FORMATION AND TRANSFORMATION OF WORDS

by PROF MUNAWAR ALI MALIK

English language is immensely rich in vocabulary. And it is growing richer
everyday by absorbing words from other languages and coinage ( formation of new
words) by speakers and writers of English all over the world.
Formation and Transformation of words lends beauty, variety and
effectiveness to expression. We can say the same thing in many different ways by
using a word as a Verb, Noun and Adjective.
I was able to pass the test by hard work
( able = Adjective)
Hard work gave me the ability to pass the test.
( ability = Noun)
Hard work enabled me to pass the test.
( enabled = Verb)
Transformation of words means converting a word into various Parts of
Speech like changing a Noun into Verb, Adjective or Adverb etc. e.g
Noun Verb Adjective Adverb
beauty beautify beautiful beautifully
Sometimes a word is transformed into an Antonym ( word of opposite meaning) e.g
understand-----misunderstand
possible--------impossible
In most cases of Transformation, a Prefix or Suffix is added to the original
word to make a new word.
A Prefix means a letter or a group of letters added at the start of a word, e.g
like----------alike
able----------unable
possible------impossible
lead----------mislead
A Suffix means a letter or a group of letters added at the end of a word e.g.
kind---------kindness
state---------statement
real---------reality
man---------manhood/mankind
Sometimes the e at the end of a word is dropped before adding a Suffix. e.g
write-------writing
take--------taking
approve----approval
When a Verb ends in a Consonant, and there is a single Vowel before the
Consonant, the Consonant is doubled before adding the Suffix ed or inge.g
stop stopping stopped
run running
sit sitting
This rule does not apply to some Verbs that end in en
open opening opened
happen happening happened
When full is used as a Suffix, the last l is dropped, e.g
help helpful
respect respectful
When a word ends in y , the y is replaced with i before adding ful e.g
beauty beautiful
plenty plentiful
Use of Important Prefixes and Suffixes
A) Prefixes
1. a ------------alike, alive, abate
2. ab-----------abnormal, aboriginal
3. ac-----------acclaim, acquit
4. ad-----------adjoin, adjudge
5. anti---------antisocial, anticlimax
6. be-----------belittle, befriend
7. bi------------bicycle, biannual
8. by-----------bypass, by-product
9. counter----counterpart, counter-attack
10. de-----------decode, defrost, defend
11. dis----------disbelieve, discharge, displease
12. en-----------enlarge, endanger, enlist
13. em----------empower, employ
14. ex-----------ex-principal, ex-president
15. extra-------extraordinary, extra-careful
16. im---------- impossible, immovable, impassable
17. in----------- inactive, insecure
18. inter------- internet, intercom
19. ir----------- irresponsible, irrelevant
20. non---------nonsense, non-existent
21. post---------post-paid, post-colonial, post-graduate
22. pre----------pre-budget, pre-paid, pre-natal
23. pro----------pro-people, pro-Islam
24. sub----------substandard, submerge
25. un-----------unpleasant, unfavourable, unconscious

B) Suffixes
1. ----able respectable, comfortable, serviceable
2. ----age postage, mileage, breakage
3. ----al verbal, survival, postal
4. ----ence confidence, absence, presence
5. ----ance compliance, assistance
6. ----ary budgetary, supplementary
7. ----ate doctorate, electorate
8. ----ative creative, initiative
9. ----ator creator, dictator, calculator
10. ----ee employee, selectee, refugee
11. ----en golden, wooden
12. ----er teacher, leader, reader
13. ----ful respectful, beautiful, awful
14. ----hood boyhood, childhood, manhood
15. ----ing reading, playing, walking
16. ----ion confession, discussion, suppression
17. ----ish childish, girlish, boyish
18. ----ism criticism, socialism, feminism
19. ----ist socialist, imperialist
20. ----ty/ity cruelty, reality, security
21. ----less careless, shameless, hopeless
22. ----ment settlement, statement,
23. ----ship dictatorship, scholarship
24. ----some quarrelsome, awesome
25. ----wise clockwise, otherwise, lengthwise
Prefixes and Suffixes play a very important role in word formation. They are used
in interchange of Parts of Speech like changing Nouns into Verbs, Adjectives or
Adverbs and vice versa. They are also used in making Antonyms e.g
able unable
careful careless
correct incorrect
Suffixes are also used to change the Nouns of male gender into female e.g
lion lioness
hero heroine
Suffixes are added to make Plural Nouns from Singular e.g
book books
box boxes
leaf leaves
story stories
Compound Nouns are often used in modern English. They are formed by
combining two Nouns to give a single meaning e.g
teacup
schoolmaster
headmaster
bank manager
civil judge
water cooler

Besides the use of the methods of word formation given above, new words are
always pouring in through adoption of words from other languages and coinage by
writers.