Module
Module 13
Instructions by Lesley Sanderson
Cambridge English First (FCE) Paper 1: Reading and Use of English
Word Formation, Paper 1: Part 3 tests your knowledge on:
1. word formation in general
Can you make a noun, adjective, participle, verb or adverb from a lexical root?
2. affixation
e.g. prefixes : un happy, il legal, denounce etc.
e.g. suffixes: happi ness, legal ity, announce ment etc.
3. internal changes
e.g. advice (noun) -> advise (verb), mystery (noun) –> mystify (verb), certificate (noun) –> certify (verb) etc.
4. compounding
e.g. to highlight (adjective + verb),to underline (preposition + verb), to outfox (preposition + noun),
blackboard (adjective + noun) etc.
• Aim to complete this part in about ten minutes.
• It is wise to read the whole text through first without paying too much attention to the gaps because the
most common mistakes that candidates make in this task is that they don’t check if a noun required is SINGULAR or PLURAL, or if the word required has a NEGATIVE or POSITIVE meaning. So, get an understanding of the whole text first.
• If you have difficulty, try to find what kind of word is needed (Noun? Adjective? Adverb? Verb?) and
experiment with known prefixes and suffixes until the word sounds right. If you really don’t know, guess!
Don’t leave any gaps unanswered.
• Occasionally, you may find that the root word seems to fit in the gap without changing it in any way.
This is NOT the answer that examiners are looking for! Some change is ALWAYS needed!
• Read through the text again including the words you have formed to check that the text makes sense and
check your spelling.
You’ll find three tasks of this type below for you to use as practice.
PAPER 1: READING & USE OF ENGLISH
PART 3: WORD FORMATION
A
For questions 17 – 24, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to
form a word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0).
Example: STAMP COLLECTING
Philately – the hobby of collecting and studying (0) ________ stamps – is popular
POST
(17) ________ . From the earliest years of the hobby, most
WORLD
(18) ________ have preferred to concentrate on stamps from a geographical area, (19)
________ one or more nations. Stamp collecting according to a (20) ________ theme
or subject started in the 1950’s.
Why is this hobby so popular? The (21) ________ with which you can start a collection
is what makes this hobby (22) ________ to many people.
COLLECT
SPECIAL
CHOOSE
EASY
All one needs is access to enough incoming mail.
APPEAL
The value of a collection depends on the (23) _______ and the condition of the stamps.
RARE
This is why (24) _______ collections are usually stored in bank safety deposit boxes.
VALUE
PAPER 1: READING & USE OF ENGLISH
PART 3: WORD FORMATION
B
For questions 17 – 24, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to
form a word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0).
Example: CYCLING HOLIDAYS
Swanson’s Biking Tours offers a (0) ________ of small group cycling holidays which
SELECT
explore some delightful corners of Europe, the Americas and Australasia. There is
something for everyone to enjoy on these holidays, (17)________ of age. Some may
REGARD
be delighted to discover that one’s level of (18)________ doesn’t really matter either,
FIT
since a variety of itineraries is offered, ranging from sightseeing tours of (19) ________
HISTORY
cities to undemanding cycling trips in unspoilt coastal and country regions. For
the more (20) ________ cyclist, there are also challenging mountain expeditions.
ADVENTURE
But it would be (21) ________ to give the impression that these holidays are
FAIR
just about cycling. An (22) ________ of cycling is often the thing that brings a
ENJOY
group of people who share the
PLEASE
(23) _______ of good companionship in
(24) _______ surroundings together.
ATTRACT
PAPER 1: READING & USE OF ENGLISH
PART 3: WORD FORMATION
C
For questions 17 – 24, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to
form a word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0).
Example: DOUBLE TAKE
When John and Margaret met a (0) ________ couple on Holiday in Malta who were
FRIEND
also called John and Margaret, they were surprised at the (17)________. But when
INCIDENT
they got deeper into conversation, they made some
DISCOVER
surprising (18)________ and
realised that they had much more in common. The two couples, both over seventy
and from Ireland, had made their (19) ________ for their trips to Malta at the same
BOOK
time. This was not so unusual. However, both couples had had their (20) ________ at
WED
5.00 p.m. on September 14th, 1965. Both couples each had a son and a daughter, with
dates of birth in 1967 and 1970, and had three grandchildren.
The men turned out to have the same (21) ________ ; both had been air traffic (22)
PROFESS
________ . The wives, who had both worked for the same bank, had both lost their
CONTROL
(23) _______ rings and were wearing identical gold brooches. “I’m sure there are many
ENGAGE
people with similar lives, but to meet our doubles was (24) _______ !”
BELIEVE
The material is kindly provided by MM Publications - Practice Tests for the Revised FCE Examination
ISBN: 978-960-478-108-9