Nouns in English generally follow common patterns, for example they can end in -age, -al, -ance, – ence, -cy,-dom, -hood, -iety, -ity, -ness. The best thing to do is learn these patterns and memorize how nouns can be formed from root words.

For practice exercises, click HERE and for a complete list, click HERE

 

-AGE

ROOT	NOUN
BREAK	BREAKAGE
COVER	COVERAGE
PACK	PACKAGE
POST	POSTAGE
SHORT	SHORTAGE
STORE	STORAGE
WRECK	WRECKAGE

 

-AL

ROOT	NOUN
APPROVE	APPROVAL
ARRIVE	ARRIVAL
BURY	BURIAL
DENY	DENIAL
DISMISS	DISMISSAL
PROPOSE	PROPOSAL
REHEARSE	REHEARSAL
REMOVE	REMOVAL
RENEW	RENEWAL
REVIVE	REVIVAL
SURVIVE	SURVIVAL

 

-ANCE

ROOT	NOUN
ANNOY	ANNOYANCE
ARROGANT	ARROGANCE
APPEAR	APPEARANCE
ATTEND	ATTENDANCE
DISTANT	DISTANCE
DISTURB	DISTURBANCE
ENDURE	ENDURANCE
ENTER	ENTRANCE
IGNORE	IGNORANCE
IMPORTANT	IMPORTANCE
INHERIT	INHERITANCE
PERFORM	PERFORMANCE
RELEVANT	IRRELEVANCE
RELUCTANT	RELUCTANCE
RELY	RELIANCE
RESEMBLE	RESEMBLANCE
RESIST	RESISTANCE
SIGNIFY	SIGNIFICANCE
TOLERATE	TOLERANCE

 

-ENCE

ROOT	NOUN
ABSENT	ABSENCE
COMPETENT	COMPETENCE
CONFIDE	CONFIDENCE
CONVENIENT	CONVENIENCE
DEPEND	DEPENDENCE
DIFFER	DIFFERENCE
EVIDENT	EVIDENCE
EXIST	EXISTENCE
INCOMPETENT	INCOMPETENCE
INNOCENT	INNOCENCE
INSIST	INSISTENCE
INTELLIGENT	INTELLIGENCE
OCCUR	OCCURRENCE
OFFEND	OFFENCE
PATIENT	PATIENCE
PERSIST	PERSISTENCE
PRESENT	PRESENCE
RECUR	RECURRENCE
VIOLENT	VIOLENCE

 

-CY

ROOT	NOUN
ACCURATE	ACCURACY
ADEQUATE	ADEQUACY
BANKRUPT	BANKRUPTCY
DECENT	DECENCY
EFFICIENT	EFFICIENCY
FREQUENT	FREQUENCY
IMMEDIATE	IMMEDIACY
INACCURATE	INACCURACY
INEFFICIENT	INEFFICIENCY
LITERATE	LITERACY
PIRATE	PIRACY
PREGNANT	PREGNANCY
PRIVATE	PRIVACY
PROFICIENT	PROFICIENCY
REDUNDANT	REDUNDANCY
SECRET	SECRECY
URGENT	URGENCY
VACANT	VACANCY

 

-DOM

ROOT	NOUN
BORE	BOREDOM
FREE	FREEDOM
WISE	WISDOM

 

-HOOD

ROOT	NOUN
ADULT	ADULTHOOD
CHILD	CHILDHOOD
FATHER	FATHERHOOD
LIKE	LIKELIHOOD
LIVE	LIVELIHOOD
MAN	MANHOOD
MOTHER	MOTHERHOOD
NEIGHBOUR	NEIGHBOURHOOD
PARENT	PARENTHOOD
WOMAN	WOMANHOOD

 

-IETY

ROOT	NOUN
ANXIOUS	ANXIETY
SOBER	SOBRIETY
VARIOUS	VARIETY

 

-ITY

ROOT	NOUN
ABLE	ABILITY
ACTIVE	ACTIVITY
COMPLEX	COMPLEXITY
CREDIBLE	CREDIBILITY
CURIOUS	CURIOSITY
EQUAL	EQUALITY
FAMILIAR	FAMILIARITY
FEROCIOUS	FEROCITY
FLEXIBLE	FLEXIBILITY
FORMAL	FORMALITY
INACTIVE	INACTIVITY
INFLEXIBLE	INFLEXIBILITY
INFORMAL	INFORMALITY
UNABLE	INABILITY
UNEQUAL	INEQUALITY

 

-ness

ROOT	NOUN
AWARE	AWARENESS
DARK	DARKNESS
GOOD	GOODNESS
KIND	KINDNESS
PREPARE	PREPAREDNESS

 

Another important part of word formation is understanding Prefixes and Suffixes, click HERE for a complete list

 

DOWNLOAD THE LIST OF NOUNS IN PDF HERE