WORD FAMILIES

WORD FAMILIES


Word families are words that look alike but
have different endings.
ROOT WORD:
nation
ENDINGS: -al —ize?
-ly -ity
WORDS: national nationalize
nationally
nationality
These endings (-al, -ize, -ly, -ity, -ful, -sion, etc.)
change the original word to either a noun,
verb, adjective, or adverb.
For example, the word care can be made into
an adjective (careful) or an adverb (carefully).


ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS:
 Do you need a noun? If so, does the ending
make the word a noun?
Noun endings: -ance, -ancy, -ence, -ation, -dom,
-ism, -ment, -ness, -ship, —or, —ion
INCORRECT [I was sorry to hear about his ill.]
CORRECT I was sorry to hear about his illness.
 Do you need an adjective? If so, does the
ending make the word an adjective?
Adjective endings: -able, -ible, -al, -ful, -ish, -ive
INCORRECT [This is a wonder report!]
CORRECT This is a wonderful report!

Do you need an adverb? If so, does the ending
make the word an adverb?
Adverb endings: -ly, -ward, -wise
INCORRECT [She entered the data very
careful.]
CORRECT She entered the data very carefully.
 Do you need a verb? If so, does the ending
make the word a verb?
Verb endings: -en, -ify, -ize
INCORRECT [We are going to wide the
parking lot.]
CORRECT We are going to widen the parking
lot.


1. We need to ...... the
language in this report; it is
too complex.
(A) simplify
(B) simple
(C) simply
(D) simplistic


Verb endings: -en, -ify, -ize


To simplify (v) to make sth

easier to do or understand:
The application forms have
now been simplified.


Simplistic (adj.) (disapproving)
making a problem, situation, etc.
seem less difficult or complicated
than it really is. Simplistically
(adverb)


2. In my opinion, her leaving
early was a very ...... thing to
do.
(A) children
(B) childish
(C) childishly
(D) child


Adjective endings:
-able, -ible, -al, -ful, -ish, -ive


Childish (adjective) 1.
connected with or typical of a
child: childish handwriting 2.
(disapproving) (of an adult)
behaving in a stupid or silly

way SYN  Immature: Don’t be
so childish! OPP  Mature
Childishly (adv.)


3. We could call the TV
stations and ..... the opening of
our new store.
(A) publicity
(B) public
(C) publicize
(D) publisher


Verb endings: -en, -ify, -ize


Opening (n) [C, usually sing.]
a ceremony to celebrate the
start of a public event or the
first time a new building,
road, etc. is used:
Ex: the opening of the
Olympic Games the official
opening of the new hospital


Publicity (n) the attention that
is given to sb/sth by
newspapers, television, etc.:

good / bad / adverse publicity


To publicize (BrE also
publicise) to make sth known
to the public; to advertise sth


Publisher (n) a person or
company that prepares and
prints books, magazines,
newspapers or electronic
products and makes them
available to the public


4. I like my work because I
have the ..... to make my own
decisions.
(A) freed
(B) freely
(C) freedom
(D) free


Noun endings: -ance, -ancy,
-ence, -ation, -dom, -ism,
-ment, -ness, -ship, —or, —ion

To free sb/sth / yourself (from
sth) to move sb/sth that is
caught or fixed on sth SYN 
release
free (adj.)
freedom (n)
freely (adv)


5. Our company believes it is
the best ..... to handle the
account.
(A) organizing
(B) organization
(C) organizational
(D) organize


Noun endings: -ance, -ancy,
-ence, -ation, -dom, -ism,
-ment, -ness, -ship, —or, —ion


To handle = To deal with


To organize (BrE also
organise) verb [vn] to arrange
for sth to happen or to be
provided: to organize a

meeting / party / trip.
Organization (n)
Organizational (adj.)


6. Most meetings are not
as ..... as this one was.
(A) interested
(B) interestingly
(C) interest
(D) interesting