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FCE - 1 - WORD FORMATION

ADJECTIVE ROOT: VERB -EN, NOUN -NESS

ROOT VERB
NOUN .
Black Blacken blackness
Bright brighten brightness
Broad broaden breadth
Dark darken darkness
Deaf deafen deafness
Deep deepen depth
Fat fatten fatness
Flat fatten flatness
Fresh freshen freshness
Glad gladden gladness
Hard harden hardness
High highten height
Less lessen lessening
Light lighten lightness
Long lengthen length
Loose Loosen looseness
Mad Madden madness
Quiet Quieten quietness
Red Redden redness
Ripe Ripen ripeness
Sad Sadden sadness
Sharp Sharpen sharpness
Short Shorten shortness
Soft Soften softness
Stiff Stiffen stiffness
Straight Straighten straightness
Strong Strengthen strength
Sweet Sweeten sweetness
Thick Thicken thickness
Tight Tighten tightness
Tough Toughen toughness
Weak Weaken weakness
White Whiten whiteness
Wide Widen width

NOUN ROOT: ADJECTIVE (-FUL, ADJECTIVE (-LESS)

. ROOT ADJECTIVE (+)

ADJECTIVE (-)
Aim aimless*
Art artful* artless*
Beauty beautiful
Care careful careless
cheer* cheerful cheerless
colour colourful colourless
delight delightful
doubt doubtful doubtless*
end
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event eventful* endless
faith faithful faithless, unfaithful
fancy fanciful
fault faulty faultless
fear fearful fearless
fruit fruitful fruitless, unfruitful
grace graceful graceless, ungraceful
gratitude grateful
guilt guilty guiltless
harm harmful harmless
hate hateful*
heart heartless
help helpful helpless, unhelpful
home homeless
hope hopeful hopeless
humour humorous humourless
joy joyful joyless
law lawful lawless, unlawful
meaning meaningful meaningless
mercy merciful merciless
name nameless
need needful* needless
pain painful painless
peace peaceful
plenty plentiful*
point pointless
power powerful powerless
rest restful restless
sense sensible senseless*
shame shameful* shameless
shape shapeless
skill skilful unskilful
sleep sleepy sleepless
spot spotted spotless
stain stained stainless
success successful unsuccessful
taste tasteful* tasteless
thanks thankful thankless
thought thoughtful thoughtless
truth truthful untruthful
use useful useless
value valuable valueless
waste wasteful
wonder wonderful*
worth

NOTES

aimless: usually, without an aim or purpose in life

artful/artless: not with ability in art (artistic) but clever in a tricky way/simple,
without this cleverness
cheer: a shout of encouragement.
Cheerful/cheerless: lively and happy/dull and miserable
doubtless (an adverb): probably; the adjective for `not having doubt is undoubted
eventful: full of important or interesting events
faithless is used more generally for not having faith
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unfaithful for husbands/wives/lovers who are not loyal to their partner, but have sexual
relationships with other people.
unfruitful is used for trees, crops, etc. without fruit
fruitless: unsuccessful, not having the result desired
ungraceful (the true opposite): without physical grace
graceless: bad-mannered
hateful is not really 'full of hate' but 'horrible, to be hated'
helpless: in need of help;
unhelpful: not giving help
lawless (personal): without respect for the law
unlawful (action): against the law
needful/needless: necessary (especially) and unnecessary are more common
plentiful: abundant, in large quantities
senseless: (action) lacking in common sense, and so the opposite of sensible;
(personal) unconscious, which is more common
shameful: bad, disgusting. Ä person who feels shame is ashamed
tasteful: in good taste aesthetically. Food that tastes good is tasty.
tasteless can mean without taste in both cases
wonderful: marvellous, not `full of wonder'

VERB ROOT: ADJECTIVE -ABLE, -IBLE, NEGATIVE FORMS

. ROOT ADJECTIVE (+)

ADJECTIVE (-) .
Accept Acceptable unacceptable
Account accountable* unaccountable*
Adapt adaptable
Admire admirable
Admit admissible inadmissible
Agree agreeable* disagreeable
Apply applicable inapplicable
Argue arguable unarguable
Bear bearable unbearable
Believe believable unbelievable*
Comfort comfortable* uncomfortable*
Communicate communicable incommunicable
Compare comparable incomparable
Consider considerable* inconsiderable
Cure curable incurable
Defend Defensible indefensible*
Depend Dependable
Desire Desirable undesirable
Divide Divisible indivisible
Educate Educable ineducable
Employ Employable unemployable
Enjoy Enjoyable
Excite Excitable
Explain Explicable inexplicable
Fashion Fashionable* unfashionable
Favour Favourable* unfavourable
Forget Forgettable unforgettable
Govern Governable ungovernable
Imagine Imaginable unimaginable
Imitate Imitable inimitable*
Inhabit Habitable uninhabitable
Manage Manageable* unmanageable
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Move Movable immovable
Notice Noticeable
Pass passable* impassable
Permit permissible
Practise practicable impracticable*
Prefer preferable
Reason reasonable* unreasonable
Recognise recognisable unrecognisable
Remark remarkable* unremarkable
Remember memorable
Respect respectable*
Respond responsible* irresponsible
Sense sensible* insensible*
Solve soluble insoluble
Think unthinkable*
Value valuable invaluable*

