Word formation and collocation
A wrong word form can cost you marks in all four skills. Master prefixes, suffixes and word families, learn the collocation patterns examiners reward (highly likely, pose a threat, deeply concerned), fix the word-form errors that keep candidates at band 6, and use word class to predict answers in Reading and Listening completion tasks.
By the end of this lesson you will be able to:
- Use prefixes (un-, in-, dis-, mis-, over-, under-, re-, inter-, multi-) to change meaning accurately
- Use suffixes to change word class and build complete word families (develop, development, developmental)
- Choose natural collocations: adjective + noun, verb + noun and adverb + adjective (highly likely, deeply concerned)
- Find and fix common word-form errors in IELTS Writing (economic vs economical, 'the develop of')
- Predict the word class you need in Reading and Listening completion tasks
How English builds words
Most academic words are built from three parts:
- a root that carries the core meaning: employ
- a prefix at the front, which changes the meaning: unemployed (not), reemploy (again)
- a suffix at the end, which usually changes the word class: employment (noun), employable (adjective)
One root can give you six or seven words: employ → employer, employee, employment, unemployment, employable, employability. Learn the family, not the single word, and your usable vocabulary multiplies.
Suffixes tell you the word class
| Suffix | Word class | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -tion / -sion | noun | pollution, migration, expansion |
| -ment | noun | development, investment, government |
| -ity | noun | ability, density, prosperity |
| -ness | noun | awareness, effectiveness, homelessness |
| -ance / -ence | noun | reliance, dependence, significance |
| -ise / -ize | verb | prioritise, urbanise, criticise |
| -en / -ify | verb | widen, strengthen, simplify, intensify |
| -al | adjective | environmental, economical, beneficial |
| -ive | adjective | effective, competitive, innovative |
| -ous | adjective | dangerous, prosperous, contentious |
| -able / -ible | adjective | sustainable, affordable, feasible |
| -ful / -less | adjective | harmful, useful, pointless |
| -ly | adverb (from an adjective) | significantly, rapidly, increasingly |
Two warnings. -al also makes some nouns (arrival, proposal, approval, refusal), and -ly also makes some adjectives (friendly, costly, likely, elderly). There is no adverb ✘ friendlily; say in a friendly way.
Spelling: British English accepts both -ise and -ize (organise / organize); American English uses -ize. Both are accepted in IELTS, but be consistent within one essay. A few verbs are always -ise: advertise, advise, comprise, compromise, exercise, revise, supervise, surprise. Analyse is British and analyze is American.
Set 1: Prefixes that change meaning
Saved as flashcards with a free accountunprecedented
adjective/ʌnˈpresɪdentɪd/
never having happened before, or never having happened to this degree; un- (not) + precedent (an earlier example of the same thing)
নজিরবিহীন; অভূতপূর্ব
The past two decades have seen unprecedented growth in mobile phone use, even in remote villages.
inadequate
adjective/ɪnˈædɪkwət/
not good enough, or not enough in quantity, for a particular purpose; in- (not) + adequate
অপর্যাপ্ত
Inadequate funding means that many rural schools still have no science laboratory.
irreversible
adjective/ˌɪrɪˈvɜːsəbl/
impossible to change back to how it was before; the prefix in- becomes ir- before words beginning with r (irregular, irrelevant)
অপরিবর্তনীয়; যা আর আগের অবস্থায় ফেরানো যায় না
Scientists warn that some of the damage to the world's coral reefs may already be irreversible.
disproportionate
adjective/ˌdɪsprəˈpɔːʃənət/
too large or too small when compared with something else, often in an unfair way; dis- (not) + proportionate. The adverb is 'disproportionately'
অসামঞ্জস্যপূর্ণ; অনুপাতের তুলনায় অনেক বেশি (বা কম)
Climate change has a disproportionate impact on poor coastal communities, which did little to cause it.
misconception
noun/ˌmɪskənˈsepʃn/
a belief or idea that is wrong because it is based on a misunderstanding; mis- (wrongly) + conception (an idea)
ভুল ধারণা
It is a common misconception that rare words automatically raise your band score; using ordinary words accurately matters more.
overreliance
noun (uncountable)/ˌəʊvərɪˈlaɪəns/
the state of depending on something too much; over- (too much) + reliance. Also written 'over-reliance'
অতিরিক্ত নির্ভরতা
An overreliance on imported fuel leaves the economy vulnerable to sudden rises in global prices.
