Unit-I: Vocabulary Building
1. The Concept of Word Formation
Word formation is the process of creating new words in English by adding,
combining, or modifying word parts.
Methods include:
o Derivation: using prefixes/suffixes (e.g., happy → happiness, kind →
kindness).
o Compounding: joining two words (e.g., blackboard, sunlight).
o Blending: combining parts of words (e.g., smog = smoke + fog, brunch =
breakfast + lunch).
o Clipping: shortening words (e.g., ad for advertisement, exam for
examination).
o Acronyms: using initials to form a new word (e.g., NASA, UNESCO).
Why is Word Formation taught?
1. Build Vocabulary Efficiently
Instead of memorizing individual words, you learn how words are built from smaller
parts (roots, prefixes, suffixes). This helps you guess meanings of new words on your
own.
2. Improve Reading & Comprehension
When you know word parts, you can understand complex texts better because you
break down unfamiliar words into familiar pieces.
3. Enhance Writing & Speaking
Knowing how to form words correctly (e.g., happy → happiness, decide → decision)
makes your writing and speaking more precise and varied.
4. Understand Word Relationships
You recognize how words relate to each other (e.g., act, action, active) and how
meaning changes with prefixes and suffixes.
5. Helps in Language Exams & Tests
Many exams test your knowledge of word formation, prefixes, suffixes, and root
words — so it’s practical for academic success.
2. Root Words from Foreign Languages and Their Use in English:
Many English words are borrowed or derived from Latin, Greek, French, German,
Sanskrit, etc.
Latin Roots: aqua (water → aquarium, aqueduct), scrib/script (write → describe,
manuscript).
Greek Roots: tele (far → telephone, television), graph (write → autograph,
geography).
French Roots: entrepreneur, rendezvous, ballet.
German Roots: kindergarten, doppelgänger.
Sanskrit Roots: pundit, yoga, nirvana.
3. Prefixes and Suffixes from Foreign Languages:
Prefixes and suffixes are added to root words to change meaning or form new words.
Common Prefixes:
o pre- (before → preview, predict)
o sub- (under → submarine, subtitle)
o anti- (against → antibiotic, antifreeze)
o bio- (life → biology, biography)
Common Suffixes:
o -logy (study of → biology, psychology)
o -ist (person → artist, scientist)
o -tion (action → creation, solution)
o -able/-ible (capable of → readable, visible)
4. Synonyms:
Words with the same or nearly the same meaning.
Big → large, huge, gigantic
Happy → joyful, glad, delighted
Begin → start, commence, initiate
5. Antonyms
Words with opposite meanings.
Hot ↔ cold
Accept ↔ reject
Success ↔ failure
Permanent ↔ temporary
6. Standard AbbreviationsS
Abbreviations commonly used in English for brevity:
e.g. → exempli gratia (for example)
i.e. → id est (that is)
ASAP → As Soon As Possible
etc. → et cetera (and so on)
UN → United Nations
WHO → World Health Organization
1. Prefixes from Foreign Languages in English:
Prefixes are added to the beginning of words and often come from Latin or Greek.
Prefix Origin Meaning Examples
pre- Latin before predict, prehistoric
re- Latin again, back redo, revisit
anti- Greek against, opposite antibiotic, antisocial
auto- Greek self autograph, autobiography
trans- Latin across, beyond transport, translate
sub- Latin under, below submarine, subconscious
inter- Latin between, among international, interact
micro- Greek small microscope, microorganism
macro- Greek large macroeconomics, macrobiotic
co- Latin with, together cooperate, coexist
2. Suffixes from Foreign Languages in English
Suffixes are added to the end of root words to change their grammatical function (often to
change the word class: verb → noun, noun → adjective, etc.).