NOTES

accountable (personal): responsible (for) unaccountable (action); inexplicable, what

cannot be accounted for
agreeable: pleasant; disagreeable: unpleasant
unbelievable: incredible, very surprising
comfort: the verb means 'console' but the adjectives comfortable/uncomfortable
(usually describing a thing like furniture) mean `not pleasantly satisfying'
considerable / inconsiderable: (not) important enough to be considered
indefensible: (actions) unjustifiable; (place) that cannot be defended against an attack
fashion: the verb means `make, shape', but the adj. fashionable/unfashionable
mean 'in/out of fashion'
inimitable: usually, too good or brilliant to be imitated
manageable: usually of objects that can be handled easily
passable: (things) usually just acceptable
impassable refers to roads, rivers that cannot be used or crossed
practicable: that can be done in practice, as against in theory
reasonable: (person) sensible; (things, like prices) not too expensive. A person or
action that is not subject to reason, or logic, is irrational
remarkable: interesting enough for someone to make a remark about it
respectable: (personal) with behaviour acceptable to society; (thing) quite good
responsible: trustworthy; people are responsible for what they do (accountable for
their actions) or for people in their care, like children; they are responsible to those
above them, like employers (having a duty towards them)
sensible: having common sense;
insensible: unconscious (physically) or unaware (mentally). A person who has/lacks
feelings is sensitive / insensitive; an action that does not show common sense is
senseless
unthinkable: too absurd or horrible to be thought about

invaluable: too valuable for its value to be calculated (compare valueless, which means
without value)

NOUN ENDINGS -ION, -OR, ADJECTIVE ENDING -IVE

. ROOT NOUN NOUN
(person) ADJECTIVE (-/+)
act Action actor* (in)active
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affect Affect (in)effective
appreciate Appreciation (un)appreciative
argue Argument argumentative
attend Attention (in)attentive
attract Attraction (un)attractive
collect Collection Collector collective*
communicate Communication Communicator (un)communicative
compare Comparison comparative*
compete competition Competitor competitive
conclude conclusion (in)conclusive
conserve conservation conservative*
construct construction Constructor constructive*
co-operate co-operation (un)co-operative*
decide decision (in)decisi~re
defend defence Defender defensive
describe description descriptive
expand expansion expansive*
explode explosive explosion
express expression expressive*
extend extension* extensive*
imagine imagination (un)imaginative
imitate imitation Imitator imitative
impress impression (un)impressive*
include inclusion inclusive
instruct instruction instructor (un)instructive
invent invention inventor inventive*
object objection objector objective*
offend offence offender (in)offensive
operate operation operator (in)operative
permit permission permissive
possess possession possessor possessive
prevent prevention preventive
produce production producer (un)productive
protect protection protector protective
receive reception (un)receptive*
reflect reflection reflector* reflective"
represent representation representative (un)representative
reproduce reproduction reproductive
select selection selector selective
sense sensation sensor* (in)sensitive*
spend expense spender (in)expensive*

NOTES

actor: only used for someone who acts in the cinema, theatre, the feminine is actress
collective: relating to a group acting together or owning something together
comparative: based on or judged by a comparison; grammatically, a form of adjective
or adverb like more, bigger
conserve, conservation: preserve, preservation (often used in connection with
ecology);
conservative: usually political or social, favouring the established order, resistant to
change
constructive: helping to develop, not usually related to buildings
co-operative: helpful, as well as done or owned by people working together
expansive: (personal), friendly, willing to talk
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expressive: (of a face or words): full of feeling and meaning
extension: a part added (to a building); extent indicates size, area;
extensive: considerable, or covering a large area
impressive: making an impression on others, admirable
inventive: having originality
objective: fair, not prejudiced ,
receptive: (personal) willing to listen, sympathetic
reflector: not a person but a surface that reflects light, reflective (personal) thoughtful .
sensation: feeling or state of excitement (adjective: sensational: causing excitement);
sensor is an apparatus to discover the presence of something;
sensitive (personal): with deep feelings, easily hurt: (thing): fine, measuring exactly or
showing reaction to a force or influence
expensive: costing a lot of money, requiring expense