underestimate
verb/ˌʌndərˈestɪmeɪt/
to think that something is smaller, less important or less difficult than it really is; under- (too little) + estimate. The opposite is 'overestimate'
কম করে ধরা; প্রকৃত গুরুত্ব বা মাত্রার চেয়ে কম মনে করা
Many candidates underestimate how long it takes to transfer and check their answers in the Reading test.
underrepresented
adjective/ˌʌndəˌreprɪˈzentɪd/
present in smaller numbers than would be fair or expected in a group, job or organisation; under- + represented. Also written 'under-represented'
প্রয়োজনের তুলনায় কম প্রতিনিধিত্বপ্রাপ্ত
Women remain underrepresented in engineering, making up a minority of engineering students in most countries.
redistribute
verb/ˌriːdɪˈstrɪbjuːt/
to share something such as money, land or resources out again in a different way, usually more fairly; re- (again) + distribute. The noun is 'redistribution'
পুনর্বণ্টন করা
Progressive taxes are designed to redistribute wealth from the richest households to public services that benefit everyone.
interdependent
adjective/ˌɪntədɪˈpendənt/
depending on each other; inter- (between, among) + dependent. The noun is 'interdependence'
পরস্পরনির্ভরশীল
In a globalised world, national economies are so interdependent that a crisis in one country quickly spreads to others.
multicultural
adjective/ˌmʌltiˈkʌltʃərəl/
including people of many different ethnic groups, religions, languages and traditions; multi- (many) + cultural
বহুসাংস্কৃতিক
Studying in a multicultural city such as Toronto or London teaches students to work with people from very different backgrounds.
multifaceted
adjective/ˌmʌltiˈfæsɪtɪd/
having many different aspects or parts, so that it cannot be explained or solved in one simple way; multi- (many) + faceted (having sides)
বহুমাত্রিক; বহুমুখী
Youth unemployment is a multifaceted problem that requires action on education, investment and labour laws at the same time.
Prefixes at a glance
| Prefix | Meaning | Examples | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|
un- | not; the opposite of | unemployed, unlikely, unaffordable, unprecedented | unable, but the noun is inability (✘ unability). |
in- / im- / il- / ir- | not | inadequate, impossible, illegal, irreversible | im- before b, m, p (imbalance, immature, impractical); il- before l (illegible); ir- before r (irrelevant). In income and inflow, in- means 'into'. |
dis- | not; the opposite action | disagree, disadvantage, disproportionate, disappear | dis- + an s-word keeps both s's: dissatisfied, dissimilar. |
mis- | wrongly; badly | misunderstand, misuse, misinform, misconception | mis- + an s-word keeps both s's: misspell, misstatement. A very common spelling error. |
over- | too much; above | overpopulated, overestimate, overcrowded, overreliance | Not always negative: overall, overseas, overview. |
under- | too little; below | underfunded, underestimate, underpaid, underrepresented | underground, underline = below. Useful pairs: overpaid / underpaid. |
re- | again; back | rebuild, reconsider, redistribute, recycle | Use a hyphen if the meaning would change or two e's meet: re-cover (cover again) vs recover (get better); re-enter. |
inter- | between; among | international, interaction, interdependent, intercity | Do not confuse with intra- (within): intranet. |
multi- | many | multinational, multicultural, multilingual, multifaceted | Usually one word (multinational), though British English writes multi-storey. |
non- | not | non-renewable, non-profit, non-communicable | Usually hyphenated in British English: non-existent. |
counter- | against; opposite | counterproductive, counter-argument, counterpart | A counter-argument is the opposing view in a discussion essay. |
pre- / post- | before / after | pre-industrial, postgraduate, post-war | postgraduate (one word) but post-war, pre-war (hyphen). |
Check: prefixes
7 questions- 1
The government's flood response was widely criticised as : there were too few boats, too little food and no clear plan.
- 2
Once a species becomes extinct, the loss is : it can never be undone.
- 3
It is a common that people in rural areas do not use the internet; in fact, mobile data use in villages has grown rapidly.
- 4
Match each prefix with its meaning.
un-mis-over-under-re-inter-multi- - 5
Which word means 'the state of not being able to do something'?
- 6
Which word is spelt correctly?
- 7
Choose the word that best completes the sentence: 'Women are still ___ in parliament: they hold far fewer seats than men.'
Answer every question to check.
