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Contents
Reading and Use of English part 3 ........................................................................................................................................ 2
Word formation ....................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Identifying parts of speech .................................................................................................................................................. 2
Understanding affixes ........................................................................................................................................................... 2
Common prefixes ............................................................................................................................................................... 2
Preposition-based prefixes ............................................................................................................................................. 3
Less frequent prefixes ....................................................................................................................................................... 3
Productive suffixes ............................................................................................................................................................. 4
How to do a word formation task (in study mode) ................................................................................................... 4
500 word formation exercises................................................................................................................................................. 7
Key to exercises .......................................................................................................................................................................... 29
Identifying parts of speech ................................................................................................................................................ 29
Understanding affixes ......................................................................................................................................................... 29
500 word formation exercises............................................................................................................................................... 30
1
500 word formation exercises for Advanced
You need to decide what kind of word (i.e. part of speech) goes in the gap: an adjective (e.g. strong), a verb (e.g.
strengthen), a noun (e.g. strength) or an adverb (e.g. strongly). You must also spell each word correctly and
write IN CAPITAL LETTERS to get the mark - US and UK spellings are both accepted.
Candidates who have previously taken the Cambridge First should be able to recognise this part of the exam,
and they should also know what kind of changes they are expected to make to get the mark. However, while
knowledge of prefixes and suffixes is usually the norm at First level, at the Advanced level, candidates are
sometimes tested on the formation of compound nouns (e.g. bulletproof) and compound adjectives (e.g. well-
mannered). These increase in frequency and complexity by the moment candidates decide to take the
Proficiency, in which less common words are included in the exams. Candidates should also be aware that words
can have two prefixes (e.g. over-re-act) or two suffixes (e.g. weight-less-ness) at the same time, or even have up
to three affixes (e.g. over-re-act-ion). However, these are quite infrequent in the test.
Sandilands is one of the most (1) ................ schools in the country. A few years ago, it hit the (2) ................
because of its appointment of a new and rather controversial head. Since then scarcely a month has gone by
when it has not (3) ................ in the news for some (4) ................ or another. But if you visit the school there is
every likelihood that you will be (5) ................ astonished by what you see.
2. Complete this table. The first row has been completed as an example.
While training, candidates should get used to completing a table like this before any word formation exercise
they wish to do. Not only will candidates learn about prefixes and suffixes, but they will also learn how to work
out the meanings of words they don't know, which can be useful for the Reading and Listening Papers.
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
• mis- means wrongly or badly, e.g. misbehave and misuse. [use in the wrong way or for the wrong
purpose]
• out- suggests being greater or better than something, e.g. outnumber [to be larger in number than
another group] and outweigh. [be greater or more important than something else]
• re- has the meaning of ‘do again’ as in reconsider [think again about a decision or opinion], redevelop
and rethink. [change what you think about something or what you plan to do]
• e- has the meaning of ‘electronic’ as in e-commerce [buying and selling goods online], e-reader [an
electronic device for reading books] and e-cigarettes. [cigarettes that use water vapour rather than
tobacco]
• eco- has the meaning of ‘good for the environment’, as in eco-friendly cleaning products, an eco-city
[using energy efficiently and producing very little pollution] and an eco-warrior. [an informal word for
someone who campaigns to protect the environment]
Preposition-based prefixes
• over- may indicate (a) an excess of something, (b) being above something, or (c) going across
something.
a) EXCESS That film was overrated in my view. [people said it was better than it really was] It
was a bad restaurant, with an overpriced menu. [too high prices]
b) ABOVE Several of our neighbour’s large trees overhang our garden. [their branches go
over our garden]
Our garden is overshadowed by the block of flats next door. [the flats cast a
shadow over our garden]
She always felt overshadowed by her older, more successful, sister.
[metaphorical use, felt less important than]
c) ACROSS He overstepped the mark when he said that. [crossed a barrier into
offensive/unacceptable behaviour]
Will you be staying overnight? [cross from one day to the next]
• under- may indicate (a) less than the desired amount, (b) something below another thing, or (c) some
kind of negative behaviour.
a) LESS Don’t underestimate the time it will take. [think it will be less than it really is]
The company is seriously understaffed. [lacking staff]
b) BELOW It’s quite wet underfoot. Did it rain last night? [on the ground, beneath your feet]
The underlying question is a very difficult one. [the deeper question]
c) NEGATIVE I wish you would not undermine everything I do. [attack, weaken]
He did it in a very underhand way. [secretly and possibly dishonestly]
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
Productive suffixes
Many suffixes (and prefixes too) are productive. [still used to create new words] You might feel
adventurous enough to try coining some words of your own! [creating] The meaning of the example
words below is clear from the meanings of the root and the suffix.
