Noun Derivation Methods Quiz

Study Notes

Noun Derivation

Common methods for deriving nouns from other word classes (adjectives and verbs) often use suffixes.
Three common suffixes for deriving nouns from adjectives are:
- ity (e.g., equality)
- ness (e.g., goodness)
- ism (e.g., radicalism)
These suffixes signify the quality or state of being described by the adjective.
Nouns can also be derived from the base form of an adjective, not necessarily the adjective ending in -ous. For example, "ferocity" comes from "feroc," not "ferocious."
The ity suffix often works with adjectives ending in ious (e.g., capacity from capacious).
Some nouns derive directly from adjectives (e.g., deliciousness from delicious).

Verb-Derived Nouns

Six common suffixes for deriving nouns from verbs are:
- ance/-ence (e.g., performance, reference)
- ment (e.g., engagement)
- ing (e.g., singing)
- ation/-ion (e.g., organization, confusion)
- al (e.g., arrival, referral)
- er (e.g., writer)
Derivation is not limited to affixation (suffixes and prefixes).
Other methods include:
- Changing stress position (e.g., object/judgement)
- Altering final consonants (e.g., prove/proof, believe/belief)
- Changing vowels (e.g., song/sing, seat/sit)
Other languages also use these derivational strategies.

Adjective Derivation

Adjective derivation primarily utilizes prefixes.
The only common suffix is -ish meaning "somewhat" or "somewhat like" (e.g., greenish, smallish).
The prefix un- commonly signifies a contrasting opposite (e.g., unhappy, unrelated).
The prefix in- often signifies negativity or a lack of a quality (e.g., inexpensive, impossible).

Description

This quiz tests your knowledge on the methods of deriving nouns from adjectives and verbs using suffixes. Learn about common suffixes like ity, ness, and ment and how they alter the meaning of the base words. Challenge yourself to understand the nuances of noun formation in English.