Set 2: Suffixes that build band 7+ words
Saved as flashcards with a free accountprioritise
verb/praɪˈɒrətaɪz/
to decide which of several things is most important and deal with it first; priority + -ise (American spelling 'prioritize')
অগ্রাধিকার দেওয়া
Governments with limited budgets must prioritise primary healthcare over expensive specialist hospitals.
deterioration
noun/dɪˌtɪəriəˈreɪʃn/
the process of becoming worse; from the verb 'deteriorate' + -ion
অবনতি
Rapid industrialisation has led to a serious deterioration in air quality around Dhaka, where brick kilns are a major source of pollution.
advancement
noun/ədˈvɑːnsmənt/
progress or development in a particular area, or the act of helping something make progress; advance + -ment
অগ্রগতি
Technological advancement has made it possible for students in rural Bangladesh to attend online classes taught by teachers in Dhaka.
feasibility
noun (uncountable)/ˌfiːzəˈbɪləti/
the degree to which a plan or idea is possible and practical to carry out; feasible + -ity
সম্ভাব্যতা; বাস্তবায়নযোগ্যতা
Engineers carried out feasibility studies for several years before construction of the Padma Bridge began.
effectiveness
noun (uncountable)/ɪˈfektɪvnəs/
how well something works or produces the result that was intended; effective + -ness
কার্যকারিতা
Researchers are still debating the effectiveness of homework for primary school children.
beneficial
adjective/ˌbenɪˈfɪʃl/
having a good or helpful effect; formed from the noun 'benefit' + -ial
উপকারী; হিতকর
Regular exercise is beneficial to both physical and mental health.
counterproductive
adjective/ˌkaʊntəprəˈdʌktɪv/
having the opposite effect to the one that was intended; counter- (against) + productive
বিপরীত ফলদায়ক; উদ্দেশ্যের উল্টো ফল দেয় এমন
Banning mobile phones completely in schools may be counterproductive, because students then use them secretly and without guidance.
contentious
adjective/kənˈtenʃəs/
likely to cause disagreement or argument between people; related to 'contention' (disagreement) + -ous
বিতর্কিত
Whether rich countries should pay compensation for climate damage remains a highly contentious issue.
substantially
adverb/səbˈstænʃəli/
by a large amount or to a large degree; substantial + -ly
উল্লেখযোগ্যভাবে; অনেকখানি
The number of girls enrolled in secondary schools in Bangladesh has increased substantially since the 1990s.
Word families: the forms you need
| Noun | Verb | Adjective | Adverb | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
development, developer | develop | developed, developing, developmental | — | the development of (✘ the develop of); developing countries (✘ develop countries) |
economy, economics, economist | economise | economic, economical | economically | economic = about the economy; economical = saving money |
competition, competitor, competitiveness | compete | competitive | competitively | compete with rivals for jobs; a competitive market |
responsibility | — | responsible, irresponsible | responsibly | take responsibility for (✘ take responsible) |
significance | signify | significant, insignificant | significantly | of great significance; rose significantly (adverb after the verb) |
benefit, beneficiary | benefit | beneficial | — | benefit from something; beneficial to/for (✘ it is benefit for) |
effect, effectiveness | affect (influence); effect (bring about, formal) | effective, ineffective | effectively | Pollution affects health = has an effect on health |
society, sociology | socialise | social, societal | socially | societal = relating to society as a whole: societal change |
industry, industrialisation | industrialise | industrial, industrious | industrially | industrial = about industry; industrious = hard-working! |
reliance, reliability | rely (on) | reliant (on), reliable | reliably | reliable = can be trusted; reliant on = dependent on |
criticism, critic | criticise | critical | critically | A critic is a person; criticism is what they say: face criticism |
likelihood, probability | — | likely, unlikely, probable | probably | There is a strong likelihood that…; highly likely (✘ high likely) |
poverty | impoverish | poor, impoverished | poorly | poor people or people living in poverty (✘ poverty people) |
danger | endanger | dangerous, endangered | dangerously | endangered species (at risk of dying out) vs dangerous animals (can hurt you) |
employment, unemployment, employer, employee | employ | employed, unemployed, employable | — | unemployed people (✘ unemployment people); the unemployment rate |
Word forms in context
8 questions- 1
The rapid (URBAN) of Bangladesh has put enormous pressure on housing and transport.
- 2
Many people are (AWARE) of how much water they waste every day.
- 3
Travelling by bus is far more (ECONOMY) than driving a private car to work.
- 4
Air pollution in the capital has increased (SIGNIFICANT) over the past decade.
- 5
Governments should take (RESPONSIBLE) for protecting endangered species.
- 6
Online learning can be highly (BENEFIT) for students in remote areas.
- 7
A summary completion task contains this gap: 'The new policy led to a sharp ___ in the number of private cars.' What kind of word is needed?
- 8
Which word correctly completes the sentence? 'Average temperatures have risen ___ since 1990.'
Answer every question to check.
