Cambridge Exam English (Part 3): Word formation

In this part of the exam the candidate is given the most basic form of a word, known as “the root” form. You need to change the prefix or suffix to adapt the word into the correct form and make it fit in the 8 gaps in the text so that it makes perfect sense.

The best way to do this exercise is to focus on the word class (type of word: noun, verb, adjective, adverb), grammar (singular or plural, verb tenses, +/-) and spelling. The words must be spelled correctly and if a capital letter is needed, it must be used.

You ought to think of this as a 3 step process:

  1. What type of word do I want? Noun, verb, adjective or adverb.
  2. What grammar is needed? Singular or plural noun, the tense of the verb
  3. Is it affirmative or negative? Which prefix or suffix do I need?

To aid the candidate´s understanding of this part of the exam. we have included a prefix and suffix list, high frequency root words list and also example sentences with answers in the extra resource section.

 

The best way to improve this part of the exam is to focus on the root words and learn all of the different word classes for each one. We have provided a comprehensive list for you.

 

Download these words in PDF HERE

 

ROOT

VERB

NOUN

ADJECTIVE

ADVERB

 

ABSENT N/A ABSENCE ABSENT ABSENTLY
APPROPRIATE APPROPRIATE N/A APPROPRIATE APPROPRIATELY
ATTRACT ATTRACT ATTRACTION ATTRACTIVE ATTRACTIVELY
ABLE ENABLE ABILITY ABLE N/A
ACCURATE N/A ACCURACY ACCURATE ACCURATELY
ASSIST ASSIST ASSISTANCE ASSISTED N/A
APPEAR APPEAR APPEARANCE APPEARED N/A
ADVANCE ADVANCE ADVANCEMENT ADVANCED N/A
ADD ADD ADDITION ADDED N/A
ADDICT ADDICT ADDICTION ADDICTED ADDITIVELY
ARGUE ARGUE ARGUMENT ARGUMENTATIVE ARGUMENTATIVELY
ACT ACT ACTION N/A N/A
AFFORD AFFORD N/A AFFORDABLE N/A
ADVISE ADVISE ADVICE ADVISED ADVISINGLY
ARRANGE ARRANGE ARRANGEMENT ARRANGED N/A

 

BEGIN BEGIN BEGINNING BEGUN N/A
BELIEVE BELIEVE BELIEF BELIEVED N/A
BORE BORE BOREDOM BORED/BORING BORINGLY
BRAVE BRAVE (OUT) BRAVERY BRAVE BRAVELY
BEHAVE BEHAVE BEHAVIOUR BEHAVED N/A
BLOCK BLOCK BLOCKAGE BLOCKED N/A
BROAD BROADEN N/A BROAD N/A
BEG BEG BEGGAR BEGGED BEGGINGLY
BELONG BELONG BELONGING(S) N/A N/A
BOOK BOOK BOOKING BOOKED N/A

 

CREDIT N/A CREDIT CREDITED N/A
CREATE CREATE CREATION CREATED N/A
COMMON N/A COMMONER COMMON COMMONLY
COME COME N/A N/A N/A
CHARGE CHARGE CHARGE/ CHARGER CHARGED N/A
COVER COVER COVER COVERED N/A
CERTAIN N/A CERTAINTY CERTAIN CERTAINLY
CYCLE CYCLE CYCLE/BICYCLE N/A N/A
CHOOSE CHOOSE CHOICE CHOSEN N/A
COLLECT COLLECT COLLECTION COLLECTED COLLECTIVELY
CONFIDE CONFIDE CONFIDENCE CONFIDENT CONFIDENTLY
CONTINUE CONTINUE CONTINUATION CONTINUED N/A
COMBINE COMBINE COMBINATION COMBINED N/A
CONTAIN CONTAIN CONTAINER CONTAINED N/A
CORRECT CORRECT CORRECTION CORRECTED N/A
CALL CALL/RECALL CALL N/A N/A
COMPLAIN COMPLAIN COMPLAINT N/A N/A
CONSIDER CONSIDER CONSIDERATION N/A N/A