Suffix Origin Function Examples
-tion/-sion Latin Forms nouns (action, process) creation, expansion
-ous Latin Forms adjectives (full of) dangerous, spacious
-logy Greek Study of biology, psychology
-ist Greek A person who practices scientist, artist
-ize / -ise Greek via French Makes verbs (to make/cause) realize, energize
-able / -ible Latin Can be done readable, visible
-phobia Greek Fear of arachnophobia, claustrophobia
-ment Latin Noun of action or result development, movement
-al Latin Related to natural, political
-cracy Greek Rule, government democracy, theocracy
Examples of Derivatives with Foreign Prefixes and
Suffixes
1. Transport
o trans- (Latin: across) + port (Latin: to carry)
o → transport = to carry across
2. Autograph
o auto- (Greek: self) + graph (Greek: writing)
o → autograph = self-writing (i.e., signature)
3. Biology
o bio- (Greek: life) + -logy (Greek: study)
o → biology = the study of life
4. Invisible
o in- (Latin: not) + visible (Latin: able to be seen)
o → invisible = not able to be seen
5. Democracy
o demos (Greek: people) + -cracy (Greek: rule)
o → democracy = rule by the people
10 Powerful Root Words to Know:
Root Meaning Example Words
mit / miss to send submit, dismiss, transmit, mission
Root Meaning Example Words
port to carry transport, import, portable, support
scrib / script to write describe, manuscript, subscription
spect to see inspect, respect, spectator, suspect
dict to say, speak predict, contradict, dictator
cred to believe credit, incredible, credentials
tele far telephone, television, telegraph
bio life biology, biography, antibiotic
aqua water aquarium, aquatics, aqueduct
chrono time chronology, synchronize, chronic
Exercises:
1. Word Formation
A. Fill in the blanks using the correct derivative form of the word given in brackets.
1. The company needs better __________ to compete globally. (manage)
2. The government is planning to __________ the old policies. (structure)
3. A successful leader must always __________ the team. (motivation)
4. Many firms have begun to __________ new markets abroad. (explore)
5. The annual report showed a high level of __________. (profitable)
2. Root Words
Match the root with its meaning and one business-related word:
1. cred → a) belief → __________
2. port → b) carry → __________
3. graph → c) write → __________
4. eco → d) house/management → __________
3. Prefixes and Suffixes
Add an appropriate prefix or suffix to complete the business terms:
1. __________national trade (prefix)
2. Employ__________ (suffix)
3. __________contract (prefix)
4. Invest__________ (suffix)
5. Re__________ (prefix: again/afresh)
4. Synonyms and Antonyms
A. Synonyms – Write one synonym for each word (business context):
1. Client → __________
2. Profit → __________
3. Expand → __________
4. Job → __________
B. Antonyms – Write the opposite:
1. Success ↔ __________
2. Employer ↔ __________
3. Profit ↔ __________
4. Increase ↔ __________
5. Standard Abbreviations
Write the full form of these business abbreviations:
1. ROI → __________
2. CEO → __________
3. WTO → __________
4. IMF → __________
5. MNC → __________
Exercises: Vocabulary Building
1. Word Formation
Form new words using the given bases:
a) Nation → _________
b) Govern → _________
c) Read → _________
d) Happy → _________
e) Act → _________
2. Root Words from Foreign Languages
Identify the meaning of the root and make two English words from it:
a) tele (Greek) → __________, __________
b) scrib/script (Latin) → __________, __________
c) aqua (Latin) → __________, __________
d) bio (Greek) → __________, __________
e) logos (Greek) → __________, __________
3. Prefixes
Add suitable prefixes to change the meaning of the words:
a) possible → __________
b) active → __________
c) connect → __________
d) mature → __________
e) polite → __________
4. Suffixes
Add suitable suffixes to form derivatives:
a) teach → __________
b) manage → __________
c) friend → __________
d) read → __________
e) create → __________
5. Synonyms
Write synonyms for the following words:
a) Begin → __________
b) Strong → __________
c) End → __________
d) Beautiful → __________
e) Angry → __________
6. Antonyms
Write antonyms for the following words:
a) Success → __________
b) Light → __________
c) Honest → __________
d) Increase → __________
e) Permanent → __________
7. Standard Abbreviations
Expand the following abbreviations:
a) ASAP → __________
b) WHO → __________
c) UN → __________
d) GPS → __________
e) DIY → __________
