WORD FORMATION

Word: A group of letters which has a meaning is called a word. A word is used to stand for a thing or a person.

A. Primary Words: Words which are not derived, compounded or developed from other words are called primary words.

B. Compound Words: Words which are formed by joining two or more simple words are called compound Words.

Ex: school-bus, college-girl, play-ground

C. Primary Derivatives: Words which are formed by making some changes in the body of the simple words are called primary Derivatives.

Ex: bond from bind

D. Secondary Derivatives: Words which are formed by adding some letter[s] at the beginning or at the end are called secondary Derivatives.

Ex: UNwise, kindNESS

most words are formed with the help of prefix and Suffix.

E. Prefix: A syllable placed at the beginning of a word to form a new word is called a prefix.

Ex: Displeased, UNeasy, MISunderstand, IMpolite

F. Suffix: A syllable placed at the end of a word to form a new word is called a suffix.

Ex: hopeFUL, kingDOM, boyHOOD, bond AGE, manLY, healthY, otherWISE


COMPOUND WORDS

Compound words may be formed from:

  1. Noun + Noun
  2. Adjective + Noun
  3. Verb + Noun
  4. Ground + Noun
  5. Adverb (Preposition) + Noun
  6. Verb + Adverb
  7. Adverb + Verb

Compound Noun

Noun + Noun New word
sun light sunlight
cricket match cricket-match
hand bag handbag
post card postcard
rail road railroad
air ticket air-ticket
maid servant maid-servant
jail bird jail-bird
love Abba love-story
tax payer tax-payer
Adjective + Noun New word
sweet heart sweetheart
deep river deep river
short story short story
regional language regional language
strong hold stronghold
political leader Political leader
Verb + Noun New word
hang man hangman
dare devil daredevil
cut throat cutthroat
pick pocket spendthrift
Verb + Noun New word
play ground playground
love letter love-letter
pay slip payslip
work load workload
watch man watchman
cook book cookbook
rain water rain-water
care taker caretaker
spare time spare time
trouble maker troublemaker
Gerund + Noun New word
spelling book spelling-book
walking stick walking-stick
writing desk writing-desk
blotting paper botting-paper
stepping stone stepping-stone
looking glass looking-glass
drawing room room-room
waiting list waiting-list
visiting card visiting-card
Adverb (preposition> + Noun New word
in side inside
ddown fall downfall
in mate inmate
by path bypath
after noon afternoon
off spring offspring
over coat overcoat
fore sight foresight
out law outlaw
Verb + Adverb New word
draw back drawback
lock up lockup
die hard diehard
send off sendoff
set back setback
Verb + Adverb New word
follow up follow-up
make up makeup
out set outset
up keep upkeep

COMPOUND ADJECTIVES

Compound Adjectives may be formed from:

  1. Noun + Adjective
  2. Adjective + Adjective
  3. Adverb + Participle




Noun + Adjective
or participle
New word
bed rideen bedridden
hand made handmade
heart broken heart-broken
time serving time-serving
ear piercing ear-piercing
heart rending heart-rending
note worthy noteworthy
sea sick seasick
stone blind stone-blind
home sick homesick
skin deep skin-deep
breast high breast-high
snow white snow-white
sky blue sky-blue
purse up purse-proud
pitch dark pitch-dark
blood red blood-red
Adjective + Adjective New word
red hot red-hot
blue black blue-black
white hot white-hot
dull keep dull-grey
Adverb + Participle New word
far seen far-seen
in born inborn
down hearted down-hearted
out spoken outspoken
well deserved well-deserved
thorough set throughbred
up ending never-ending
ever lasting everlasting
long suffering long-suffering

COMPOUND VERBS

Compound Verbs may be formed from:
  1. Noun + Verb
  2. Adjective + Verb
Noun + Verb New word
way lay waylay
back bite back-bite
type write type-write
brow beat brow-beat
ear mark earmark
Adjective + Verb New word
safe guard safeguard
ful fil fulfil
over throw overthrow
fore tell foretell
under go undergo
over hear overhear
up set upset
ill use ill-use
over keep overdo

THE USE OF PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES

A. SOME IMPORTANT PREFIXES


1. A [on]: asleep, ashore, aside, asway, aboard

2. A [out, from]: arise, awake, alight

3. Ab [A, abs] From, away: abuse, avert, abstract

4. Ab [ac, af, ag, al, an, ap, ar, as, at, a]: adjoin, accord, affect, aggrieve, allege, announce, appoint, arrest, assign, attach, avail