 

DESCRIBE DESCRIBE DESCRIPTION DESCRIBED N/A
DIFFER DIFFER DIFFERENCE DIFFERENT DIFFERENTLY
DANGER ENDANGER DANGER DANGEROUS DANGEROUSLY
DEPEND DEPEND DEPENDENCE DEPENDENT DEPENDENTLY
DESIGN DESIGN DESIGN DESIGNED N/A
DECIDE DECIDE DECISION DECIDED DECIDEDLY
DENY DENY DENIAL DENIED DENYINGLY
DEVELOP DEVELOP DEVELOPMENT/DEVELOPER DEVELOPED N/A
DISTANT DISTANCE DISTANCE DISTANT DISTANTLY
DESTROY DESTROY DESTRUCTION DESTROYED N/A
DETAIN DETAIN DETENTION DETAINED N/A
DISAPPOINT DISAPPOINT DISAPPOINTMENT DISAPPOINTED DISAPPOINTEDLY
DELIVER DEVIVER DELIVERY DELIVERED N/A
DO DO N/A DONE N/A
DEAL DEAL DEALING/DEALER DEALT N/A

 

EASY EASE EASE EASY EASILY
EXTREME N/A N/A EXTREME EXTREMELY
EMOTION EMOTE EMOTION EMOTIONAL EMOTIONALLY
EXCITE EXCITE EXCITEMENT EXCITED/EXCITING EXCITEDLY
EXCEPT EXCEPT EXCEPTION N/A N/A
EFFECT N/A EFFECT EFFECTIVE EFFECTIVELY
ENJOY ENJOY ENJOYMENT ENJOYED ENJOYINGLY
EQUIP EQUIP EQUIPMENT EQUIPPED N/A
ELECTRIC ELECTROCUTE ELECTRICITY ELECTRIC ELECTRICALLY
EMPLOY EMPLOY EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYED N/A
EVADE EVADE EVASION EVADED EVADINGLY
ERODE ERODE EROSION ERODED N/A
EMIT EMIT EMISSION EMITTED N/A
EXPLODE EXPLOSE EXPLOSION EXPLODED N/A
ENDURE ENDURE ENDURANCE ENDURED N/A
EDUCATE EDUCATE EDUCATION EDUCATED N/A
EAGER N/A EAGERNESS EAGER EAGERLY
END END ENDING N/A N/A
EARN EARN EARNINGS EARNED N/A
EXPECT EXPECT EXPECTATION EXPECTED EXPECTEDLY

 

FORTUNATE N/A FORTUNE FORTUNATE FORTUNATELY
FAR N/A N/A FAR/FURTHER N/A
FASCINATE FASCINATE FASCINATION FASCINATED FASCINATINGLY
FEED FEED FEED FED N/A
FANTASY FANTASIZE FANTASY FANTASTIC FANTASTICALLY
FEEL FEEL FEELING FELT N/A
FREE FREE FREEDOM FREE FREELY
FIND FIND FINDINGS FOUND N/A
FOLLOW FOLLOW FOLLOWER FOLLOWED N/A
FLY FLY FLIGHT N/A N/A

 

GROW GROW GROWTH GROWN GROWINGLY
GET GET/FORGET N/A FORGETFUL FORGETFULLY
GATHER GATHER GATHERING GATHERED N/A
GAIN GAIN N/A GAINED N/A
GO GO/UNDERGO GONER GONE N/A
GUESS GUESS GUESS GUESSED GUESSINGLY
GAMBLE GAMBLE GAMBLER GAMBLED N/A

 

HEAL HEAL HEALTH HEALTHY HEALTHILY
HIGH HEIGHTEN HEIGHT HIGH HIGHLY
HUMAN HUMANIZE HUMAN HUMANE HUMANELY
HAPPY N/A HAPPINESS HAPPY HAPPILY
HOOK HOOK HOOK HOOKED N/A
HOLD HOLD HOLDING HELD N/A
HAND HAND (IN) HAND HANDY HANDILY
HELP HELP HELP/HELPER/HELPING HELPFUL/HELPLESS HELPFULLY/HELPLESSLY