• -able can be used productively, whereas -ible never is. It combines with verbs to form adjectives. Note
that -able means ‘can be’: a washable jacket [one that can be washed] disposable nappies, predictable
results avoidable problems a manageable situation.
• -conscious combines with nouns to form compound adjectives that describe people who consider one
aspect of their lives especially important: health-conscious person, class-conscious society, safety-
conscious company, time-conscious workforce.
• -free combines with nouns describing something undesirable to form compound adjectives to describe
nouns without that undesirable aspect: stress-free life, tax-free shop, additive-free food.
• -rich combines with nouns (often chemical or organic substances) to form compound adjectives to
describe nouns with a lot of that substance: fibre-rich diet, calcium-rich foods.
• -led combines with nouns and nationality adjectives to form compound adjectives describing things that
are controlled or influenced by the original noun or nationality: community-led initiative, student-led
protest, worker-led uprising.
• -minded combines with adjectives or nouns to form new compound adjectives describing people with
particular characters, opinions or attitudes: like-minded friends [with similar interests] career-minded
young women, money-minded managers, high-minded [having high moral standards]
• -proof combines with nouns to form compound adjectives describing things that can resist the damage
or difficulty caused by that noun: ovenproof dish, waterproof jacket, soundproof room, idiot-proof
Instructions.
• -related combines with nouns to form compound adjectives to describe one thing as connected with
another: stress-related absence from work, age-related illness.
• -ridden combines with nouns to form compound adjectives describing people or things with a lot of
that noun: guilt-ridden person, crime-ridden city, bedridden [a person who has to stay in bed because
they are ill]
• -worthy combines with nouns to form adjectives that describe people or things that merit whatever the
original noun refers to: newsworthy incident [worth reporting in the news] praiseworthy action/pupil
[deserving praise]
It is important to mention that most of these compound words are occasionally used in the Advanced exam, so
candidates should not focus too much on them.
3. Make new words from the words in CAPITALS at the end of each line to complete the
sentences.
1. It is an ……………………. fact that people regret things they have done. (ESCAPE)
2. The public use our firm’s car park ……………………. . (LEGAL)
3. There are several reasons for the ……………………. of the staff. (SATISFY)
4. Some ……………………. parents keep that role even when their kids are grown up. (BEAR)
5. ……………………., there are advantages to living longer. (DENY)
6. It is the children’s ……………………. that will help them cope with life’s problems. (BRING)
7. My friend ……………………. took the other boy’s side. (EXPLAIN)
8. Being in a winning team brings an ……………………. feeling of pride. (DESCRIPTION)
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
CONFUCIUS
The Chinese philosopher Confucius lived in the 6th century BC. He is
thought to have lived a rather (0) UNASSUMING life, working on farms ASSUME
and as a bookkeeper before becoming a teacher. His legacy is a
collection of sayings contained in a book called the Analects. His teaching
(1) _______________ centres around the individual cultivating their own IDEA
virtue and personal (2) _______________. This is achieved through devotion STABLE
to the family and learning rules of proper behaviour to (3) _______________ STRONG
the individual (4) _______________. With all members of society striving to ETHIC
follow these rules, the (5) _______________ is that society as a whole will PRESUME
function better and be less inclined to stray toward excess.
1. Read the text quickly without paying attention to the gaps to get a general idea of it.
2. With the help of a dictionary, fill a table with all the possible forms for each word on the right:
3. Start by analysing every gap: what comes before and/or after to guess what part of speech you will need.
a. In gap 1 we need another noun, as it is preceded by an adjective and is followed by a verb. So,
Confucius’ teaching ‘something’ centres around… The only possible option is the ideology, as
‘idealisation’ is more of an abstract noun.
b. In gap 2 we need again a noun, and from the two possibilities, the positive one (stability) fits
better with the context.
c. In gap 3 we need a verb, as it is preceded by the infinitive particle ‘to’. So, strengthen is the only
option.
d. In gap 4 we need an adverb, because it is describing the way an individual’s behaviour should
be strengthened. From the two options, only the positive one (ethically) fits the context.
e. In gap 5 we need a noun, as it is preceded by the article ‘the’. So, the only choice, presumption
fits the gap.
