Advanced Word Building

In English, words are formed with a stem which is then modified with a variety of prefixes and suffixes. These additions can dramatically change the meaning or grammatical usage of the word.

Here is a revision exercise to see if you can deduce which ‘version’ of the word is needed in each sentence. Let us know how you get on.

Lesson by Caroline

• 1. His constant _1_ is starting to bother me, I think it's time we gave him a formal warning.
  
  Absent
  Absence
  
  
• 2. I said I don't want to go, stop being so _2_.
  
  Pushy
  Push
  
  
• 3. That ballerina dances so _3_.
  
  Graceful
  Gracefully
  
  
• 4. What this company needs is _4_.
  
  Leadership
  Leader
  
  
• 5. I had a wonderful _5_. I loved school and spent lots of time with my family.
  
  Childhood
  Childish
  
  
• 6. His performance was _6_ but not good enough for a promotion.
  
  Satisfaction
  Satisfactory
  
  
• 7. Please don't drive so _7_ I'm frightened you'll have an accident.
  
  Carelessly
  Carefully
  
  
• 8. _8_ is increasing dramatically, many people have lost their jobs.
  
  Unemployment
  Employee
  
  
• 9. I'm afraid you're _9_, you can't have seen my daughter, she's in Egypt.
  
  Mistaken
  Mistook
  
  
• 10. You should _10_ at least ten facts about the Tudors if you want to do well in the history test.
  
  Memory
  Memorise