B1 · Word Formation
A focused B1 workshop for building word families, choosing the right suffix, avoiding prefix traps, and solving exam-style word formation tasks.
Why this lesson works
Suffix and prefix patterns become visible systems rather than isolated words to memorize.
Theory, controlled practice, drag-fill, repair and final production build one complete learning arc.
Prefix traps and transformations mirror the decisions learners meet in B1 word-formation tasks.
The bonus tree helps students reuse roots, prefixes and suffixes in new vocabulary.
Three small tables show what you can build from a noun: another noun, an adjective, or a verb.
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
-ship | state, relationship | friend > friendship |
-hood | state, period of life | child > childhood, neighbour > neighbourhood |
-an / -ian | person from / specialist | America > American, music > musician, politics > politician |
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
-ous | full of | danger > dangerous, fame > famous |
-al | related to | nature > natural |
-ic / -ical | related to | history > historic / historical, economy > economic |
-ish | character of | child > childish |
-ive | quality / effect | expense > expensive |
-ful | full of | care > careful, beauty > beautiful |
-less | without | hope > hopeless, home > homeless |
-y | full of / like | sun > sunny, risk > risky |
-like | similar to | child > childlike |
-ant | showing the quality | distance > distant |
-ly | periodic / manner | month > monthly, friend > friendly |
-able | can be done | fashion > fashionable |
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
-ise / -ize | make / turn into | modern > modernize, national > nationalize |
-ify | make / become | simple > simplify |
-en | make / become (with body parts & qualities) | length > lengthen, strength > strengthen |
-ate | cause to become | active > activate |
Choose the right adjective for each noun.
fame >
nature >
history >
child >
care >
hope >
sun >
danger >
fashion >
month >
Type the verb formed from each noun.
length >
strength >
modern >
simple >
Tap each trap to reveal a model sentence.
childish is usually negative; childlike is positive or neutral.
historic = important in history; historical = related to history.
From a verb you can build a noun (the biggest group!) or an adjective. Verbs from verbs are rare — those changes happen mostly via prefixes (block 8).
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
-er / -or / -ar | person who does an action | teach > teacher, act > actor, lie > liar |
-ist | profession / follower | cycle > cyclist |
-ant / -ent | person doing the action | claim > claimant, study > student |
-ee | person affected by action | employ > employee, escape > escapee |
-age | result / process | marry > marriage |
-al | action / result | arrive > arrival, refuse > refusal |
-ing | action / thing | build > building |
-ion / -tion / -sion | action, process, result | act > action, decide > decision, expand > expansion |
-ation | action / state | inform > information |
-ment | result, process | develop > development, enjoy > enjoyment |
-ure | result of action | fail > failure, depart > departure |
-y | result / abstract noun | discover > discovery, recover > recovery |
-sis | process / state | analyze > analysis |
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
-able / -ible | can be done | read > readable, sense > sensible, wash > washable, convert > convertible |
-ing | causing the feeling | excite > exciting |
-ed | feeling the effect | interest > interested |
-ive | having the quality | create > creative, attract > attractive |
-ate | having the state | fortune > fortunate |
-ent | showing the quality | excel > excellent |
Drag (or tap) each noun from the bank into the right gap. Tap a filled zone to clear it.
1. Their ceremony was beautiful.
2. Her polite surprised everyone.
3. We need clear about the new policy.
4. The of intelligent life is debated.
5. The new opens next month.
6. It was a difficult to make.
7. The festival brought a lot of to the children.
8. Rapid changed the city skyline.
9. The chemical took several hours.
10. The flight's was delayed by fog.
11. Her after the surgery was quick.
wash >
convert >
excite >
attract >
create >
excel >
Choose the right form for each gap in the same sentence.
From an adjective you can build a noun (qualities and states) or a verb (make / become). To get an opposite adjective — go to prefixes in block 8.
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
-ness | quality, state | happy > happiness, kind > kindness |
-iness | quality (after -y/-ly) | lonely > loneliness |
-ity / -ty | quality, condition | simple > simplicity, popular > popularity, cruel > cruelty, safe > safety |
-cy | state, condition | private > privacy |
-ance / -ence | quality, state | important > importance, patient > patience, elegant > elegance, innocent > innocence |
-y | quality (informal abstract) | honest > honesty |
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
-en | make / become | weak > weaken, short > shorten, deep > deepen |
-ise / -ize | make / turn into | modern > modernize |
-ify | make / become | simple > simplify, clear > clarify |
Type the noun.
elegant >
private >
innocent >
creative >
lonely >
kind >
popular >
cruel >
honest >
short >
modern >
weak >
simple >
deep >
un- unhappy; in- incorrect; im- before m/p (impossible, immature); il- before l (illegal); ir- before r (irrational).
dis- disagree, disrespect; de- deactivate, deforest.
re- rewrite (again); pre- preview (before); non- non-stop (absence).
possible >
legal >
agree >
responsible >
patient >
correct >
happy >
regular >
The decision was completely ___.
This photocopy is ___; I cannot read it.
We need to ___ the system before repair.
Find and correct the suffix/prefix mistake in each sentence. Then check the hidden key.
1. This is an unlogical argument.
2. She was very joyness after the news.
3. He needs to strength his skills.
4. The situation was very danger.
5. She showed great kind to the guests.
6. This text is not readible.
7. He gave a very use piece of advice.
8. The explanation lacked clear.
9. She felt very comfort in the new team.
10. The result was completely logic.
Complete at least six forms.
Tap a card to flip it and answer the prompt.
Write 80-100 words. Use at least eight forms from this lesson.
Each tree shows one root word and the forms you can grow from it. Colours indicate the part of speech of each derived form.
Type a root word, then tap morphemes to grow branches. Long-press a branch to remove it.
You have worked through suffix patterns, prefix logic, traps, exam tasks, correction and production.