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
f. Gap 6 is a little tricky. In theory, we need a noun, as in “believe in something”, but the gap is
followed by an object, which indicates that a verb must be used instead. The other option is
embrace, however, as the verb is also the object of the preposition ‘in’, we must use a gerund.
Thus, embracing becomes the answer.
g. In gap 7 we need an adjective (be + adverb + adjective). So among the three options in the
table, only disregarded carries the negative meaning necessary to explain how the
“advancement of an individual based on their skills” is preferred over “wealth or family”.
h. In gap 8 we need an adjective with an active meaning that can describe the noun ‘means’. So,
either dominant or predominant can be used interchangeably with pretty much the same
meaning. Dominated cannot be used as it has a passive meaning.
6
500 word formation exercises for Advanced
1. Many people often make a ________ between London and New York. COMPARE
2. This book ________ as a series of lectures about shipwrecks, which were given two ORIGIN
decades ago.
3. There are power stations across Europe that use the ________ rise and fall of the ocean DAY
tides.
4. If you weren't so ________ of Ben, he'd be happier to spend time with you. CRITIC
5. Don't you find it ________ how Jeremy always comes to work looking so untidy? INTRIGUE
6. Doctors say a glass of warm milk before bedtime can result in a more ________ night's REST
sleep.
7. Tim-Berners Lee has received many awards as the ________ of the world wide web. INVENT
8. On the final day, we visited the ________ Victoria Falls and then flew home. MAJESTY
9. The book, like the movie, tracks the anxiety and ________ pains of a teenager in 1970s GROW
Germany.
10. This wine has a very fruity flavour to it and a ________ after-taste. I really like it. PLEASE
11. I've lost all ________ for this concert, I'm finding it boring. Can we go? ENTHUSE
12. The opening of this new restaurant should satisfy the ________ of local Indonesian food SOPHISTICATED
fans.
13. You don't respond well to positive ________, which is only made to help you. CRITIC
14. ________ as it may seem, mammoths were alive only five thousand years ago. CREDIBLE
15. Large spiders, ________ from South East Asia, are now being seen in the local countryside. ORIGIN
16. Collecting garden gnomes might seem an unusual ________, but many people do it. ACTIVE
17. Professor Watkins wasn't only an ________ to me, but to thousands of others lucky INSPIRE
18. For someone so young, Carl is a very literate and ________ young man. ELOQUENCE
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
19. The new year ________ in this area of the country involve dancing and a drink made from CELEBRATE
melons.
20. The ________ of the Rubik's Cube peaked in the early 1980s. POPULAR
21. This musician's work is very ________ and difficult to understand. Many people say it is CONCEPT
just noise.
22. Tom ________ told us he wasn't coming, then he turns up with two guests! I'm furious INITIAL
with him.
23. Though expensive, the ________ tour we took in Jerusalem was worth every penny. GUIDE
24. ________, local police are saying the people they see sleeping on the streets have mental INCREASE
issues.
25. The Lavet Institute fights against ________ in movies and literature. CENSOR
26. The true ________ of spoken language remain an area of fierce debate. ORIGINAL
27. The two families fell out after Mr. Dawson said Caroline wouldn't be a ________ wife for SUIT
his son.
28. It is the bride's father who has ________ paid for a wedding. TRADITION
29. I had a ________ night's sleep. My back was hurting and the storm outside made such a REST
noise.
30. The Age of Enlightenment was one of great inventions and revolutionary ________. DISCOVER
31. The judge was forced to acquit, saying the evidence was wholly ________. CONCLUDE
32. The ________ of the opening of the new bridge continued until nearly midnight. CELEBRATE
33. Harry Stevens is the man most often credited as being the ________ of the hot dog. CREATE
34. Can you think of one ________ reason why I should give you your job back? SOLITUDE
35. That the Vikings had horns in their helmets is a common ________. CONCEPT
36. Local officials were surprised at the scale of the ________ against plans for a local casino. CRY
37. I agree with the sentiments so ________ expressed in David's wonderful speech. ELOQUENCE
38. It was quite recently that human ________ was first captured on camera. CONCEIVE
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
39. It was my uncle Clive that provided me with advice and sound ________ when I was GUIDE
young.
