WORD FORMATION

For each question, fill the space in the sentence using the base word given in bold at the end. The required word may be a noun, adverb, adjective or verb and it may be either positive (e.g. helpful) or negative (e.g. unhelpful)1

Exercise 1

1. The Sultan spent over fifty million dollars making the capital city's main hotel the most  in the country.
luxury

2. Police working on solving the bank robbery have by chance  a plan to murder a leading politician.
cover

3. We should go and eat at "Franco's" which is  a great little restaurant.
suppose

4. I left the house at 8am and stared at the empty garage in . My car was nowhere to be seen. Someone had stolen it!
believe

5. If you have any problems finding things, just ask Roger. He is very and will tell you where to find what you want.
help

6. You paid $25 for a simple breakfast?! They have certainly  you! You should go back and complain.
charge

7. The gang robbed three banks in the same city and all at about the same time. Not , they were caught by the police during the fourth attempt.
surprise

8. Sarina is only my half sister because we have  mothers.
differ

Exercise 2

1. This queue hasn't moved in five minutes. I'm getting a bit !
patient

2. Politicians should spend some time living on the streets like  people have to and then they would understand better the problems they have.
home

3. Carl was calmly taking a photograph as this  large bear walked towards the car. It was a terrifying experience...at least for me!
astonish

4. If you go walking around the factory, ensure you have  clothing on.
protect

5. Are you sure you have cleaned the kitchen? There is still a pretty smell coming from it.
pleasant

6. Although it isn't definite we will see you tomorrow, it is quite .
like

7. Be sure not to put more than three  of vodka into the mix, otherwise it will be too alcoholic.
spoon

8. Finding a cure for cancer will be a huge  breakthrough for mankind.
medicine

Exercise 3

1. Buying and selling antiques can be a very  hobby if you know how to find a good bargain.
profit

2. We were left without any money for the last part of our holiday because we had  the cost of the train ticket to Norway.
estimate

3. Mr. Transom stared  at the group of students talking in the corner and they shut up immediately.
cross

4. Jennings is so  enthusiastic about the game that his enthusiasm spreads to his team-mates and the result is usually a strong performance.
wonder

5. I think I was  sacked and have decided to bring the company to court.
fair

6. Have you seen my handbag John? It seems to have totally !
appear

7. You know your father is the most  person in the world. He is sure to be wearing one of his old sweaters to the party.
fashion

8. People will need to see  provable information before they can believe in something like life on other planets.
science

Exercise 4

1. It isn't very  that Paula is at home, is it? She usually works at this time.
like

2. Megan was told by her dietician that she was becoming  thin and should eat more.
danger

3.  is the spice of life, says the proverb and everyone should try and do new things and meet new people to avoid becoming bored.
vary

4. Harry had a difficult  and was brought up by an aunt and uncle living in the country.
child

5. The whole dispute began after a small  over the money needed to finance the new company.
agree

6. The introduction of insecticides in the 20th Century  agriculture across the world.
revolution

7. All the coastal towns in this area are  by strong tradition of dance and there is a festival of dance that takes place every August.
character

8. My company has spent a lot of money building a new,  factory which will nearly double production.
computer

Exercise 5

1. I was just trying to be  towards him and he accused me of wanting his money!
friend

2. The south-west of England, for example Devon and Cornwall, is known as the  part of the United Kingdom.
sun

3. What you may think is  is really just over-enthusiasm. He would never harm anyone.
hostile

4. Anyone being rude and  to our staff will be asked to leave the premises immediately.
abuse

5. Men have more of a  to put weight on around the waist and stomach areas and this is something they should be aware of.
tend

6. Three weeks after winning the lottery, Daniel Perkins had the  to lose a court case in which he was being sued for nearly $2million.
fortune

7. The pharmaceutical company's  have discovered a better way of combining medicines to create a flu remedy.
search

8. The babies were put up for  when their mother was jailed for her part in the murder.
adopt

Exercise 6

1. Herbert has been a(n)  member of this company's staff. I don't know what I would do without him!
dispense

2. The food at the restaurant was simply delicious. I just didn't think there was enough .
vary

3. Even though the actors did quite a poor job of bringing the book to the stage, the  was of the highest quality.
produce

4. Even though he is only 17, he is a very  tennis player who could have a big future in the game.
promise

5. The stock market has risen  in the last six months and now is a good time to invest.
consider

6. The  of the printer is often believed to have been one of the most important of the last 500 years.
invent

7. My brother chose that university because it does a very well recommended  course and that's what he has always wanted to do.
journalist

8. Hamish had the  to lose his job only three weeks after getting married. But things turned out alright in the end.
fortune

