In this lesson you practise word-building which is the task in part 5 of First Certificate Paper 3 Use of English. In this task, you are given a text with some gaps, and a list of root words. You must use the root word to make the new word which you need in each gap. You must think about the kind of word you need: a noun, an adjective, an adverb or a verb, whether it should be singular or plural and whether it should be positive or negative in meaning. In these activities there are hints after the text to help you if necessary, but try doing the exercises without looking at the hints first, then check the hint before you check the answer.

In this text all except one of the words need a negative prefix and most of them are adjectives. For questions 1-15, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits in the space in the same line.

Hints

  1. Satisfy is a verb. Add -ed to make an adjective. Add dis- to make it negative.
  2. Understand is a verb. Add -ing to make it a noun, make it plural, and add mis- to make it negative.
  3. Respect is a noun. Add -ful to make it an adjective. Add dis- to make it negative.
  4. Complain is a verb. Add -t to make it a noun.
  5. Possible is an adjective. Add im- to make it negative.
  6. Available is an adjective. Add un- to make it negative.
  7. Comfort is a noun. Add -able to make it an adjective. Add un- to make it negative.
  8. Tidy is an adjective. Add un- to make it negative.
  9. Signify is a verb. Add -icant to make it an adjective. Add in- to make it negative.
  10. Believe is a verb. Add -able to make it an adjective. Add un- to make it negative.
  11. Satisfy is a verb. Add -factory to make this adjective. Add un- to make it negative. Note the difference with question 1.
  12. Polite is an adjective. Add im- to make it negative.
  13. Behave is a verb. Add -iour to make it a noun. Add mis- to make it negative.
  14. Interest is a noun. Add -ed to make it an adjective. Add un- to make it negative.
  15. Friend is a noun. Add -ly to make it an adjective. Add un- to make it negative.
 
Complete this box by filling the correct word in each shaded space:
Word-building
Use word-building tables to develop your familiarity with how words are changed.
Always, read the title and entire text before answering the questions.
Use the context carefully to help you choose your answer- decide what part of speech is missing.
Always check for negative forms.
Remember that it is always necessary to change the stem word at the end of the line; don't leave it unchanged.
Don't write more than one word in your answer.
Read the completed text to check it makes sense.


In the following question, all the words you need are adjectives which you have to build from the nouns or verbs on the right. For questions 1-10, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits in the space in the same line.

Hints

  1. Add -ible
  2. Add -ous
  3. Add -y
  4. Add -ic
  5. Add -ous
  6. Add -ful
  7. Add -ing
  8. Add -able
  9. Make it negative by adding un-
  10. Add -ous
  11. Add -ive and make it negative by adding in-
  12. Add -ly, and remember to change the y to i
Complete this box by filling in the missing adjectives in the shaded spaces. In some boxes there are already some other adjectives, to give you an idea of the possibilities! Notice, for example, how often the noun and the verb have the same form. Adjectives from the same root, for example sensitive and sensuous, do not have the same meaning.
 
For questions 1-10, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits in the space in the same line.

Hints

  1. Verb noun (vef)
  2. Adjectivenoun (add -ity)
  3. Verbnoun (add -ment)
  4. Verbadjective ? adverb (add -ing, and then -ly)
  5. Adjectivenoun (add -ility)
  6. Adjectivenoun (change the vowel, and add -th)
  7. Verbnoun (add -or and check whether it should be singular or plural)
  8. Verbnoun (add -ment)
  9. Verbnoun (change the vowel and add -ght)
  10. Adjectivenoun (add -ility)
For questions 1-10, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits in the space in the same line.

Hints

  1. Nounnoun (add -ation)
  2. Verbadjectiveadverb (add -able, then add -ly)
  3. Verbnoun (add -ion)
  4. Verbadjective (add -ent, then add negative prefix in-)
  5. Verbnoun (add -tion)
  6. Nounadjective (add -y)
  7. Verbadjective (add -ing)
  8. Verbnoun (add -ure)
  9. Nounnoun (a person who works in psychology)
  10. Adjectiveadverb (add -ly)
For questions 1-10, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits in the space in the same line.

Hints

  1. Verbadverb (add -ing and then add -ly)
  2. Adjective noun (add -ness)
  3. Verbnoun (add -ure)
  4. Adjectivenoun (add -ist and check if you need singular or plural)
  5. Verbnoun (add -ing)
  6. Verbnoun (add -ing)
  7. Verbadjective (add -ive)
  8. Nounadjective (add -y)
  9. Adjectivenoun (change t to -ce)
  10. Nounadjective (add -y and check if it's positive or negative)
In this lesson you have:
Gained familiarity with the word building task
Seen in what ways we can change the roots of words
Developed a strategy to help you do this task
This is the final e-m@il lesson focusing on preparation for the First Certificate examination. Remember that on the LearnEnglish Professionals website there are also online lessons to help you prepare for the listening and speaking papers. Good luck in the exam!