40. The author has a stilted and ________ style, which I found tough to enjoy. DATE
41. Local planners admit they ________ the number of tourists that would come for the ESTIMATE
festival.
42. As is ________ the case when I go to a restaurant, I ate too much and spent a fortune! VARIABLE
43. It's a hot day today, so take the ________ of using sun cream and drinking plenty of water. CAUTION
44. Whatever ________ are drawn from these results, you can't deny it was a ground-breaking CONCLUDE
experiment.
45. Mr. Hansard was elected President after a ________ election result. DISPUTE
46. In ________ with an ancient tradition, dinner will be served on blue china. KEEP
47. It's ________ rare to see large sharks in the Mediterranean Sea. CREDIBLE
48. Scientists used a simple beetle as the ________ for their invention of a water-collecting INSPIRE
49. A group of powerful ________ invested in the new company and made a fortune. FINANCE
50. Helen Weldon has been totally ________ as a historian after it was shown she invented CREDIT
quotations.
51. In your ________, how much money do we need to save in order to buy the house? ESTIMATE
52. Parking in the city centre can be a major ________ due to the narrow streets. CONVENIENT
53. This morning's explosion at a chemical plant resulted in one ________ and four injuries. FATAL
54. We stopped at the church for thirty minutes to pay our ________ to a local writer who had RESPECT
died.
55. I think a toy gun is a totally ________ toy for a four-year old. SUIT
56. Colin acted with ________ restraint, despite how angry he must have been feeling. ADMIRE
57. The ________ of this new department will help the company face the next ten years more CREATE
effectively.
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
58. The summer school organised many ________ for us to do. We were never bored. ACTIVE
59. Educational TV programmes like this are very ________ for young children. STIMULATE
60. Ben insisted on his articles being ________ by editors and left when his boss said that was MODIFY
impossible.
61. I am looking for a ________ jeweller who will be able to appraise this watch and tell me REPUTE
62. Jan Welbech was a reputable physicist until his main two theories were completely
________. PROOF
63. The shark's ________ is somewhat unfair as fatal attacks are extremely rare. NOTORIOUS
64. I read a story with the title 'A Strange ________ At Talbot Bridge', which was about a train- OCCUR
riding ghost.
65. I went on a diet that ________ only fresh and organic food and I could only drink water. CORPORATE
66. The comedian joked about a plane crash and some in the audience thought he was
67. Despite injuring his leg near the start of the race, Larry managed to finish a very ________ CREDIT
fourth.
68. Rory always has plenty of money, but I've never been sure what he actually does for a
________. LIVE
69. What ________ do you take in the workplace to prevent accidents? CAUTION
70. The bomb caused ________ damage to the older buildings in the town and had to be EXTEND
demolished.
71. The road was ________ closed due to a spilled load of children's toys that created havoc. TEMPORARY
72. Though a talented doctor, she found that most skills were not ________ when she began TRANSFER
working as a vet.
73. This new design of the radio ________ all the best features of our previous model. CORPORATE
74. Maggie is always displaying great ________ to those less fortunate than her. GENEROUS
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
75. Harrison Ford wasn't the ________ choice to play Han Solo in the Star Wars movies. ORIGIN
76. There will be a total solar eclipse at 2.14 pm today. Such ________ are very rare. OCCUR
77. Even short bursts of physical activity are believed to be very ________ to health. BENEFIT
78. The ________ of the town react negatively to crowds of tourists filling the roads and INHABIT
79. Police are investigating the strange ________ in street robberies in the west of town. GROW
80. Leyton city council have started towing all badly parked cars in what is a very ________ POPULAR
move.
81. Conclusive proof that the Earth orbited the Sun was a great ________. DISCOVER
82. Being so close to the Atlantic, the weather in Ireland is often both changeable and very
________. PREDICT
83. When Jack Lobato was an ________ gangster, local politicians would come to meet with INFLUENCE
him weekly.
84. Local legend says the land is protected by a giant tiger, but few believe in these old TRADITION
85. This boxer is the ________ champion of the world after this sixth victory. DISPUTE
86. I stretched and stretched, but simply didn't have the ________ to reach the shelf. HIGH
87. Deborah was ________ furious when she heard the comments that had been made about PREDICT
her.