5. Ambi [on both sides]: ambidextrous, ambivalent, ambiguous, ambition, amputate

6. Ante [anti, an] before: antedate, anticipate, ancestor, antechamber, antecedent

7. Anti [against]: antidote, anti-romantic, anti-social, anti-national.

8. Arch [chief]: arch-bishop, arch-enemy

9. Auto [self]: autobiography, automobile, auto suggestion, automatic, autograph

10. Bene [well]: benediction, benefit, benevolent, benefactor

11. Bi [two]: bicycle, bilateral, bigamy, biweekly, biweekly, biennial, bisect binocular

12. Circum [Around]: circumference, circumstances, circumscribe, circumnavigation, circumvent, circuit

13. Co [with]: co-operate, co-ordinate, co-existence

14. Con [col, com, cor] with, together, contend, collect, combine, correct

15. Contra, counter [against]: contradict, contraband, contraceptive, contravene, controversy, counteract, counter balance, counter attach, counter-revolution, counterfeit 

16. De [down]: demigod, demi-official, demi- paradise, denationalize.

17. Demi [half]: demigod, demi-official, demi-paradise

18. Dis [apart]: disjoin, differ, divide, disconnect, discord, disorganise, disparity, dispassionate

19. En, em [in, on]: endanger, engulf, anable, enrage, enlist, embolden, embody, embark, emplane

20. Equi [equally]: equilateral, equidistant, equivalent

21. Ex [out of]: expel, extract, extend, express, exhale, extinguish, expedient

22. Extra [beyond]: extraordinary, extravagant, extra territorial

23. Hetro [different]: heterodox, heterogeneous

24. Hexo [six]: hexigon, hexameter

25. Hyper [over]: hypercritical, hypersensitive, hypertension

26. In, II, Im, if [not]: insecure, indelicate, illegible, illiterate, illogical, immaterial, impious, impracticable, improper, irrational, irresistible, irresponsible

27. Inter [between]: intervene, introduce, inter caste, international, inter collegiate

28. Intro [within]: intravenous, intramuscular

29. Male, Mali, mal, [Ill, evil]: malefactor, malevolent, malignant, malicious, maltreat, malpractice, malnut

30. Mis [ill]: mischief, misrule, mismanage, misappropriate

31. Mis [error]: Mislead, mishap, misconduct, mistrust

32. Mono [alone]: monogamy, monopoly, monotheism, monotony, mono syllable, monologue.

33. Meta [met]: metaphor, metonymy

34. Non [not]: non-violence, nonsense, non-cooperation

35. On [against]: object, occupy, offend

36. Ommi [all]: omnipresent, omnipotent, omnivorous, omniscient

37. Over [above, beyond]: overflow, overcharge overfed, overjoyed, over bear

38. Pan [call]: panacea, panorama, pantheism

39. Para [besides, by the side of]: parallel, paradox, parasite

40. Per, pel [through]: period, perimeter, periscope

41. Philo, Phil [love]: philosophy, philanthropy, philander

42. Poly [many]: polygamy, polytheism, polyandry, polysyllabic

43. Post [often]: postwar, postscript, postmortem, postdated, postpone

44. Pre [before]: prefix, prevent, predict,
 prewer, precaution, premature, prehistoric, prejudice

45. Pro, por, pur [for] : pronoun, portray, pursue

46. Pseudo [false]: pseudocritic, pseudo scientist

47. Re [back, again]: reclaim, refund, renew, return, revive, renascent, research

48. Retro [back words]: retrospect, retrograde

49. Se, sed [apart]: secede, separate, seduce, sedition

50. Semi [half] semicircle, semicolon, semiofficial, semicircular, semifinal

51. Sub, suc, suf, sug, sum, sur, sus, [under]: subdue, succeed, suffer, suggest, summon, support, surmount, sustain, sub conscious, sub human, sub caste, subplot, subordinate, sub standard, subjugate

52. Super, sur [over, above]: superfine, superfluous, superman, supernatural, superhuman, supervise, surpass, surcharge.

53. Syn, sym, syl, sy [with, together]: synonym, sympathy, syllable, system

54. Trans, tra, tras [across]: transmit, traverse, trespass, transfer, transit, translate, transcribe, transcend

55. Tri [three]: tricycle, trinity, triangle, tricolor

56. To [this]: today, tonight, tomorrow

57. Ultra [beyond]: ultramodern, ultraviolet, ultramarine

58. Un [not]: unable, unnatural, unbalanced, unthinking 

59. Un [back, against, to reverse the action]: undo, unwind, unblind, unearth, unman, unfold

60. Under [beneath, below]: undersell, undercharge, undergo, underground, underestimate, undertake

61. Vise [in place of]: vice president, viceroy
62. With [against, back]: withdraw, withhold, withstand


B. SOME IMPORTANT SUFFIXES 

  1. Noun suffixes
Formation of Abstract Noun

Abstract Noun denoting quality/condition/action/system of thought

(a) Age: baggage, mileage, foliage, bondage, personage, marriage, breakage, leakage