 

IMPRESS IMPRESS IMPRESSION IMPRESSIVELY IMPRESSIVELY
ILL N/A ILLNESS ILL N/A
INTEND INTEND INTENTION INTENDED INTENTIONALLY
IMPROVE IMPROVE IMPROVEMENT IMPROVED N/A
INFORM INFORM INFORMATION INFORMED/INFORMATIVE INFORMATIVELY
INSIST INSIST INSISTENCE INSISTENT INSISTENTLY
INSTANT N/A INSTANT/INSTANCE INSTANT INSTANTLY
INTEREST INTEREST INTEREST INTERESTED/INTERESTING INTERESTINGLY
INVENT INVENT INVENTION INVENTED N/A
IMPORT IMPORT IMPORTATION IMPORTED N/A
IMAGINE IMAGINE IMAGINATION IMAGINATIVE IMAGINATIVELY
ILLUSTRATE ILLUSTRATE ILLUSTRATION ILLUSTRATED N/A
INVEST INVEST INVESTMENT INVESTED N/A
INSTRUCT INSTRUCT INSTRUCTION INSTRUCTIVE INSTRUCTIVELY

 

KNOW KNOW KNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGEABLE N/A
KNACKER KNACKER N/A KNACKERED N/A

 

LONG LENGTHEN LENGTH LENGTH N/A
LOSE LOSE LOSS LOST N/A
LUCK N/A LUCK LUCKY LUCKILY
LAND LAND LANDING LANDED N/A
LIE LIE LIE/LIAR N/A N/A

 

MIX MIX MIXTURE MIXED N/A
MOVE MOVE/REMOVE MOVEMENT MOVED MOVINGLY
MEASURE MEASURE MEASUREMENT MEASURED N/A
MEAN MEAN MEANING N/A N/A
MATURE N/A MATURITY MATURE MATURELY
MEMORY MEMORIZE MEMORY MEMORIZED N/A
MANAGE MANAGE MANAGEMENT MANAGED N/A
MARK MARK MARK MARKED N/A

 

NATURE NATURALIZE NATURE NATURAL NATURAL
NEED NEED NECESSITY NEEDY N/A
NEW RENEW RENEWAL NEW/RENEWABLE N/A
NOISE N/A NOISE NOISY NOISILY
NOTE NOTICE NOTE/NOTICE NOTABLE NOTABLY

 

OPEN OPEN OPENING OPEN N/A
ORIGIN ORIGINATE ORIGIN ORIGINAL ORIGINALLY
OCCUPY OCCUPY OCCUPATION OCCUPIED N/A
OWN OWN OWNER OWNED OWINGLY
ORDER ORDER ORDER ORDERED ORDEREDLY

 

PICK PICK PICKINGS PICKY PICKILY
PEACE N/A PEACE PEACEFUL PEACEFULLY
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASURE PLEASANT PLEASANTLY
POPULAR POPULATE POPULATION POPULAR POPULARLY
PERFORM PERFORM PERFORMANCE
PERFECT PERFECT PERFECTION PERFECT PERFECTLY
POSSIBLE N/A POSSIBILITY POSSIBLE POSSIBLY
POSITIVE N/A POSITIVITY POSITIVE POSITIVELY
PRACTICE PRACTISE PRACTICE PRACTICAL PRACTICALLY
PATIENT N/A PATIENCE PATIENT PATIENTLY
PROVE PROVE PROOF PROVABLE N/A
PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCT/PRODUCTION PRODUCED N/A
PRESS PRESS PRESS/PRESSURE PRESSURIZED N/A
PROUD N/A PRIDE PROUD N/A
PRONOUNCE PRONOUNCE PRONUNCIATION PRONOUNCED N/A
PAIN N/A PAIN PAINFUL PAINFULLY
PACK PACK PACKAGE PACKED N/A
PLAY PLAY PLAYER PLAYFUL PLAYFULLY
PAY PAY PAYMENT PAID N/A