88. Barry is only four years old and will be ________ by both his parents for the audition. COMPANY
89. After hearing his heart-breaking story, we were filled with ________ for him. ADMIRE
90. The hotel was harshly ________ for refusing to give refunds and the bad publicity harmed CRITIC
it.
91. This letter is just to let you know how much we appreciated the ________ of the donation GENEROUS
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
92. Though he'd read ________ on the subject of ancient Egypt, he couldn’t answer a single EXTEND
question.
93. Would it be ________ for you if I asked you to pay by credit card? CONVENIENT
94. Young people often have a creative and ________ side to them that they lose as they INVENT
grow.
95. The hit TV series 'Friends' was ________ called 'Six Of One'. ORIGIN
96. You've made a lot of wild accusations against Betsy, but is any of it ________? PROOF
97. ________ children are not permitted to enter the shop without an adult. COMPANY
98. Caffeine and other similar ________ shouldn't be taken shortly before going to bed. STIMULATE
99. As the disease became more ________ in the region, a medical emergency was SPREAD
announced.
100. The wren's Latin name, which means 'cave dweller', comes from its ________ to seek out TEND
dark places.
101. The earthquake was so destructive that local maps needed to be ________. DATE
102. Once the scientists were sure the islands were ________, they disembarked and began INHABIT
their studies.
103. You can pay funds into this account but that money will not be ________ for at least a DRAW
year.
104. The diplomat, as he ________ is, was humble and polite in the face of unfair criticism. VARIABLE
105. After the accident, the police officer asked if anyone required ________ attention. MEDICINE
106. At the ________ of his powers, Alfred Hitchcock was producing a hit movie every year in HIGH
Hollywood.
108. There are more ________ than differences between us. SIMILAR
109. You should eat a ________ of fresh fruits and vegetables. VARIOUS
12
500 word formation exercises for Advanced
111. She's feeling much better thanks to that medical ________. TREAT
131. Country life is very ________ in comparison with city life. PEACE
13
500 word formation exercises for Advanced
139. It was such a ________ day that we went for a walk. PLEASE
140. I have read the article and now I am writing a ________. SUM
141. Why do some people have an ________ desire for power? OBSESS
146. The old man standing under the tree seemed ________. CONFUSE
149. Timothy watched the plane ________ into the distance. APPEAR
154. The company has consistently shown a callous ________ for the law. REGARD
158. People with low ________ tend to interpret everything in a negative way. ESTIMATE
159. I suggest replacing the full stop with an ________ mark. EXCLAIM
160. Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a ________ of coins. HAND
14
500 word formation exercises for Advanced
164. The medical examination before you start work is ________. OBLIGE
169. Many ________ were rescued from the collapsed building. SURVIVE
171. Tom is by far the best French ________ in our class. SPEAK
174. How ________ that your mother speaks six languages! AMAZE
176. The equator is an ________ line which divides the globe into two equal parts. IMAGINE
178. Allan is going to get himself killed if he's not ________. CARE
182. I'm pretty sure Nick doesn't ________ watching baseball on TV. JOY
183. She swam until she was ________ and then went back to the house. EXHAUST
185. They celebrated the ________ of his high school years. COMPLETE
15
500 word formation exercises for Advanced
192. I think Tom doesn't have the ________ to solve the problem. ABLE
195. We ________ on many things, but we're still good friends. AGREE
196. My mother ________ of too much exercise right after lunch. APPROVE
197. Tom asked Mary to teach him some ________ phrases in French. USE
199. Manners and customs ________ greatly from country to country. VARIOUS
200. I was ________ to do it, but Roger said I didn't need to. WILL
201. This increase in the number of ________ people is a result of the bad economy. EMPLOY
202. This document will form the ________ for our discussion. BASE
204. We regret that your ________ has not been accepted. APPLY
205. Our delicious coffee is made from ________ roasted coffee beans. FRESH
211. There seems to be some ________ over who is actually giving the talk. CONFUSE
16
500 word formation exercises for Advanced
215. I get the ________ that you aren't telling the truth. IMPRESS
219. Only good team work will ________ us to get the job done on time. ABILITY
220. The ________ cut the tape and opened the new bridge. GOVERN
223. The teacher explained the ________ of the word to us. MEAN
224. Do you really think money will bring you ________? HAPPY
227. Tom could see that the argument was ________. POINT
234. ________ people can't stand it when people pity them. ABILITY
238. Only members of the club are ________ to use this room. TITLE
17
500 word formation exercises for Advanced
243. I'd like to thank you for your very generous ________. CONTRIBUTE
251. How do you punish your children when they ________? BEHAVE
252. Tom ________ to kill Mary if she told anyone about what happened. THREAT
253. John is very ________ when it comes to talking about his childhood. SECRET
258. Tom's divorce from Mary ________ cost him more than a million dollars. REPORT
259. It's difficult to teach people what they are ________ to learn. WILL
