WORD FORMATION

There are four kinds of word formation

PREFIXES SUFFIXES CONVERSION COMPOUND

PREFIXES
 examples prefixes

monorail, monolingual mono- means ‘one’

PREFIXES multipurpose, multicultu

ral
multi- means ‘many’

We add prefixes BEFORE

the base of a word. post-war, postgraduate post- means ‘after’

un- means ‘not’ or

unusual, undemocratic
‘opposite to’
 PREFIXES
• Prefixes are letters which we add to the beginning of a word to
make a new word with a different meaning. Prefixes can, for
example, create a new word opposite in meaning to the word the
prefix is attached to. They can also make a word negative or
express relations of time, place or manner.
• Here are some examples:
base word prefixed word type of meaning

possible impossible opposite

able unable opposite/negation

payment non-payment negation

war pre-war time (before)

terrestrial extraterrestrial place (outside of/beyond)

cook overcook manner (too much)

 The most common prefixes
refix meaning examples

anti-government, anti-racist, anti-

anti- against/opposed to
war

auto- self autobiography, automobile

de-classify, decontaminate,
de- reverse or change
demotivate

dis- reverse or remove disagree, displeasure, disqualify

down- reduce or lower downgrade, downhearted

extra- beyond extraordinary, extraterrestrial

hyper- extreme hyperactive, hypertension

il-, im-, in-, illegal, impossible,

not
ir- insecure, irregular

inter- between interactive, international

megabyte, mega-deal,
mega- very big, important
megaton
midday, midnight, mid-
mid- middle
October
misaligned, mislead,
mis- incorrectly, badly
misspelt
non-payment, non-
non- not
smoking
overcook, overcharge,
 outdo, out-perform,
out- go beyond
outrun
post- after post-election, post-war
pre- before prehistoric, pre-war
pro-communist, pro-
pro- in favour of
democracy
re- again reconsider, redo, rewrite
semi- half semicircle, semi-retired
sub- under, below submarine, sub-Saharan
super- above, beyond super-hero, supermodel
tele- at a distance television, telepathic

trans- across transatlantic, transfer

ultra- extremely ultra-compact, ultrasound

un- remove, reverse, not undo, unpack, unhappy

under- less than, beneath undercook, underestimate

up- make or move higher upgrade, uphill

SUFFIXES
 The main purpose of a suffix is to show what class
of word it is (e.g. noun or adjective).

examples suffixes

terrorism, sexism -ism and -dom are used to form nouns

-er and -or are used to form nouns to

SUFFIXES employer, actor
describe people who do things

We add suffixes
widen, simplify -en and -ify are used to form verbs
AFTER a base of a
word reasonable,
-able is used to form adjectives
unprofitable

-ly is a common suffix used to form

unhappily, naturally
adverbs
 A suffix is a letter or group of letters added at the end of a
word which makes a new word.

words suffix new words

forget, use -ful forgetful, useful

state, govern -ment statement, government

complicate,
-ion complication, creation
create
 NOUN SUFFIXES
suffix examples of nouns
-age baggage, village, postage
-al arrival, burial, deferral
-ance/-ence reliance, defence, insistence
-dom boredom, freedom, kingdom
-ee employee, payee, trainee
-er/-or driver, writer, director
-hood brotherhood, childhood, neighbourhood
 capitalism, Marxism, socialism
sm
(philosophies)
capitalist, Marxist, socialist (followers of
-ist
philosophies)
-ity/-ty brutality, equality, cruelty

-ment amazement, disappointment, parliament

-ness happiness, kindness, usefulness

-ry entry, ministry, robbery

-ship friendship, membership, workmanship

-sion/-tion/-xion expression, population, complexion

 ADJECTIVE SUFFIXES
suffix examples of adjectives
-able/-ible drinkable, portable, flexible
-al brutal, formal, postal
-en broken, golden, wooden
-ese Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese
-ful forgetful, helpful, useful
-i Iraqi, Pakistani, Yemeni
-ic classic, Islamic, poetic
-ish British, childish, Spanish
-ive active, passive, productive
-ian Canadian, Malaysian, Peruvian
-less homeless, hopeless, useless
-ly daily, monthly, yearly
-ous cautious, famous, nervous
-y cloudy, rainy, windy
 VERB SUFFIXES
suffix examples of verbs

-ate complicate, dominate, irritate

-en harden, soften, shorten

-ify beautify, clarify, identify

economise, realise, industrialize (-ise is most

-ise/-ize common in British English; -ize is most
common in American English)
 ADVERB SUFFIXES

suffix examples of adverbs

-ly calmly, easily, quickly

-ward(s) downwards, homeward(s), upwards

-wise anti-clockwise, clockwise, edgewise

CONVERSION
 CONVERSION
Conversion involves the change of a word from one word class to another.
For example:

1. Can you text her? (verb from noun text, meaning to send a text-message)
2. They are always jetting somewhere. (verb from noun jet)
3. If you’re not careful, some downloads can damage your computer. (noun from
verb download)
4. OK, so the meeting’s on Tuesday. That’s a definite. (noun from adjective)
5. All companies have their ups and downs. (nouns from prepositions)

We also use conversion when we change a proper noun into a common noun:
6. Has anybody seen my Dickens? (copy of a book by Dickens)
COMPOUNDING
A compound word is two or more words linked together to produce a word with a new
meaning:
tooth + brush = toothbrush
eco + friendly = eco-friendly
animal + lover = animal lover

We make compounds in all word classes:

nouns: car park, soap opera pronouns: anyone, everything, nobody
adjectives: environmentally-
numerals: twenty-seven, three-quarters
friendly, fat-free
verbs: daydream, dry-clean prepositions: into, onto
adverbs: nevertheless, nowadays conjunctions: although, however
• When we use compounding, we link together two or more bases to create
a new word. Compounds are found in all word classes. The most
common types of compounds are:
• Nouns: car park, rock band
• Adjectives: heartbreaking, sugar-free, airsick
• Verbs: oven-bake, baby-sit, chain-smoke
• Adverbs: good-naturedly, nevertheless
• It is sometimes difficult to know where to put hyphens in words that are
compound ed. It is also difficult to know whether to separate words
(e.g. post box) or to join the words (e.g. postbox). In such cases, it is best
to check in a good learner’s dictionary.
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THE END!

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