(b) Ance, ence: abundance, brilliance, assistance, excellence, innocence, bankruptcy

(c) Cy, sy. lunacy, aristocracy, democracy, phantasy, fancy, accuracy, bankruptcy

(d) Dom: freedom, wisdom, kingdom, martyrdom, boredom

(e) Hood: childhood, manhood, neighborhood, womanhood

(f) Ing: action, expression, oration, radiation, tension, opinion union

(g) Ion: action, expression, oration, radiation, tension, opinion, union

(h) Ice: cowardice, practice, service, avarice, exercise

(I) Ism: socialism, capitalism, patriotism, journalism

(j) Ment: punishment, astonishment, enchantment, judgment, improvement, disappointment, announcement, appointment
Mony: harmony, matrimony, acrimony, Care mony, parsimony, testimony

(I) Ness: boldness, calmness, openness, darkness, kindness, goodness, greatness, sweetness

(m) Red: hatred, kindred
(n) Ship: friendship, lectureship, Lordship, hardship, leadership, captainship.

(o) Th: health, wealth, width, depth, birth, death, length, strength, growth

(p) Tude: latitude, longitude, fortitude, magnitude, attitude, servitude

(q) Ty: loyalty, reality, cruelty, dignity, priority, rarity, surity, frailty, credulity

(r) Ure, eur, our, culture, stature, grandeur, tenure, honour

(s) Y: envy, memory, gluttony, villainy, study, remedy, misery, victory

FORMATION OF NOUNS DENOTING PERSONS OR AGENTS

(a) Ard: coward, drunkard, dullard, slugged, niggard

(b) Ate, ee, ey, y, advocate, curate, magnate, examinee, payee, absentee, attorney, jury trustee, deputy

(c) Er, or, ar, eer, ier, ary. Speaker, writer, orator, sailor, begger, mountaineer, dignity, pamphleteer, secretary, financier, painter, baker, lawyer, scholar, preacher, engineer, missionary, emperor, Saviour, amateur, interpreter

(d) Ain, an, on: captain, villain, chieftain, pagen, librarian, citizen, warden, sexton, deacon, artisan, surgeon

(e) Ist, ast: dentist, novelist, scientist, enthusiast

(f) Ster: youngster, songster, spinster, trickster

(g) Monger: war monger, fish monger, iron monger, rumour monger

(h) Wright: playwright, wheel-wright, cart wright

(I) Ter, ther: mother, father, brother, sister, daughter

Formation of diminutives

(a) Let: booklet, pamphlet, rivulet, streamlet, owlet, leaflet, lancet, trumpet

(b) Ling: ducking, darling, stripling, weakling

(c) Ock: hillock, bullock, paddock

(d) El, le, ule, cel, sel, cle: globule, granule, parcel, demsel, particle, chronicle, satchel, kemel, girdle, handle, chapel, circle, animal clue

(e) Erel: cockerel, pickerel, mongrel

(f) En: chicken, kitten, maiden

(g) Et, ette: coronet, packet, cigarette, kitchenette, cassette

(h) Y. Ie: daddy, Mummy, birdie, girlie, puppy

(I) Kin: lambkin, napkin

Other Noun Suffixes

(a) Ic, ique: lunatic, logic, physique, critic, critique

(b) Ary, ery, ory, ry: airary, dispensary, dormitory, nunnery, monastery, vestry, pantry, library, treasury

(c) Ant: merchant, descendant, tenant, giant

(d) Al: animal, capital, arrival, denial, proposal

(e) Ade: crusade, brigade, cascade, blockade, barricade

2. Adjective Suffixes

(a) Al: national, provincial, royal, regional, loyal, legal, regal, mortal, fatal, social, political

(b) Ar: nuclear, lunar, solar, circular, familiar, regular

(c) Ary: necessary, contrary, honorary, arbitrary, customary ordinary

(d) Ant: radiant, brilliant, magnificent, obedient

(e) Able, ible, blue, bile: practicable, lovable, audible, visible, mobile, servile, fragile, juvenile

(f) Ed: leaned bearded, moneyed, deserted, gifted, relented, wretched

(g) En: molten, drunken, forbidden, frozen, wooden, golden, woolen, earthen.