265. It was ________ that someone had taken the money by mistake. APPEAR
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
268. If you don't bother the bees, they're ________ to sting you. LIKE
269. She was the most beautiful woman in the whole ________. KING
272. Though the doctor did his best, the patient's ________ was slow. RECOVER
273. It's unusual for ________ players to score many goals. DEFEND
275. The region has the largest population ________ in the country. DENSE
283. His intelligence and experience ________ him to deal with the trouble. ABLE
289. She was ________ calm while everyone else was panicking. STRANGE
290. Tom doesn't think it's ________ to eat certain insects. DISGUST
292. I don't know if I can speak French well enough to explain this ________. PROPER
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
293. Tom and Mary have achieved ________ results using their new technique. REMARK
294. The age ________ between Jack and Kelly is about three years. DIFFERENT
302. We had an ________ that he would clean the house and I would cook. ARRANGE
303. The hike was ________, but we had a lot of fun. EXHAUST
304. The scientists have not found any explanation for the ________ phenomenon. MYSTERY
305. Even though Joe has a very ________ job, he always makes time for Jill and the kids. DEMAND
306. She gave me one of those ________ smiles and I just had to agree. RESIST
310. Seen from a ________, the stone looks like a human face. DISTANT
311. The report looks at economic ________ in Europe and elsewhere. GROW
316. The entry ________ for the essay competition are very strict. REQUIRE
317. According to reports, many ________ immigrants may face deportation if they are not DOCUMENT
granted amnesty.
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
321. The ________ of getting all the answers correct is about one in ten. PROBABLE
322. Tom was ________ when he saw Mary kiss someone else. FURY
327. Every person will be admitted ________ of his or her age. REGARD
333. To prevent an ________, the commander used to patrol the border twice a day. INVADE
334. There was a lot of sibling ________ between Tom and his brother. RIVAL
335. The ________ had entered the house through a back window. INTRUDE
336. All the ________ suggests that Peter was murdered. EVIDENT
337. They were among the early ________ on the east coast of America. SETTLE
342. I just want a little more ________ to make my own decisions. FREE
343. I felt a sense of ________ when my friends refused to support me. BETRAY
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
345. His campaign for fathers' rights has become an ________. OBSESS
351. My older brother made all the ________ for us. PREPARE
354. I couldn't understand the ________ that was just made. ANNOUNCE
357. This is by far the best novel that has been ________ this year. PUBLIC
365. You don't need to get all dressed up. It's an ________ event. FORM
369. We are sorry to inform you that your application has been ________. SUCCEED
22
500 word formation exercises for Advanced
370. She put some money away every month for her ________. RETIRE
371. Tom wondered where Mary had spent her ________. CHILD
377. Some people write books for money, others for ________. PLEASE
381. She gave up eating meat after reading a book about ________ to animals. CRUEL
385. The poet and _______ were both present at the meeting. NOVEL
394. Michael apologized to Mary for his son's _______ remarks. POLITE
23
500 word formation exercises for Advanced
398. The man standing over there is the _______ of the store. OWN
406. The United States is the world's _______ cotton exporter. LEAD
408. The results were very strange! In fact, they were ________! BELIEVE
416. The ___________ of our agriculture is important if we want to produce more food. MECHANIC
418. The ___________ of the awards is scheduled for next Friday. PRESENT
420. After losing her job she was ___________ for a month. EMPLOY
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
423. He isn’t happy with his job because he feels he is ___________. PAY
424. We have just been shown another example of ___________ killing. SENSE
426. I’m not sure at all I really can’t say with ___________. CERTAIN
428. The police were told by their ___________ where to find the criminal. INFORM
429. He received many medals for his acts of ___________ during the war. HERO
430. The ___________ of the company is said to be dangerous to small firms. EXPAND
431. For all of us, Marilyn Monroe was the ___________ of beauty. PERSON
434. People who suffer from ___________ should buy themselves a pet. LONELY
436. Everybody is worried about the ___________ of the rain forest. DESTROY
437. Some MPs are calling for ___________ without trial. DETAIN
444. The bank robbers were sentenced to twelve years of ___________. PRISON
445. Mary suddenly felt sick, so we needed a ___________ for her part in the play. REPLACE
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
448. In the future the public will have a wider ___________ of television programs. CHOOSE
449. Looking after the health of 700 children is heavy ___________. RESPONSIBLE
450. The town spent more money on ___________ and health than ever before. HOUSE
452. There’s a ___________ contrast between what he does and what he says. STRIKE
455. Is it possible to remove the smell from the books that have been in _______________ for STORE
456. Many people are interested in job ___________ more than in earning large amount of SATISFY
money.
