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Description
Participants consider different types of word formation. They correct and improve on
definitions of each type before testing each others understanding through a game. There is
a TKT: KAL sample task practising this area for participants to take away.
Time required:
25 minutes
Materials
required:
Aims:
Procedure
1. Elicit briefly what participants understand by the term word formation. Point out that
this is one of the areas which may be tested under Part 1 of TKT: KAL. Elicit some
examples of any kinds of word formation.
2. Give out Participants Worksheet 1. Participants should match the different types of
word formation with the examples in the boxes. When they have done this, they
should check with a partner and then add 2 or more further examples to each box.
Check answers and examples together as necessary (see Key below).
3. Give out Participants Worksheet 2. In pairs or small groups, participants correct
the definitions for each type of word formation. Feed back answers (see Key below).
4. Give out slips of paper to each participant. Each participant writes an example of
three of the categories on a separate slip of paper. They then mingle and when the
music stops/ you clap hands, etc, they show one slip to another member of the
group. The other member must say what kind of word formation the slip shows an
example of. Repeat until all the slips have been shown.
5. Discuss the following questions with the group:
How might knowledge of word formation help the teacher in the classroom?
(It could be useful for teachers to know these terms as it could help them to:
UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further
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Page 1 of 7
In the KAL exam, tasks may go across some of the areas listed in the syllabus or
focus just on one area as here.
See the TKT: KAL Sample Paper questions 16 for an example task in which word
formation is touched on.
https://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/ts/teachingqualifications/kal
Spelling rules are covered in questions 713 of the same sample paper.
TKT: KAL is neither a test of terminology nor a test of methodology. However, the
practical application of the knowledge tested in TKT: KAL will help to improve the
practice of teaching.
UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further
information see our Terms of Use at http://www.teachers.cambridgeESOL.org/ts/legalinfo
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Page 2 of 7
walked, walkabout
y at the end of a word changes to ies for plural/present tense 3rd person
singular or ied for past tense
The final e of adjectives is not dropped when adding ly for the adverb.
*5
*Note: morphemes include words like break, which can also be part of compounds such as
breakfast, breakdown, etc
Key to Participants Worksheet 2 (corrections in bold or crossed out)
Compounds
These are words formed from two or more words, and the meaning of which comes from
both words in the compound. Compounds can only be nouns, e.g. bookshelf, evening meal,
adjectives, adverbs, verbs, prepositions.
Morphemes
These are the smallest possible units of meaning in a language. There are two kinds of
morpheme those which must be attached to another word, e.g. un-, and those which can
stand alone, e.g. countable. The word handbags contains three morphemes.
Acronyms
A word formed from the first letters of several words and that is pronounceable as a normal
word, e.g. JPEG or radar. Sometimes it is also used to refer to just a string of initials
representing the first letter in a group of words but pronounced as letters rather than as a
word, e.g. HTML.
Affixation
There are two kinds of affixation in English: prefixes and suffixes. Prefixes are attached to
the beginning of a word, while suffixes are added at the end. Affixes can have a grammatical
function, e.g. plural s or the past tense ending ed. They may also change a words part
of speech, e.g. happy-happiness, careful- carefully. Often prefixes and suffixes also have
particular meanings attached to them, e.g. un-/ il-/ ir-/ re- have a negative meaning when
attached to an adjective.
UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further
information see our Terms of Use at http://www.teachers.cambridgeESOL.org/ts/legalinfo
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Page 3 of 7
Word families
These are words which all come from the same base word, e.g. direct, direction, director,
directing, undirected.
Spelling rules
These are rules which govern how words are written in English. They help particularly with
knowing when to double letters and the spelling of adverbs. They can also guide the spelling
of silent letters i.e. letters in a word which do not contribute to a words pronunciation, e.g.
climb, knife, sign.
2 A
3 B
4 C
5 E
6 A
7 B
8 C
UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further
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Page 4 of 7
A: morphemes
B: affixes
D: acronyms
C: compounds
E: spelling rules
F: word families
1
walk, walking, walker
2
FAQ, EFL, ATM
3
i before e except after c
Double the consonant at the end of words if it is a single
consonant in a single syllable word containing a short vowel.
5
4
unre
dis
-ly
-ish
-er
-ment
-s
-ed
-tion
ilbreak
sock
6
birthday, toothbrush, to catch sight (of)
UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further
information see our Terms of Use at http://www.teachers.cambridgeESOL.org/ts/legalinfo
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Page 5 of 7
Compounds
These are words formed from three or more words, and the meaning of which comes from
the main word in the compound. Compounds can only be nouns, e.g. bookshelf, evening
meal.
Morphemes
These are the smallest possible words in a language. There are two kinds of morpheme
those which must be attached to another word, e.g. un-, and those which can stand alone,
e.g. countable. The word handbags contains two morphemes.
Acronyms
A word formed from the first and last letters of several words and that is pronounceable as a
normal word, e.g. JPEG or radar. Sometimes it is also used to refer to just a string of initials
representing the first letter in a group of words but pronounced as letters rather than as a
word, e.g. HTML.
Affixation
There are two kinds of affixation in English: prefixes and infixes. Prefixes are attached to the
beginning of a word, while suffixes are added in the middle. Affixes can have a grammatical
function e.g. plural s or the past tense ending ed. They may also change a words lexical
set, e.g. happy-happiness, careful-carefully. Often prefixes and suffixes also have particular
meanings attached to them e.g. un-/ il-/ ir-/ re- have a negative meaning when attached to an
adjective.
Word families
These are words which are all related by topic to a base word, e.g. direct, direction, director,
directing, undirected.
Spelling rules
These are rules which govern how words are pronounced in English. They help particularly
with knowing when to double letters and the spelling of adverbs. They can also guide the
spelling of silent letters, i.e. letters in a word which do not contribute to a words
pronunciation, e.g. climb, knife, sign.
UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further
information see our Terms of Use at http://www.teachers.cambridgeESOL.org/ts/legalinfo
www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org
Page 6 of 7
Examples
compound words
1.
AWOL, PIN
2.
onto, in order to
morphemes
3.
teacher, receptionist
acronyms
4.
word families
5.
6.
barman, headmaster
7.
unfortunately, mispronunciation
8.
UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further
information see our Terms of Use at http://www.teachers.cambridgeESOL.org/ts/legalinfo
www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org
Page 7 of 7