NOUN ENDINGS -NCE, -NT; ADJECTIVE ENDING -NT; NOUN ENDING -NCE

VERB ROOT NOUN NOUN (person)

ADJECTIVE (-/+)
account Account accountant (un)accountable
(dis)appear (dis)appearance apparent
apply application applicant (un)applicable
assist assistance assistant
attend attendance* attendance
confide confidence confidant* confident
correspond correspondence correspondent correspondent
defend defence defendant* defensive
depend (in)dependence dependant* (in)dependent
descend descent* descendant descendant
differ difference (in)different*
exist existence existent
hinder hindrance
ignore ignorant
inhabit inhabitant (un)inhabited
insure insurance insurer insured
interfere interference interfering
maintain maintenance
obey obedience obedient
occupy occupation occupant
perform performance performer performing
please pleasure (un)pleasant
refer reference referee*
resist resistance resistant
signify significance (in)significant

. ROOT NOUN .
absent Absence
(in)convenient (in)convenience
distant distance
evident evidence
(in)frequent (in)frequency
(un)important (un)importance
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innocent innocence
(un)intelligent intelligence
(im)patient (im)patience
present presence
violent violence

NOTES

attendance: the number of people present. Compare paying attention

confidant: someone you can trust to confide in, with secrets
defendant: person accused in a trial
dependant: a member of the family (economically); dependent on someone else
descent: going down; also family origin
indifferent: (personal) not interested in, not caring about
referee: the judge in some sports; also someone who gives a reference for a job

NOUN ENDINGS -MENT, -ER, ADJECTIVE ENDING -ING

. ROOT NOUN NOUN

(person) ADJECTIVE (-/+).
achieve Achievement achiever
advertise Advertisement advertiser advertising
(dis)agree (dis)agreement (dis)agreeable
appoint appointment
arrange arrangement
astonish astonishment astonishing/ed
discourage discouragement discouraging
encourage encouragement encouraging
develop development developer
employ (un)employment employer/ee* unemployed
enjoy enjoyment
entertain entertainment entertainer entertaining
embarrass embarrassment embarrassing/ed
excite excitement (un)exciting/ed
govern government governor governing
improve improvement improving/ed
judge judgement judge
manage management manager managing
measure measurement measuring
move movement moving
pay payment payee* paying
punish punishment punishing
refresh refreshment refreshing
retire retirement retiring'
settle settlement settler (un)settling/ed
treat treatment

NOTES

employer: the employer employs the employee

payee: person to whom money should be paid
retiring: person who is retiring from work or shy, unwilling to come forward

NOUNS RELATING TO SUBJECTS TO STUDY, PERSONAL NOUNS AND

ADJECTIVES
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. NOUN (subject) NOUN (person) ADJECTIVE

analysis Analyst Analytical
art Artist artistic
biology Biologist biological
chemistry Chemist chemical
economics Economist economic, economical*
electricity Electrician electric, electrical*
geography Geographer geographical
geology Geologist geological
Geometry geometric, geometrical
Grammar Grammarian grammatical
History Historian historic, historical*
languages Linguist linguistic
logic Logician logical
mathematics Mathematician mathematical
machines Mechanic mechanical
medicine doctor medical
music musician musical
Photography photographer photographic
Physics physicist physical
Psychology psychologist psychological
science scientist scientific

NOTES

economic: relating to economy or economics; economical making economy, saving

rnoney, not expensive
electric: worked by or producing electricity; electrical is used more generally for
people working in the field or in theory
historic: of historical importance, making history;
historical: that took place in history

COMMON ADJECTIVE ENDINGS (-Y, -AL, -OUS) DERIVED FROM NOUNS

. NOUN ADJECTIVE NOUN

ADJECTIVE .
addition additional mist misty
(dis) advantage (dis) advantageous mountain mountainous
ambition angry mud muddy
anger ambitious mystery mysterious
anxiety anxious nation national
artifice artificial nature natural
benefit beneficial nerves nervous
caution cautious noise noisy
cloud cloudy number numerous
commerce commercial occasion occasional
continent continental occupation occupational
crime criminal origin original
curiosity curious ornament ornamental
danger dangerous person personal
disaster disastrous poison poisonous
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emotion emotional profession professional
experiment experimental provision provisional
fate fatal price precious
finance financial rain rainy
fog foggy religion religious
formality formal residence residential
frost frosty sensation sensational
fun funny sleep sleepy
generosity generous stone stony
glory glorious storm stormy
grass grassy sun sunny
guilt guilty suspicion suspicious
happiness happy thirst thirsty
health healthy tradition traditional
hill hilly water watery
horizon horizontal wealth wealthy
humour humorous weight weighty
hunger hungry
ice icy
industry industrial
infection infectious
influence influential
instrument instrumental
intention intentional
luck lucky