Vocabulary building

VocabularybuildingAffixesandrootsAddingaffixestoexistingwords(thebaseorroot)toformnewwordsiscommoninacademicEnglish.Prefixesareaddedtothefrontofthebase(likedislike),whereassuffixesareaddedtotheendofthebase(activeactivate).Prefixesusuallydonotchangetheclassofthebaseword,butsuffixesusuallydochangetheclassoftheword.ThemostcommonprefixesusedtoformnewverbsinacademicEnglishare:re-,dis-,over-,un-,mis-,out-.Themostcommonsuffixesare:-ise,-en,-ate,-(i)fy.ByfarthemostcommonaffixinacademicEnglishis-ise.Verbse.g.prefix+verbverbPrefixMeaningExamplesre-againorbackrestructure,revisit,reappear,rebuild,refinancedis-reversesthemeaningoftheverbdisappear,disallow,disarm,disconnect,discontinueover-toomuchoverbook,oversleep,overworkun-reversesthemeaningoftheverbunbend,uncouple,unfastenmis-badlyorwronglymislead,misinform,misidentifyout-moreorbetterthanothersoutperform,outbidbe-makeorcausebefriend,belittleco-togetherco-exist,co-operate,co-ownde-dotheoppositeofdevalue,deselectfore-earlier,beforeforeclose,foreseeinter-betweeninteract,intermix,interfacepre-beforepre-expose,prejudge,pretestsub-under/belowsubcontract,subdividetrans-across,overtransform,transcribe,transplantunder-notenoughunderfund,undersell,undervalue,underdevelopExercisee.g.Suffixusedtoformverbswiththemeaning"causetobe".SuffixExample-isestabilise,characterise,symbolise,visualise,specialise-atedifferentiate,liquidate,pollinate,duplicate,fabricate-fyclassify,exemplify,simplify,justify-enawaken,fasten,shorten,moistenExerciseNounsThemostcommonprefixesusedtoformnewnounsinacademicEnglishare:co-andsub-.Themostcommonsuffixesare:-tion,-ity,-er,-ness,-ism,-ment,-ant,-ship,-age,-ery.ByfarthemostcommonnounaffixinacademicEnglishis-tion.e.g.prefix+nounnounPrefixMeaningExamplesanti-againstanticlimax,antidote,antithesisauto-selfautobiography,automobilebi-twobilingualism,biculturalism,bi-metalismco-jointco-founder,co-owner,co-descendantcounter-againstcounter-argument,counter-example,counter-proposaldis-theconverseofdiscomfort,dislikeex-formerex-chairman,ex-hunterhyper-extremehyperinflation,hypersurfacein-theconverseofinattention,incoherence,incompatibilityin-insideinpatient,inter-betweeninteraction,inter-change,interferencekilo-thousandkilobytemal-badmalfunction,maltreatment,malnutritionmega-millionmegabytemis-wrongmisconduct,misdeed,mismanagementmini-smallmini-publication,mini-theorymono-onemonosyllable,monograph,monogamyneo-newneo-colonialism,neo-impressionismout-separateoutbuilding,poly-manypolysyllablepseudo-falsepseudo-expertre-againre-organisation,re-assessment,re-examinationsemi-halfsemicircle,semi-darknesssub-belowsubset,subdivisionsuper-morethan,abovesuperset,superimposition,superpowerssur-overandabovesurtaxtele-distanttelecommunications,tri-threetripartismultra-beyondultrasoundunder-below,toolittleunderpayment,under-development,undergraduatevice-deputyvice-presidentExercisee.g.Suffixaddedtoaverb(V),noun(N)oradjective(A)nounSuffixMeaningExamples-tion-sionaction/instanceofV-ingalteration,demonstrationexpansion,inclusion,admission-erpersonwhoV-ssomethingusedforV-ingadvertiser,drivercomputer,silencer-mentaction/instanceofV-ingdevelopment,punishment,unemployment-ant-entpersonwhoV-sassistant,consultantstudent-ageaction/resultofVbreakage,wastage,package-alaction/resultofVdenial,proposal,refusal,dismissal-ence-anceaction/resultofVpreference,dependence,interferenceattendance,acceptance,endurance-ery/-ryaction/instanceofV-ingplaceofV-ingbribery,robbery,miseryrefinery,bakerySuffixMeaningExamples-erpersonconcernedwithNastronomer,geographer-ismdoctrineofNMarxism,Maoism,Thatcherism-shipstateofbeingNfriendship,citizenship,leadership-agecollectionofNbaggage,plumageSuffixMeaningExamples-itystateorqualityofbeingAability,similarity,responsibility,curiosity-nessstateorqualityofbeingAdarkness,preparedness,consciousness-cystateorqualityofbeingAurgency,efficiency,frequencyExerciseAdjectivesManyadjectivesareformedfromabaseofadifferentclasswithasuffix(e.g.-less,-ous).Adjectivescanalsobeformedfromotheradjectives,especiallybythenegativeprefixes(un-,in-andnon-).Themostcommonsuffixesare-al,-ent,-ive,-ous,-ful,-less.e.g.SuffixaddedtoverbsornounsadjectiveSuffixExample-alcentral,political,national,optional,professional-entdifferent,dependent,excellent-iveattractive,effective,imaginative,repetitive-ouscontinuous,dangerous,famous-fulbeautiful,peaceful,careful-lessendless,homeless,careless,thoughtless-abledrinkable,countable,avoidable,Exercisee.g.negative+adjectiveadjectivePrefixExamplesun-unfortunate,uncomfortable,unjustim-/in-/ir-/il-immature,impatient,improbable,inconvenient,irreplaceable,illegalnon-non-fiction,non-political,non-neutraldis-disloyal,dissimilar,dishonestExerciseMixede.g.basewithbothprefixandsuffixAdjectives:uncomfortable,unavoidable,unimaginative,inactive,semi-circularNouns:disappointment,misinformation,reformulationWordformationFormalwrittenEnglishusesnounsmorethanverbs.Forexample,judgementratherthanjudge,developmentratherthandevelop,admirationratherthanadmire.Thereappearedtobeevidenceofdifferentialtreatmentofchildren.Thisisreflectedinouradmirationforpeoplewhohavemadesomethingoftheirlives,sometimesagainstgreatodds,andinoursomewhatdisappointedjudgmentofthosewhomerelydriftthroughlife.Allairfieldsinthecountrywouldbenationalised,andthegovernmentwouldcontinuewiththedevelopmentofnewaircraftasrecommendedbytheBrabazonCommittee.Associatedwithnominalisationistheoccurrenceofprepositionalphrases,introducedbyof:judgmentofthosetreatmentofchildrendevelopmentofnewaircraft-tionisthemostcommonsuffixusedinthisway.Forexample:alteration,resignation.Howeverothersare:-ityability,similarity,complexity;-nessblindness,darkness,preparedness;-mentdevelopment,encouragement;-shipfriendship;-agemileage;-eryrobbery,bribery;-alarrival;-anceassistance,resemblance.