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Advanced Word Formation

Word formation is one of the keys to success for advanced level ESL learners. Advanced level English exams such as the TOEFL, First Certificate CAE and Proficiency use word formation as one of the key testing elements. These word formation charts provide the concept noun, personal noun, adjective and verb forms of key vocabulary listed in alphabetical order.

A
Concept noun absenteeism accounting accusation achievement addiction Personal noun absentee accountant accuser / accused achiever addict Adjective absent-minded accountable accusing achieved addictive/addicted administrative admired / admiring advertised advisory aggravating agitated analytical antagonistic arbitrary assassinated authoritarian / authoritative Verb to be absent account accuse achieve to become addicted administrate admire advertise advise aggravate agitate analyse antagonize arbitrate assassinate authorize

administration administrator admiration advice aggravation agitation analysis antagonism arbitration assassination authorization admirer adviser aggressor agitator analyst antagonist arbitrator assassin authority advertisement advertiser

B-C
Concept noun baking banking belief benevolence bidding blackmail blasphemy brainwashing broadcasting Personal noun baker banker believer benefactor bidder blackmailer blasphemer brainwasher broadcaster Adjective baked bankrupt believable beneficial bidden blackmailed blasphemous bombarded brainwashed broadcast Verb bake bank believe benefit bid blackmail blaspheme bomb brainwash broadcast

bombardment bomber

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business calculation censorship challenging charming cheerfulness childbearing civilization collaboration comedy competition businessman / business woman calculator censor challenger charmer cheerleader childcare civilian collaborator comedian competitor businesslike calculated censored challenged charmed / charming cheerful childlike choregraphed civil collaborated comic competitive to do business calculate censure challenge charm cheer child choreograph civilize collaborate to be funny compete

choreography choreographer

D
Concept noun Personal noun dancing deafness dealings decoration defeat defense design destruction determination development dictatorship diplomacy direction discipline distribution divorce drama drunkenness dwelling dancer deaf dealer / dealership decorator defeatist Adjective danced deafening dealt decorative defeated Verb dance to go deaf deal decorate defeat defend design destroy determine develop dictate to be diplomatic direct discipline distribute divorce dramatize drink dwell

defendant / defender defended designer destroyer determiner developer dictator diplomat director disciplinarian distributor divorcee dramatist drunkard dweller designed destructive determined developed dictatorial diplomatic directed disciplinary distributed divorced dramatic drunk dwelt

demonstration demonstrator

demonstrative demonstrate

E
Concept noun eavesdropping economics Personal noun Adjective eavesdropper economist economical Verb economize eavesdropped eavesdrop

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education egotism election elitism emancipation embezzlement emigration entertainment enthusiasm escapism evacuation exaggeration examination exploration exportation educator egotist electorate elitist emancipator embezzler emigrant entertainer enthusiast escapist evacuee exaggerator examiner explorer exporter educational egocentric electoral elite emancipated embezzled emigrated entertaining enthusiastic escaped evacuated exaggerated examined explorative exported educate to be egotistical elect to be elite emancipate embezzle emigrate entertain enthuse escape evacuate exaggerate examine explore export

(un)employment employer

(un)employed employ

F-H
Concept noun farming fighting finality finance flirtation forgery foundation freelancing friendship gambling government growing up guidance hijacking homemaking hospitalization humanities humor Personal noun farmer fighter finalist financier flirt forger founder freelancer friend gambling governor grown-up guide hijacker homemaker patient humanist humorist Adjective farmed fought finalized financial flirtatious forged founded freelanced friendly gambled governmental grown guided hijacked homemade hospitalized humanitarian humorous Verb farm fight finalize finance flirt forge found freelance to be friendly gamble govern grow up guide hijack to keep house hospitalize humanize joke

I-J
Concept noun idealism illustration immigration Personal noun idealist illustrator immigrant Adjective idealistic illustrative immigrated Verb idealize illustrate immigrate

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immortality impersonation importation industrialization innovation inspection instruction interpretation intrusion invasion invention investigation justice immortal impersonator importer industrialist innovator inspector instructor interpreter intruder invader inventor investigator justice of the peace immortal imported industrialized innovative inspected instructive interpreted intrusive invaded inventive investigative justifiable immortalize import industrialize innovate inspect instruct interpret intrude invade invent investigate justify

impersonated impersonate

L-M
Concept noun Personal noun Adjective law leadership learning legislation liberalism linguistics logging love machinery magic management manufacturing marketing materialism mathematics mechanics migration modeling morality mugging music lawyer leader learner legislator liberal linguist logger lover machinist magician manager manufacturer marketer materialist mathematician mechanic migrant model moralist mugger musician lead learned legislative liberal linguistic logged lovesick machined magical manageable manufactured marketable materialistic mathematical mechanical migratory modelled moralistic mugged musical Verb lead learn legislate liberalize speak log love machine conjure manage manufacture market materialize to do math mechanize migrate model moralize mug to make music lawful / lawless enforce the law

