Word Formation

Many English words have been formed by combining parts of older English, Greek, and Latin words. Looking at the
meanings of some of these word parts, or doing word analysis, might help you guess the meaning of an unfamiliar English
word, particularly in context.
Word analysis is not always enough to give you the exact definition of an unfamiliar English word, but often along
with context it will help you to understand the general meaning of the word without looking at the dictionary.

PREFIXES  often used to give a negative meaning. Usually don’t change the part of speech.
in-/im-/il-/ir gives adjective a negative meaning invisible, impatient, illegal, irregular
inside or into insert, import
un- gives adjective a negative meaning undo, unlock
dis- gives verb a negative meaning disappear, disapprove
anti- against antibiotic, anti-war
auto- of or by oneself auto-pilot, autograph
bi- two, twice bilingual, bicycle
ex- former ex-wife, ex-president
mis- badly/wrongly misunderstand, miscalculate
micro- small micro-computer, microscope
over- too much oversleep, overtired
pro- in favour of pro-government, pro-revolutionary
re- again, back retype, reread
sub- under subway, subdivision
under- not enough undercooked, underworked

SUFFIXES  can change the part of speech and the meaning of the word
1. Common Noun Suffix
-er / -or Person who does an activity writer, actor
Thing which does a particular job pencil-sharpener, projector
-(t)ion make nouns from verbs complication, pollution
-ness make nouns from adjectives happiness, weakness

1. Akhiran Kata Benda Umum

-er / -atau Orang yang melakukan aktivitas penulis, aktor
Benda yang melakukan pekerjaan tertentu, rautan pensil, proyektor
-(t)ion membuat kata benda dari kata kerja komplikasi, polusi
-ness membuat kata benda dari kata sifat kebahagiaan, kelemahan

2. Adjective Suffix
-able/-ible with verbs, means ‘can be done’ readable, flexible

Akhiran Kata Sifat

-able/-ible dengan kata kerja, artinya 'dapat dilakukan', mudah dibaca, fleksibel

3. Verb Suffix
-ise/-ize makes verbs from adjectives modernize, industrialize

Akhiran Kata Kerja

-ise/-ize membuat kata kerja dari kata sifat menjadi modernisasi, industrialisasi

4. Other suffixes that can help you recognize the part of speech
-ment (Noun) development, enjoyment
-ity (Noun) productivity, capability
-hood (abstract N esp. family terms) childhood, motherhood
-ship (abstract N esp. status) friendship, membership
-ive (Adj) active, productive
-al (Adj) legal, brutal
-ous (Adj) delicious, furious
-ful (Adj) forgetful, useful
 -less (Adj) useless, harmless
-ify (verb) beautify, purify

Sufiks lain yang dapat membantu Anda mengenali part of Speech

-ment (Kata benda) pengembangan, kenikmatan
-ity (Kata benda) produktivitas, kemampuan
-hood (abstrak N khususnya istilah keluarga) masa kanak-kanak, keibuan
-kapal (status N esp. abstrak) persahabatan, keanggotaan
-ive (Adj) aktif, produktif
-al (Adj) legal, brutal
-ous (Adj) enak, geram
-ful (Adj) pelupa, berguna
-kurang (Adj) tidak berguna, tidak berbahaya
-ify (kata kerja) mempercantik, memurnikan

Exercise: Fill in the blank below with the correct form of the words in bold.
1. judge
a) Don’t ________________ the book by its cover. Remember that appearance often fools everyone.
b) If my parents disagree with this job, I’ll refuse it. I trust their ________________.
c) We have to avoid a ________________ approach in dealing with troubled kids.
2. solve
a) Separation is the best ________________ for them.
b) I think money will ________________ all my problems.
c) I’m sure that this problem is ________________.
3. soft
a) We need to choose a good moisturizer to ________________ our dry skin.
b) Music plays ________________ in the background.
c) Cook the onions until they become ________________.
4. hope
a) The children looked at their mom ________________ as she handed out the chocolate cake.
b) I ________________ this new invention works. This medicine is our last ________________.
c) I am really ________________ at maths. Even the simplest one confuses me.
5. protect
a) Parents should not be too ________________ over their kids. Children should learn to be independent.
b) This vaccine is a ________________ against yellow fever.
c) She should wear a thicker jacket. Her jacket is too thin to ________________ her from this bad weather.
6. beauty
a) Susan receives a big applause from the audience because she sings ________________ at the concert.
b) That antique car is a real ________________.
c) His daughter is very ________________. No wonder she has many admirers.
7. history
a) Her father is a famous ________________. He keeps enormous records of events.
b) We will need a medical ________________ of all the exchange students.
c) Ben wrote a ________________ novel about WW II.
8. politic
a) We avoided discussion on sensitive and personal issues such as religion and ________________.
b) Our country used to have more than twenty ________________ parties.
c) John F. Kennedy is a great ________________.
9. sad
a) I really hope that his plan works, but ________________ it fails.
b) He lost all hopes when his son died. His ________________ almost kills him.
c) He feels ________________ because his best friend has moved away.
10. believe
a) Do you ________________ in anything they say?
b) We can’t really blame a child’s ________________ in his parents
c) His lies are so ________________ that people are quoting his stories everywhere.
11. able
a) Edmodo ________________ students to access class materials online.
b) Our ________________ to think and speak separates us from animals.
c) She manages to live her life normally in spite of her ________________
12. bore
a) All the speakers ________________ me to death.
b) For many students, school is dominated by large doses of ________________ and anxiety.
c) The class is interesting in general. Unfortunately, the last teacher is absolutely ________________
13. pain
a) I have a terrible ________________ in my heart.
b) It is still ________________ to watch you walk with her in front of me.
c) After the injury, Yoga walked slowly and ________________
14. inform
a) My brother becomes an ________________ for the police
b) If you need more ________________ about this program, please contact the project manager.
c) Don’t forget to ________________ our schedule to all participants.

References:

McCarthy, Michael and Felicity O’Dell. English Vocabulary in Use. Upper-Intermediate and Advanced. Jakarta: Penerbit
Erlangga. 2001
Rogerson, H.D. Words for students of English. A Vocabulary Series for ESL. Jakarta: Binarupa Aksara. 1995.
Thomas, B.J. Advanced Vocabulary and Idiom. New ed. Essex: Longman Group Limited. 2001.