MORPHOLOGY CHEATSHEET

MORPHEME
 A morpheme is …………………………………………….. unit in a language.
 Morphemes refer to either a class of forms or an ……………… from the …………………. forms
of language.
 Characteristics

 it cannot be further subdivided or

……….................. analyzed into smaller meaningful units.

 nothing can be interposed in a morpheme

………..................

 it has positional mobility or free

……….................. distribution, occurring in various context

 Types of morphemes

this classification is based

primarily on
…………………….

Grammatical morphemes Lexical morphemes

Express a …………… number of common meanings, Express ………………………………. meaning

or express relations within the ……………………

Their occurrence is ……………………….. by the Categorized into word classes: noun, verb,
grammar of the sentence adjective, adverb

Constitute closed word classes. Can be exhaustively Constitute …………………. categories i.e. new
………………………… . members can be added

Are ………….. of words i.e. inflectional affixes, or Are generally ……………………. words (free
small but independent ‘function words’ belonging to the roots) or parts of words (derivational affixes and
minor word classes i.e. prepositions bound roots)

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 MORPH
 A morph is the …………………… realization of a morpheme.
 Types of morphs
this classification is based
primarily on …………………….

Free morphs Bound morphs

Can stand by themselves as …………………………. Cannot normally stand alone and are always
……………………. another morph.

Is always a …………………….. morpheme.

Carries the ……………… lexical or grammatical Doesn’t carry the core meaning
meaning
May …………………… other free or bound Roots are occasionally bound morphs (or bound
morphemes roots)

Derivational affixes Inflectional affixes

Can either be a ………………… or …………………… Is always a ………………….
Can be …………………… 1 ~ per word Maybe …………………… 1 per word
A particular ~ may attach to only a …………………. A particular ~ may attach to ………………..
number of roots members of a certain word class

Function: Function:
- ……………………….. one part of speech - Indicate grammatical meaning/ aspect of a word
to another (class changing)
- Change the ………………… of the root
(class maintaining)
Always …………………… an inflectional affix Always …………………………….

MORPHEMIC ANALYSIS vs. MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

 Nouns
Word Morphological A. Morphemical A.

Writers wri / er / s {WRITE} + {-ER} + {pl}

Authors author / s {AUTHOR} + {pl}

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 Mice mice {MOUSE} + {pl}

Fish fish {FISH} +{pl}

Children child/ ren {CHILD} + {pl}

Men’s men/ s {MAN} + {pl} + {poss}

 Adjectives
Word Morphological A. Morphemical A.

Smaller Small / er {SMALL} + {comp}

Smallest Small/ est {SMALL} + {supl}

Better Better {GOOD} + {comp}

Best Best {GOOD} + {supl}

Good Good {GOOD} + {pos}

 Verbs
Word Morphological A. Morphemical A.

Worked Work/ ed {WORK} + {past}

{WORK} + {pstprt}

Wrote Wrote {WRITE} + {past}

Written Written {WRITE} + {pstprt}

Working Work/ing {WORK} + {prsprt}

Put Put {PUT} + {past}

{PUT} + {prsprt}

 Pronouns
Word Morphological A. Morphemical A.

We We {1st p} + {pl} + {nomn}

Him Him {3rd p} + {sg} + {obj}

Its It/s {3rd p} + {sg} + {poss}

 Others

Word Morphological A. Morphemical A.

We We {1st p} + {pl} + {nomn}

Him Him {3rd p} + {sg} + {obj}

Its It/s {3rd p} + {sg} + {poss}

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