 

PUNISH PUNISH PUNISHMENT PUNISHED N/A

 

RECYCLE RECYCLE RECYCLING RECYCLED N/A
REPAIR REPAIR REPAIRS REPAIRED N/A
REMARK REMARK REMARKS N/A N/A
RELY RELY RELIANCE RELIABLE RELIABLY
RELAX RELAX RELAXATION RELAXED/RELAXING RELAXINGLY
RESPOND RESPOND RESPONSE RESPONSIVE RESPONSIVELY
RESIDE RESIDE RESIDENT/RESIDENCE RESIDED N/A
REGRET REGRET REGRET REGRETFUL REGRETFULLY
REGARD REGARD REGARDS REGARDED N/A
REFUSE REFUSE REFUSAL REFUSED N/A

 

SEARCH SEARCH SEARCH N/A N/A
SURROUND SURROUND SURROUNDING SURROUNDED N/A
SPEND SPEND EXPENSE(S) EXPENSIVE EXPENSIVELY
SUPPORT SUPPORT SUPPORT/SUPPORTER SUPPORTIVE SUPPORTIVELY
STATE STATE STATEMENT STATED N/A
SATISFY SATISFY SATISFACTION SATISFIED/SATISFYING SATISFYINGLY
SURRENDER SURRENDER SURRENDER SURRENDERED N/A
STARE STARE STARE N/A N/A
SUCCESS SUCCEED SUCCESS SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSFULLY
SOLVE SOLVE SOLUTION SOLVED N/A
SCIENCE N/A SCIENCE/SCIENTIST SCIENTIFIC N/A
SUIT SUIT SUIT SUITABLE SUITABLY
SURPRISE SURPRISE SURPRISE SURPRISED/SURPRISING SURPRISINGLY
SURE ENSURE SECURITY SURE SURELY
STRONG STRENGTHEN STRENGTH STRONG STRONGLY
SURVIVE SURVIVE SURVIVAL SURVIVED N/A
SOCIAL SOCIALIZE SOCIETY SOCIAL SOCIALLY
SENSE SENSE SENSE SENSITIVE SENTETIVELY
STORE STORE STORAGE STORED N/A
SIGNIFY SIGNIFY SIGNIFICANCE SIGNIFICANT SIGNIFICANTLY

 

SUGGEST SUGGEST SUGGESTION SUGGESTIVE SUGGESTIVELY
STUBBORN N/A STUBBORNESS STUBBORN STUBBORNLY
SPECIAL SPECIALIZE SPECIALITY SPECIAL SPECIALLY
SHAME SHAME SHAME ASHAMED ASHAMINGLY

 

TRUE N/A TRUTH TRUE TRULY
TYPE TYPE TYPE TYPICAL TYPICALLY
TOLERATE TOLERATE TOLERATION TOLERATED N/A
TEST TEST TEST TESTED TESTEDLY
TALK TALK TALK TALKATIVE N/A

 

USE USE USE/USAGE USEFUL USEFULLY
UNDERSTAND UNDERSTAND UNDERSTANDING UNDERSTOOD/UNDERSTANDING UNDERSTANDINGLY

 

VARY VARY VARIETY VARIED N/A
VALUE VALUE VALUE VALUABLE VALUABLY

 

WHOLE N/A WHOLE WHOLE WHOLEY
WIDE WIDEN WIDTH WIDE WIDELY
WEIGH WEIGH WEIGHT N/A N/A
WARN WARN WARNING WARNED WARNINGLY
WIN WIN WINNINGS WON N/A
WORRY WORRY WORRY WORRIED WORRIEDLY
WORK WORK WORK HARDWORKING N/A
WEAR WEAR N/A WORN N/A
WINGE WINGE WINGE WINGING N/A
WARRANT WARRANT WARRANTY N/A N/A
WIND WIND N/A WOUND (UP) N/A

 

Download these words in PDF HERE

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