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FCE (First Certificate)
Word Formation: Verbs
There are four main prefixes/suffixes used when making verbs, which you should
revise for the FCE exam.
en- -ify -ise -en
enlarge
enable
entrust
enrage
ensure
endanger
beautify
clarify
specify
identify
terrify
purify
televise
advise
organise
specialise
prioritise
criminalise
apologise
widen
lengthen
deepen
shorten
tighten
brighten
darken
weaken
strengthen
FCE (First Certificate)
Word Formation: Negatives
For the FCE exam, there's nearly always at least one negative in the word formation
paper. There are lots of prefixes and suffixes we can use to make negatives.
1. Negative prefixes can be used with nouns, verbs, adjective and adverbs. For
example disapproval, disapprove, disapproving, disapprovingly.
2. Usually im + p (impatient) but not always (unpleasant).
3. Often il + l (illegal) but not always (unlikely).
4. Often ir + r (irregular) but not always (unresponsive).
5. Usually -ful changes to -less (harmful/less) but not always (endless).
6. If you can't remember, choose un - it's the most common negative prefix
un- in dis- im-
unexpected
unaware
unbelievable
unknown
unable
inaccurate
inappropriate
inefficient
incapable
ineffective
disapprove
dislike
disagree
disbelief
dishonest
improbable
impossible
impolite
imperfect
impatient
il-
ir- mis- -less
illegal
illiterate
illogical
illegible
irregular
irresponsible
irrational
irregular
misbehave
misunderstand
misspell
misuse
careless
harmless
helpless
endless
FCE (First Certificate)
Word Formation: Nouns with -ion
One of the most common ways to change a verb to a noun is with -ion (e.g. act to
action) and -ation (e.g. observe to observation). Sometimes we also change the verb
stem as well when we make the noun like this (e.g. explain to explanation). The
table below shows common nouns in which the spelling of the stem also changes.
Noun Verb Adjective
application apply applicable
permission permit permissable
solution solve unsolved
description describe descriptive
intention intend unintended
competition compete competitive
decision decide decisive
explanation explain unexplained
production produce productive
repetition repeat repetitive
consumption comsume consumable
qualification qualify qualified
FCE (First Certificate)
Word Formation: Nouns with -ence and -ance
Two common noun endings are -ance and -ence. Usually, their adjectives are made
with -ant and -ent. Here are some common examples which might help you in the
FCE exam.
Noun (-ence) Adjective Verb
evidence evident -
existence existing to exist
(in)dependence (in)dependent to depend
difference different to differ
intelligence intelligent -
(dis)obedience (dis)obedient to (dis)obey
excellence excellent to excel
silence silent to silence
violence violent to violate
innocence innocent -
occurrence - to occur
(im)patience (im)patient -
Noun (-ance) Adjective Verb
attendance
attendant (person)
- to attend
assistance
assistant (person)
- to assist
(dis)appearance apparent to (dis)appear
distance distant -
(un)importance (un)important -
acceptance accepting accept
reassurance reassured to reassure
(ir)relevance (ir)relevant -
(in)significance (in)significant to signify
FCE (First Certificate) Word Formation
Verb + ment / adjective + ness
Many verbs can form nouns with the suffix -ment. And many adjectives can form
their nouns with the suffix -ness.
Verb Noun
achieve achievement
amuse amusement
argue argument
develop development
encourage encouragement
excite excitement
improve improvement
involve involvement
judge judgement
measure measurement
Adjective Noun
aware awareness
dark darkness
forgetful forgetfulness
happy happiness
homeless homelessness
lazy laziness
lonely loneliness
rude rudeness
tidy tidiness
weak weakness
FCE (First Certificate)
Word Formation: Irregular Nouns
There are lots of standard noun suffixes (e.g -ment, -tion) or verb suffixes (see
myverb word formation pages). But many nouns and verbs have irregular suffixes
which you'll need to know for the FCE exam.
Noun Verb Adjective Adverb
(dis)belief (dis)believe (un)believable (un)believably
a choice choose chosen -
a defense defend defensive defensively
a death die dead/deadly deadly
a gift give - -
a loss lose lost -
a marriage marry (un)married -
practice practise practising -
pretense pretend - -
proof (dis)prove (un)proven -
safety save (un)safe safely
a sight see unseen -
a speech speak (un)spoken -
a success succeed (un)successful (un)successfully
a thought think thoughtful/less thoughtfully/lessly
FCE (First Certificate)
Word Formation: height, width ...
The word formation part of the FCE use of English exam often tests adjectives such
as 'short', 'wide', 'dark' and their nouns and verbs. Here is a list of some of the more
common adjectives and their forms.
.
