S.S.,M.

M
Introduction
 Word families are groups of words that are sufficiently
closely related to each other to form a 'family'.
 Words can be grouped into families in two main ways:
 they are similar in form;
 their meanings are related.
 Here are two examples of form-based word families:
 word - wordy - word (verb) - wording - word-list … (but not:
worth, worry)
 family - familiar - unfamiliar - familiarity - familiarise …
(but not: famine, famous)
Introduction
 Each of these families is bonded by a common root
word, although the resultant connections of meaning
are also an important bonding feature.

 Two examples of meaning-based word families:

 big - little - size
 dog - puppy - kennel
 Word Families
 Word Forms

 Word families tests how well you know the various

types of words that can be made from one word. A
word can go from noun to verb to adjective to adverb
by changing the ending of the word.
 Word Families
 Remember the common word endings used to make the
different kinds of words:

 Noun: -ance, -ancy, -ence, -ation, -ian, -ism, -ment, -ness

, -ship, -or, -er

 Verb: -en, -ify, -ize, -ish

 Adjective: -able, -ible, -al, -ful, -ive, -ous

 Adverb: -ly, -ward, -wise

 Word Families
 Example:

 Finale (noun, thing) -> finalist (noun, person) -> finalize

(verb) -> final (adjective) -> finally (adverb)

 achieve (verb) = achievement (noun)

happy (adjective) = happiness (noun)
beautiful (adjective) = beautifully (adverb)
eat (verb) = edible (adjective)
 NOUN VERB ADJECTIVE

Example: deception deceive deceived

1. dedicate dedication dedicate dedicated
2.demonstrate demonstration demonstrate demonstrable
3. dominate dominance dominate dominant
4. imagine imagination imagine imaginative
5. improve improvement improve improved
6. inform information inform informative
7. organize organization organize organized
8. produce production produce productive
9. signify significance signify significant
10. behave behavior behave behavioral