(h) Ic, ique: rustic, public, aquatic, supersonic, patriotic, telegraphic, antique, unique, comic(al), tragic(al), politic (al), economic (al), electric(al), magic(al)

(I) Esque: picturesque, grotesque, statuesque

(j) Ish, sh: foolish, stylish, slavish, swinish, peevish, thievish, greenish, bluish, youngish, oldish, amateurish, boorish, bookish, reddish, girlish

(m) Ive: progressive, massive, active, talkative, possessive, deceptive, attentive, sportive

(n) Lent: violent, turbulent,virulent, corpulent, indolent

(o) Less: senseless, meaningless, fearless, lawless, shameless, hopeless, boundless, speechless

(p) Ly: beastly, friendly, manly, cowardly, kindly, goldly, scholarly, heavenly, deadly

(q) Ory: illusory, migratory, prefatory, introductory

(r) Ous: glorious, curious, dangerous, murderous

(s)Some: tiresome, meddlesome, wearisome, wholesome, quarrelsome

(t) Ward: homeward, forward, backward, heavenward, wayward, 

(u) Y: healthy, wealthy, weary, greedy, windy, slimy, needy, thirsty, dirty

(v) Id: humid, vivid, lucid

(w) Ble: feeble, sensible, laughable, laudable, probable

(x) Ate: fortunate, temperate, obstinate, delicate

(y) An, ane: human, humane, mundane

3. Verb suffixes

(a) Ate, ite: mediate, nominate, disignate, venerate, expedite, requite, Invite, excite, captivate, captivate, exterminate, assassinate

(b) En: broaden, brighten, lighten, fallen, strengthen, weaken, sanctify, terrify

(c) Ft: beautify, pacify, falsify, testify, simplify, purify, fortify, sanctify, terrify

(d) Ise, ize: nationalize, equalize, liberalize, generalize, scandalize, monopolize, patronize, memorize, sympathize, materialize, monopolize, patronize, memorize, sympathize, materialize, criticize, sermonize, philosophize, civilize

(e) Se: cleanse, rinse

(f) Ee: chatter, glitter, glimmer, fritter, flutter

(g) Ish: publish, nourish, punish, banish

4. Adverb suffixes

(a) Ly: aimlessly, beautifully, happily, clearly, wisely, boldly, loudly, madly, roughly

(b) Ingly: amazingly, lovingly, interestingly, surprisingly

(c) Edly: crookedly, devotedly, mistakenly, dedicatedly, decidedly, daily, weekly, wholly, individually (with nouns)

(d) Ce: once, twice, thrice

(e) St: amidst, amongst

(f) Word: backward, forward, upward, onward, homeward

(g) way: straightway, anyway, always

(h) Wise: likewise, otherwise


WORD FORMATION

1A. FORMATION OF NOUNS FROM VERBS


No. Verb Noun
1. abide abode
2. abound abundance
3. admit admission
4. apply application
5. amuse amusement
6 arrive arrival
8. agree agreement
9. approve approval
10. assist assistance
11. attend attendance, attention
12. advise advice
13. bear birth, bier
14. bind bond, band
15. break breach
16. believe belief
17. bite bit
18. brandbrand
19. belong belongings
20. bury burial
21. bless blessings
22. choose choice
23. compel compulsion
24. connect connection
25. carry carriage
26. conceal concealment
27. draw draft
28. die death
29. do deed
30. drink draught
31. decide decision
32. deny denial
33. discover discovery
34. deceive deception
35. defy defiance
36. deliver deliver/deliverance
37. dismiss dismissal
38. exceed excess
39. expel expulsion
40. exist existence
41. flow flood
42. float fleet
43. fly flight
45. give gift
46. grow growth
47. heal health
48. hate hatred
49. judge judgment
50. know knowledge
51. live life, living
52. lend loan
53. lose loss
54. learn learning
55. laugh laughter
56. marry marriage
57. move motion, movement
58. manage management
59. mean meaning
60. narrate narrative, narration
61. offend offence
62. obey obedience
63. occupy occupation
64. object objection
65. oppose opposition
66. pretend pretence
67. pursue pursuit
68. practise practice
69. prove proof
70. perform performance
71. precise precision
72. predict prediction
73. please pleasure
74. proceed process, procedure
75. protect protection
76. provide provision
77. quote quotation
78. relieve relief
79..receive receipt, reception
80. refer reference
81. refuse refusal
82. resolve resolution
83. reduce reduction
84. refresh refreshment
85. respond response
86. reveal revelation
87. slay slaughter
88. shake shock
89. sit seat
90. strive strife
91. see sight
92. secure security
93. sing song
94. speak speech
95. strike stroke
96. slay slaughter
97. seize seizure
98. serve service
99. steal stealth
100. succeed success
101. tell tale
102. think thought
103. try tral
104. urge urgency
105. vacate vacancy
106. weave web
107. wake watch
108. weigh weight
109. wed wedding