Adjective Noun Verb
deep depth deepen
high height heighten
- weight weigh
wide width widen
long length lengthen
short
shortage (= not enough)
shortness (= not tall)
shorten
large enlargement enlarge
low - lower
tight tightness tighten
loose looseness loosen
strong strength strengthen
weak weakness weaken
dark
darkness
dark
darken
bright brightness brighten

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Word formation FCE

  • 1. FCE (First Certificate) Word Formation: Verbs There are four main prefixes/suffixes used when making verbs, which you should revise for the FCE exam. en- -ify -ise -en enlarge enable entrust enrage ensure endanger beautify clarify specify identify terrify purify televise advise organise specialise prioritise criminalise apologise widen lengthen deepen shorten tighten brighten darken weaken strengthen FCE (First Certificate) Word Formation: Negatives For the FCE exam, there's nearly always at least one negative in the word formation paper. There are lots of prefixes and suffixes we can use to make negatives. 1. Negative prefixes can be used with nouns, verbs, adjective and adverbs. For example disapproval, disapprove, disapproving, disapprovingly. 2. Usually im + p (impatient) but not always (unpleasant). 3. Often il + l (illegal) but not always (unlikely). 4. Often ir + r (irregular) but not always (unresponsive). 5. Usually -ful changes to -less (harmful/less) but not always (endless). 6. If you can't remember, choose un - it's the most common negative prefix un- in dis- im- unexpected unaware unbelievable unknown unable inaccurate inappropriate inefficient incapable ineffective disapprove dislike disagree disbelief dishonest improbable impossible impolite imperfect impatient il- ir- mis- -less illegal illiterate illogical illegible irregular irresponsible irrational irregular misbehave misunderstand misspell misuse careless harmless helpless endless
  • 2. FCE (First Certificate) Word Formation: Nouns with -ion One of the most common ways to change a verb to a noun is with -ion (e.g. act to action) and -ation (e.g. observe to observation). Sometimes we also change the verb stem as well when we make the noun like this (e.g. explain to explanation). The table below shows common nouns in which the spelling of the stem also changes. Noun Verb Adjective application apply applicable permission permit permissable solution solve unsolved description describe descriptive intention intend unintended competition compete competitive decision decide decisive explanation explain unexplained production produce productive repetition repeat repetitive consumption comsume consumable qualification qualify qualified FCE (First Certificate) Word Formation: Nouns with -ence and -ance Two common noun endings are -ance and -ence. Usually, their adjectives are made with -ant and -ent. Here are some common examples which might help you in the FCE exam. Noun (-ence) Adjective Verb evidence evident - existence existing to exist (in)dependence (in)dependent to depend difference different to differ intelligence intelligent - (dis)obedience (dis)obedient to (dis)obey excellence excellent to excel silence silent to silence violence violent to violate innocence innocent - occurrence - to occur
  • 3. (im)patience (im)patient - Noun (-ance) Adjective Verb attendance attendant (person) - to attend assistance assistant (person) - to assist (dis)appearance apparent to (dis)appear distance distant - (un)importance (un)important - acceptance accepting accept reassurance reassured to reassure (ir)relevance (ir)relevant - (in)significance (in)significant to signify FCE (First Certificate) Word Formation Verb + ment / adjective + ness Many verbs can form nouns with the suffix -ment. And many adjectives can form their nouns with the suffix -ness. Verb Noun achieve achievement amuse amusement argue argument develop development encourage encouragement excite excitement improve improvement involve involvement judge judgement measure measurement Adjective Noun aware awareness dark darkness forgetful forgetfulness happy happiness homeless homelessness lazy laziness
  • 4. lonely loneliness rude rudeness tidy tidiness weak weakness FCE (First Certificate) Word Formation: Irregular Nouns There are lots of standard noun suffixes (e.g -ment, -tion) or verb suffixes (see myverb word formation pages). But many nouns and verbs have irregular suffixes which you'll need to know for the FCE exam. Noun Verb Adjective Adverb (dis)belief (dis)believe (un)believable (un)believably a choice choose chosen - a defense defend defensive defensively a death die dead/deadly deadly a gift give - - a loss lose lost - a marriage marry (un)married - practice practise practising - pretense pretend - - proof (dis)prove (un)proven - safety save (un)safe safely a sight see unseen - a speech speak (un)spoken - a success succeed (un)successful (un)successfully a thought think thoughtful/less thoughtfully/lessly
  • 5. FCE (First Certificate) Word Formation: height, width ... The word formation part of the FCE use of English exam often tests adjectives such as 'short', 'wide', 'dark' and their nouns and verbs. Here is a list of some of the more common adjectives and their forms. . Adjective Noun Verb deep depth deepen high height heighten - weight weigh wide width widen long length lengthen short shortage (= not enough) shortness (= not tall) shorten large enlargement enlarge low - lower tight tightness tighten loose looseness loosen strong strength strengthen weak weakness weaken dark darkness dark darken bright brightness brighten