N-O
Concept noun narration nationalism naturalization Personal noun narrator nationalist naturalist Adjective narrated nationalistic naturally Verb narrate nationalize naturalize

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navigation negotiation nursing offense office operation opportunism oppression optimism organization ownership navigator negotiator nurse offender officer operator opportunist oppressor optimist organizer owner navigable negotiable nursed offensive official operative opportunistic oppressive optimistic organizational owned navigate negotiate nurse offend officiate operate opportune oppress to be optimistic organize own

P
Concept noun pacifism painting participation parenting patriotism perfection performance perpetuation persecution pessimism philosophy photography plagiarism plumbing poetry possession Personal noun pacifist painter participant parent patriot perfectionist performer perpetrator persecutor pessimist philosopher photographer plagiarist plumber poet possessor Adjective pacified painted parented patriotic peaceful perfect performed perpetual persecuted pessimistic Verb pacify paint parent to be patriotic to make / keep peace perfect perform perpetuate persecute to be pessimistic

participated participate

peacekeeping peacekeeper

philosophical philosophize photographic photograph / take pictures plagiarized plumbed poetic possessive plagiarize plumb to write poetry possess

P-R
Concept noun pragmatism programming psychiatry psychology purification quitting reaction Personal noun pragmatist programmer psychiatrist psychologist purist quitter reactionary Adjective pragmatic professional programmed psychiatric psychological pure quit reacted Verb to be pragmatic profess program to analyze to analyze purify quit react professionalism professor

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realism reception recruitment redemption reformation relationship remembrance representation research residency retail retirement revelation rioting robbery rule realist receptionist recruiter redeemer reformer relative reminder Representative researcher resident retailer retiree reveler rioter robber ruler realistic receptive recruited redeemable reformed related reminded researched residential retail retired reveled riotous robbed ruled to be real receive recruit redeem reform relate remind to do research reside retail retire revel riot rob rule

representative represent

S
Concept noun sadism sales satire science sculpture seduction service shipping shoplifting showmanship sightseeing skepticism slavery smoking Personal noun sadist satirist scientist sculptor seducer serviceman / servicewoman shipper shoplifter showman sightseer skeptic slave smoker Adjective sadistic satirical scientific sculpted seduced serviceable shipped stolen shown seen skeptical slavish smoked Verb to be sadistic sell satirize to do science sculpt seduce service ship Shoplift Show Sightsee to be skeptical Enslave Smoke salesclerk / salesperson sold

skateboarding skateboarder

skateboarded Skateboard

S-T
Concept noun smuggling socialism speaking Personal noun smuggler socialist speaker Adjective smuggled sociable spoken Verb smuggle socialize speak

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specialization speculation statesmanship statistics studies supervision supply support survival sympathy tailoring talk teaching technology specialist speculator statesman statistician student supervisor supplier supporter survivor sympathizer tailor talker teacher technician specialized speculative specialize speculate

statesmanlike to be statesmanlike statistical studious supervisory supplied supportive survivable sympathetic tailor-made talkative taught technical measure study supervise supply support survive sympathize tailor talk teach to repair telecommute

telecommunications telecommuter

T-U
Concept noun terrorism theory thievery thinking torment torture tourism training transformation travel treachery trespassing trickery trouble typing usefulness uselessness Personal noun terrorist theorist thief thinker tormentor torturer tourist trainer / trainee transformer traveler traitor trespasser trickster troublemaker typist user user Adjective terrorized theoretical stolen thought tormented tortuous toured trained transformed traveled treacherous trespassed tricky troubled typed useful useless Verb terrorize theorize steal think torment torture tour train transform travel to betray trespass trick trouble type use use

V-Z
Concept noun vacation vandalism victimization victory viewing Personal noun vacationer vandal victim victor viewer Adjective vandalized victimized victorious viewed Verb vacation vandalize victimize win view

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violation visitation voice volunteering voting waiting wandering winning working wrestling zeal violator visitor vocalist volunteer voter waiter / waitress wanderer winner worker wrestler zealot violent visited vocal volunteered voted waited wandered won worked wrestled zealous violate visit sing volunteer vote wait / serve wander win work wrestle to be zealous

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