1B. NOUN FORMATION FROM ADJECTIVES
s/no Adjective Noun
1. able ability
2. active activity
3. abundant abundance
4. broad breadth
5. busy business
6. brave bravely
7. brief brevity
8. cheap cheapness
9. civil civility
10. curious curiosity
11. calm calmness
12. certain certainty
13. coward cowardice
14. deep depth
15. dear dearth
16. dense density
17. equal equality
18. fast fastness
19. few fewness
20. false falsehood
21. fertile fertility
22. frail fraility
23. gallant gallantry
24. generous generosity
25. gay gaiety
26. grand grandeur
27. great greatness
28. hard hardness, hardship
29. holy holiness
30. hot heat
31. just justice
32. happy happiness
33. high heght
34. honest honesty
35. inferior inferiority
36. local locality
37. lame lameness
38. long length
39. mean meanness
40. moist moisture
41. merry merriment
42. mortal mortality
43. necessary necessity
44. noble nobility
45. new newness
46. obedient obedience
47. one oneness
48. pious piety
49. popular popularity
50. proud pride
51. pure purity
52. poor poverty
53. private privacy
54. prudent prudence
55. quick quickness
56. real reality
57. rival rivalry
58. rich richness
59. royal royalty
60. rigid rigidity
61. red redness
62. round roundness
63. safe safety
64. severe severity
65. solitary solitude
66. splendid splendour
67. stupid stupidity
68. supreme supremacy
67. stupid stupidity
68. supreme supremacy
69. sacred secredness
70. scarce scarcity
71. short shortage, shortness
72. special specialty
73. strong slowness
74. slow slowness
75. sweet sweetness
76. timid timidity
77. vacant vacancy
78. weak weakness
79. wide width
80. young youth

IC.FORMATION OF ABSTRACT NOUNS FROM COMMON NOUNS
S/No. Common Abstract Noun
1. act action
2. baby babyhood
3. begger beggary
4. coin coinage
5. agent agency
6. bond bondage
7. child childhood
8. creature creation
9. friend friendship
10. hero heroism
11. infant infancy
12. king kingship
13. mother motherhood
14. man manhood
15. owner ownership

2A. FORMATION OF VERBS FROM NOUNS
S/No Noun Verb
1. apology apologise
2. authority authorise
3. bath bathe
4. beauty beautify
5. black blacken
6. body embody
7. breadth broaden
8. battle embattled
9. bed imbed
10. blood bleed
11. brass braze
12. brood breed
13. cage encage
14. centre concentrate
15. christ christen
16. circle encircle
17. cloth clothe
18. colony colonize
19. courage encourage
20. custom accustom
21. camp encamp
22. character characterize
23. class classify
24. cloud becloud
25. company accompany
26. critic criticise
27. deity deify
28. drop drip
29. danger endanger
30. dew bedew
31. electricity electrify
32. economy economize
33. example exemplify
34. fame feed
35. food feed
36. force enforce
37. friend befriend
38. frost freeze
39. femine famish
40. fool befool
41. fraud defraud
42. fright abode
45. glory glorify
46. guile beguile
47. glass glaze
48. gold abode
49. half halve
50. harmony harmonize
51. head behead
52. horror horrify
53. habit habituate
54. hand handle
55. haste hasten
56. heir inherit
57. idol idolize
58. joy enjoy
59. justice justify
60. knee kneel
61. knot knit
62.magnety magnetize
63. monopoly monopolise
64. memory memorise, commemorate
65. nature naturalize
66. nation nationalize
67, necessity necessite
68. nest nestle
69. neuter neutralize
70. office officiate
71. origin originate
72. patron patronize
73. population populate
74. person personate
75. power empower
76. peace pacify
77. peril imperil
78. port transport, import, export
79. prison imprison
80. red redden
81. right rectify
82. sale sell
83. shelf shelve
84. snare ensnare
85. spark sparkle
86. sympathy sympathize
87. sermon sermonize
88. slave enslave
89. society associate
90. substance substance
91. system systematize
92. table tabulate
93. terror terrify
94. title entitle
95. tale tell
96. throne enthrone, dethrone
97. tomb entomb
98. utility utilise
99. vapour evaporate
100. vacancy vacate
101. verse versify
103. vigour invigorate














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