Exercise 7

1. There will be a special  meeting tomorrow morning at 9a.m which everyone has to attend.
safe

2. The modernisation of the factory  productivity but unfortunately, many people lost their jobs.
double

3. All students must take English and Mathematics. Then they must choose two other courses, but the course in International Relations is .
option

4. It is my dream to work in the ship-building industry but unfortunately, there is so much  around that I may have to alter my ambitions.
employ

5. Too much of the food we eat nowadays is full of chemicals and other .
add

6. Come to my house tomorrow,  as early as possible.
prefer

7. I do like your new friend Jasper. He tells the funniest jokes and seems to be a very  young man.
entertain

8. He has just asked me for money again. That's the  time and he doesn't seem to understand the word "no"!
three

Exercise 8

1. How long do we have to sit in this police station waiting. It's making me feel very  watching all these criminals walking past.
easy

2. He did a great report on the future of the ship-building industry but I didn't agree with his  at all.
conclude

3. I'm afraid Mr. Perkins is  at the moment. He seems to be in a meeting. Is there any message you would like me to pass on to him?
available

4. People with  have been demanding better access to the local government buildings downtown. They want a wheelchair ramp built and electric sliding doors.
able

5. I don't speak Spanish very well but I can read it quite .
easy

6. I accepted the job without  when I heard what the wage was!
hesitate

7. Stop sitting there looking so bored and . Get up and find something to do! I don't want you sitting around the house like this all summer.
enthusiasm

8. Yesterday, the government announced a $10 million increase in the town's budget to try and tackle the  problem that exists.
house

Exercise 9

1. I thought the stunts and action scenes in that movie were great! It must have been very  for the stuntmen to do some of them.
danger

2. Craig, did you see that  on TV last night for the new Volvo? I thought I would never stop laughing; it was brilliant!
advertise

3. What would have been an interesting political debate was ruined by the aggressive, bossy  and finally, one of the candidates walked out of the studio.
interview

4. Ladies and gentlemen, the creation of this new department will increase productivity and help the company to become  again.
profit

5. Young children have so much imagination and  that it never fails to amaze me. If only adults were the same!
create

6. "The problem with young people today is that they don't realise how damaging their apathy and  can be," my uncle said.
responsible

7. I don't care if you didn't hear what I said. That is your problem: a total  to listen to anything I say to you. I'm very disappointed in your behaviour.
able

8. The  charge in that restaurant is 25%. I think we should go somewhere cheaper!
serve

Exercise 10

1. I spent most of my  on a farm in Wales before the family moved to America.
child

2. In , I would like to add my congratulations to your daughter and her husband on the birth of their second child.
add

3. The  of this machine was a local farmer who stayed in the area even after the wealth and fame he found.
invent

4. Your brother made it sound like the show was going to be great. I found it very  and was feeling quite bored by the end.
excite

5. The  climate in these parts does wonders for my health. I could live here all year!
tropic

6. We expect these  conditions to continue for at least another 24 hours before things calm down a bit.
storm

7. Many of the houses in this area are considered  and will probably be demolished by the end of the year.
safe

8. The leader of the trade union tried  for re-election before finally retiring after 27 years.
success

Exercise 11

1. There are  ways you can reach the conference hall, but the tram service in this city is excellent and is probably your best option.
vary

2. You have to go in there and  them! Without your encouragement and enthusiasm, I don't know what we would do.
energy

3. We are sorry to say that there hasn't been much  in your grandmother's condition.
improve

4. It's not  to do a degree course in only two years, but you would need to work very hard.
possible

5. Your friend was a  host last night. I can't wait to meet her again.
delight

6. You're not wearing those shoes for the trek today. They are totally . Go and put some boots on.
suit

7. That was one of the most uncomfortable  I have ever been on. The turbulence was awful.
fly

8. This letter is full of . Can you type it again please?
spell

Exercise 12

1. When you start work in this restaurant, good hygiene is of the highest 
important

2. We won eleven of our chess matches but then lost the  which was so disappointing.
twelve

3. Do you have any extra cushions? This hard chair is pretty !
comfort

4. How can I begin to explain what we do here in the company? Well, , we are the people you come to if your windows are scratched and you want them to look new again.
basic

5. I can't decide between the cake and the ice cream. What a difficult .
choose

6. Coming to work on the bus must be  than using that old bicycle of yours.
easy

7. The customs officer asked me to open my suitcase and, most , to show him the contents of my handbag too. But he was very polite.
pleasant

8. It was freezing at work today. The  broke down and we were all working in our sweaters and overcoats!
heat

taken from http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/first-certificate-word-formation.php