457. I hadn’t made a __________________, so I just got on the first flight available. RESERVE
458. The anti-doping association believes that all sports must be free of drug ___________. USE
461. She claimed ___________ benefit for over six months. EMPLOY
462. Tax ___________ is one of the biggest problems that face the new country. EVADE
463. You can basically wear what you want but there is an _____________ law that says you WRITE
464. The ___________ course is being paid for by the company. MANAGE
465. It’s a ___________ shame that she didn’t have a better chance in life. CRY
466. The farm house we stayed in was completely off the ___________ track. BEAT
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
471. Experts have tried to find a ___________ to the personnel problems. SOLVE
473. The ___________ of the most important port of the country eliminated all trade. BLOCK
474. The ___________ system of some countries used to be based on gold. MONEY
476. He has loved her ___________ ever since they first met. PASSION
477. The importance of this ___________ has been extremely overrated. INVENT
479. Jane’s party was more of an ___________ test than anything else. ENDURE
480. The government has committed itself to developing ___________ sources of energy. NEW
482. The potential benefits of this treatment ___________ the risks. WEIGH
483. Make sure the hairdryer is ___________ before you fix the switch. CONNECT
485. Without his teacher’s ___________ he would have given up long ago. ENCOURAGE
486. Dickens’s last novel was ___________ The Mystery of Edwin Drood. TITLE
487. She has known me for two years now but she still ___________ my name. PRONOUNCE
488. The writer spent his ___________ in a quiet seaside village. BOY
489. We were so busy at work that there was no time to suffer from ___________. BORE
490. Can you lend me your penknife - I just need to ___________ my pencil. SHARP
491. We had four good applicants for the job so it was hard to decide who would make the
492. It was very ___________ of you not to give Sue a call on her birthday. THINK
494. The morning trains to the city are always packed with ___________. COMMUTE
495. George means well but his contributions to our meetings are often rather ___________. HELP
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
496. We had an unusually cold winter with ___________ temperatures for two months. ZERO
497. We all ___________ his story - it just didn't seem at all plausible. BELIEVE
499. Students often tend to be a bit ___________ but they usually become less radical with age. ESTABLISH
500. I'm sorry to be so ___________ - I'd like to think things over for another day or two. DECIDE
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
Key to exercises
Identifying parts of speech
1.
1. adjective: following 'most' and preceding the noun 'schools'.
2. noun: after the article and preceding the conjunction.
3. verb: past participle needed to follow 'has not' and fit before 'in the news'.
4. noun: following 'some' and preceding 'or another'.
5. adverb: qualifying 'astonished'
Suggested answers:
2.
noun verb adjective adverb
comparison compare comparative comparatively
(in)comparable (in)comparatively
(in)stability (de)stabilise (un)stable (un)stably
stabiliser stabilising
stabilised
height heighten high highly
heightened
power empower powerful powerfully
power powerless powerlessly
empowered
empowering
observation observe observant observantly
observer
development develop developing developmentally
developer (un/under/over)-
developed
developmental
doubt doubt doubtful doubtfully
doubter undoubted undoubtedly
doubtless doubtless
doubting
Understanding affixes
3.
1. INESCAPABLE
2. ILLEGALLY
3. (DIS)SATISFACTION
4. OVERBEARING
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
5. UNDENIABLY
6. UPBRINGING
7. INEXPLICABLY
8. INDESCRIBABLE
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
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500 word formation exercises for Advanced
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