20 Questions
Morphemes can be used to form new words or to inflect verbs, nouns and pronouns. The first category is known as ______ morphology and it involves prefixation, suffixation or affixation, involving both prefixation and suffixation.
derivational
Whereas derivational affixes often involve a change of class, ______ suffixes never involve a change of class.
inflectional
Inflectional morphemes change what a word does in terms of grammar, but does not create a new word. They do not change one word into another and never change their syntactic category, it just create another ______ of the same word.
form
Inflectional morphemes are always ______ in English, and they include the following: plural -s (cats), possessive -’s (brother’s), comparative -er (taller), superlative -est (tallest), third person singular Present Simple -s (he walks), Past Simple -ed (walked), progressive -ing (walking).
suffixes
Because of the rich history of English as a language and spelling system, there are numerous ______ morphemes, such as -en to form plural forms (children).
irregular
Morphology fulfils two main functions in English. Morphemes can be used to form new words or to inflect verbs, nouns and pronouns. The first category is known as derivational morphology and it involves prefixation, suffixation or affixation, involving both prefixation and suffixation.
Derivational affixes often involve a change of ______.
class
Inflectional morphemes change what a word does in terms of grammar, but does not create a new word. They do not change one word into another and never change their syntactic category, it just create another ______ of the same word.
form
Inflectional morphemes are always ______ in English, and they include the following: plural -s (cats), possessive -’s (brother’s), comparative -er (taller), superlative -est (tallest), third person singular Present Simple -s (he walks), Past Simple -ed (walked), progressive -ing (walking).
suffixes
Because of the rich history of English as a language and spelling system, there are numerous irregular ______, such as -en to form plural forms (children).
morphemes
What is the function of inflectional morphology in English?
To change the grammar of words
What is the difference between derivational and inflectional morphology?
Derivational morphology forms new words, while inflectional morphology changes the grammar of words
Which of the following is an example of inflectional morphology?
-s
What is the difference between derivational and inflectional affixes?
Derivational affixes involve a change of class, while inflectional affixes never involve a change of class
What is an example of an irregular morpheme in English?
-en
What is the main difference between derivational and inflectional affixes?
Derivational affixes always involve a change of syntactic category, while inflectional affixes never do.
Which of the following is an example of a regular inflectional morpheme in English?
-ing
What is the function of derivational morphology in English?
To form new words
Which of the following is an example of an irregular inflectional morpheme in English?
-en
What is the main difference between derivational and inflectional morphology in terms of changing the meaning of a word?
Derivational morphology changes the meaning of a word, while inflectional morphology does not.
Study Notes
Morphology
- Morphemes can be used to form new words or to inflect verbs, nouns, and pronouns.
- There are two main categories of morphology: derivational morphology and inflectional morphology.
Derivational Morphology
- Involves prefixation, suffixation, or affixation.
- Often involves a change of class (e.g., from verb to noun).
- Derivational affixes change the meaning of a word.
Inflectional Morphology
- Changes what a word does in terms of grammar, but does not create a new word.
- Does not change one word into another and never changes its syntactic category.
- Creates another form of the same word.
- Inflectional morphemes are always bound in English.
- Examples of inflectional morphemes include:
- Plural -s (cats)
- Possessive -'s (brother's)
- Comparative -er (taller)
- Superlative -est (tallest)
- Third person singular Present Simple -s (he walks)
- Past Simple -ed (walked)
- Progressive -ing (walking)
Irregular Morphemes
- Examples include -en to form plural forms (children).
- These morphemes are a result of English's rich history and spelling system.
Functions of Morphology
- Derivational morphology: forms new words or changes the meaning of a word.
- Inflectional morphology: changes the grammatical function of a word without changing its meaning.
"Test Your Knowledge of English Morphology: Derivational vs. Inflectional Affixes" - Take this quiz to learn more about how morphemes are used in English to create new words and modify existing ones. Explore the differences between derivational and inflectional affixes through a series of interactive questions, and enhance your understanding of English grammar. Perfect for language learners and anyone curious about linguistics!
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