Use of English/Word Families

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Word Family "act"

Wörter aus den selben Wortfamilien sind einfach zu behalten oder zu erschließen, da sie ja alle einen gemeinsamen Wortstamm haben.

Gerade im Englischen kann man aus Adjektiven wie "empty" und Nomen wie "bottle" Verben wie "to empty" (etw. ausleeren) und "to bottle" (etw. abfüllen) bilden.

Interessanter wird es, wennn man Verben mit Endungen wie "-y, "-ive" und "-ual" in Adjective, mit "-ion", "-or" oder "-ivist" in Nomen umwandeln kann.

Hier gibt es eine ausführliche Liste mit vielen Wörtern: Word Families/Overview


changing words with prefixes and suffixes

Negative prefixes

These are the most common negative prefixes used with adjectives:

dis- il- im- in- ir- un-
disrespectful illegal impossible intolerant irrelevant unreasonable
dissatisfied illogical impolite inexpensive irregular unfortunate

The prefixes im- il- and ir- are in fact a variety of in-:

  • im- is used before words beginning with m or p: impersonal, immortal.
  • il- is used before words beginning with l: illegal.
  • ir- is used with words beginning with r: irregular.

endings with -able, ible

Generally most adjectives are formed like this:

word + able

This means that something can be done:

NounVerbAdjective
- likelikeable
adaptation adapt adaptable
preferences prefer preferable
disposable paper cups
(throwaway paper cups)
dispose disposable
reliability to rely on reliable
tolerance tolerate tolerant
intolerant
impression impress impressionable
impressive
durability endure durable
(long-lasting)

Words ending with -ible are always from Latin:

NounVerbAdjective
responsibility
first response
to respond responsible
conversion convert convertible
terror terrorize terrible
reverse reverse reversible
compatibility - compatible
possibility - possible
resistance resist irresistible
digestion
digestif
digest digestible


endings with -ful, less

Most adjectives which end in -ful can be also formed with -less.

Some, however, can either have -ful or -less, but not both.


NounVerbAdjective +Adjective -
carecarecarefulcareless
countcount - countless /countable
endend - endless
harmharmharmfulharmless
helphelp(un)helpfulhelpless
home- - homeless
hopehopehopefulhopeless
painpainpainfulpainless
peace-peaceful -
playplayplayful -
powerpowerpowerfulpowerless
priceprice - priceless
successsucceed(un)successful -
tastetastetastefultasteless
thoughtthinkthoughtfulthoughtless
truth-(un)truthful/(un)true -
useuseusefuluseless
worthworth - worthless

Interactive exercises

You've got the choice!

Wortfamilie "choose"

Use drag and drop to find the right words of the same family!

ACTIVE  This is a fun activity ! You must look at the green words below.
CHOSE  and choose the best one. Take care and look again whether
CHOOSE  you have chosen the correct form. If you do these exercises
IMPROVEMENT  every day, you'll improve your knowledge more and more.
TO ADVISE  I think this is a good piece of advice .
PRACTICAL  An English proverb says "Practice makes perfect!"
CHOOSE  You have the choice to get better grades.
    
    

The COMPLAINT

Find words of the same family. Take care of the forms!

COMPLAIN  A common complaint() about young people says they wouldn't write letters anymore.
STUDENT  Recent studies() ,however, show that they still stay in contact with their peers.
USUALLY  Nowadays they use() personal computers and mobile phones to send electronic letters.
TEXT  If you write on your mobile you are texting() messages. Usually they don't cost anything
SIGNAL  but they can't be longer than 180 signs().
    
    
    
    
COMPLAIN  A common complaint() about young people says they wouldn't write letters anymore.
STUDENT  Recent studies() ,however, show that they still stay in contact with their peers.
USUALLY  Nowadays they use() personal computers and mobile phones to send electronic letters.
TEXT  If you write on your mobile you are texting() messages. Usually they don't cost anything
SIGNAL  but they can't be longer than 180 signs().
    
    
    
    


English literature

Find words of the same family. Take care of the forms!

WRITE  Shakespeare is one of the world's most famous writers(). He has written many plays,
POETRY  over 150 sonnets and also several poems(). In 1719 Daniel Defoe wrote the
NOVELIST  famous novel() "Robinson" where a man spends 28 years alone on a desolate island.
MOVE  The storyline has been used in hundreds of books and movies(), like Castaway (1994).
SET  In this movie Tom Hanks' plane crashes into the sea. The setting() is similar to Robinson
FRIENDLY  but instead of meeting a native he forms an unusual friendship() with a ball called "Wilson".
SUCCESS  In the end he succeeds() in building a raft and getting back to the USA. (present tense)
UNTHINKABLE  When he came home the modern Robinson thought() of writing an autobiography.
    
WRITE  Shakespeare is one of the world's most famous writers(). He has written many plays,
POETRY  over 150 sonnets and also several poems(). In 1719 Daniel Defoe wrote the
NOVELIST  famous novel() "Robinson" where a man spends 28 years alone on a desolate island.
MOVE  The storyline has been used in hundreds of books and movies(), like Castaway (1994).
SET  In this movie Tom Hanks' plane crashes into the sea. The setting() is similar to Robinson
FRIENDLY  but instead of meeting a native he forms an unusual friendship() with a ball called "Wilson".
SUCCESS  In the end he succeeds() in building a raft and getting back to the USA. (present tense)
UNTHINKABLE  When he came home the modern Robinson thought() of writing an autobiography.
    


Being ACTIVE - ACTION sports, ACTING and other ACTIVITIES

Wortfamilie "act"
ACTIVE  Have you already activated () your new facebook account?
ACTIVE  If you do so, you can take part in many activities ().
ACTIVE  Some social networks are quite dead, but this is full of action()!
ACTIVE  Most people don't react() to my posts, but I hope you do!
ACTIVE  Arnold Schwarzenegger was a famous actor() who played in many movies.
    
Have you already activated () your new facebook account? If you do so, you can take part in many activities (). Some social networks are quite dead, but this is full of action()! Most people don't react() to my posts, but I hope you do! Arnold Schwarzenegger was a famous actor() who played in many movies.


Prefixes and suffixes

Put in words of the same word family.

STUDY  Most of the students () want to discover Canada's wilderness.
CULTIVATE  The cultural() diversity of the First Americans is another highlight of such a tour.
NATION  Some of the animals are native () to America, others like the horse have been brought by
IMMIGRANT  the white settlers. Every spring and fall whales migrate () along the coast.
SING  People watch them and listen to their songs () .
PLEASE  So it was a great pleasure () for us to see Canada.
DANGER  Don't be afraid - it's not dangerous() there!


Put in words of the same word family

PLEASANT  It's a pleasure () to meet you.
COMPETE  The competition() was very tough.
DESCRIBE  The description () was incomplete.
ORIGINAL  His origins () lie in the USA.
LENGTH  The movie was much too long () .
SENSITIVITY  He didn't make any sense () to me.
APOLOGY  He apologised() for what he had done earlier!



See also / siehe auch

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