Set 3: Confusable forms and adverb + adjective collocations
Saved as flashcards with a free accounteconomic
adjective/ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk/
connected with the economy, trade, industry and money of a country or region
অর্থনৈতিক
The garment industry has been the main engine of Bangladesh's economic growth for decades.
economical
adjective/ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪkl/
using money, fuel, time or space carefully without waste; cheap to run
সাশ্রয়ী; মিতব্যয়ী
Electric buses are more economical to run than diesel ones, even though they cost more to buy.
historic
adjective/hɪˈstɒrɪk/
important or famous in history, or likely to be remembered as important in the future
ঐতিহাসিক (ইতিহাসে স্মরণীয় ও গুরুত্বপূর্ণ)
The opening of the Padma Bridge in 2022 was a historic moment for the people of south-western Bangladesh.
historical
adjective/hɪˈstɒrɪkl/
connected with the past or with the study of history; describing people, events or records that really existed in the past
ইতিহাস-সংক্রান্ত; অতীত-সম্পর্কিত
Historical records show that Dhaka was already an important trading centre under the Mughals.
continual
adjective/kənˈtɪnjuəl/
happening again and again with short breaks in between, often in an annoying way
বারবার ঘটে এমন; থেমে থেমে চলা
Residents complained about continual interruptions to their electricity supply during the hottest months.
continuous
adjective/kənˈtɪnjuəs/
happening or existing without any stop or break
অবিরাম; নিরবচ্ছিন্ন
Hospitals need a continuous supply of electricity, so most have their own back-up generators.
highly likely
phrase (adverb + adjective)/ˌhaɪli ˈlaɪkli/
very probable. 'Highly' means 'to a high degree' and is the natural partner of likely, unlikely, effective, successful, qualified and controversial (never 'high likely')
খুবই সম্ভাব্য
If current trends continue, it is highly likely that online shopping will keep growing rapidly in Bangladesh.
deeply concerned
phrase (adverb + adjective)/ˌdiːpli kənˈsɜːnd/
very worried about something important. 'Deeply' combines with feelings and beliefs: deeply concerned, deeply rooted, deeply divided, deeply committed
গভীরভাবে উদ্বিগ্ন
Many parents are deeply concerned about the amount of time their children spend on social media.
widely accepted
phrase (adverb + past participle)/ˌwaɪdli əkˈseptɪd/
believed or agreed by most people. 'Widely' means 'by many people or in many places': widely accepted, widely available, widely used, widely believed
ব্যাপকভাবে স্বীকৃত
It is now widely accepted that human activity is the main cause of global warming.
heavily dependent on
phrase (adverb + adjective + preposition)/ˌhevɪli dɪˈpendənt ɒn/
relying on something very much, so that you would have serious problems without it. 'Heavily' is a natural partner for dependence, reliance, investment, pollution and subsidies
ব্যাপকভাবে নির্ভরশীল
Bangladesh's export earnings are heavily dependent on a single industry: ready-made garments.
Collocation patterns examiners reward
| Pattern | Strong combinations | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
adjective + noun | a significant increase, a growing concern, a major obstacle, a key factor, a widespread belief, heavy traffic, heavy rain | ✘ strong rain, ✘ big traffic |
verb + noun | pose a threat, play a role, raise awareness, address an issue, conduct research, meet demand, take measures | ✘ make research, ✘ rise awareness, ✘ do a crime (→ commit a crime) |
adverb + adjective | highly likely, deeply concerned, widely available, increasingly common, heavily dependent on, fully aware of | ✘ high likely; ✘ hardly dependent when you mean 'very dependent' (hardly = almost not) |
verb + adverb | rise sharply, decline steadily, vary considerably, differ significantly, firmly believe, strongly recommend | ✘ increase highly, ✘ differ highly |
noun + noun | traffic congestion, energy consumption, labour shortage, life expectancy, unemployment rate | ✘ unemployed rate, ✘ life expectation |
adjective + preposition | responsible for, dependent on, aware of, capable of, beneficial to / for, similar to | ✘ responsible of, ✘ dependent of, ✘ capable to |
Using word formation in Reading and Listening completion tasks
- 1
Read around the gap
Before you read or listen, look at the words immediately before and after each gap. They tell you what kind of word is missing:
- the + ___ + of → noun (the expansion of the port)
- a + adjective + ___ → noun (a sharp decline)
- very / more / the most + ___ → adjective (the most reliable method)
- has / have been + ___ → past participle (has been demolished)
- verb + ___ → adverb (rose steadily)
- 2
Check singular or plural
A or an before the gap means a singular countable noun. A plural verb after the gap (___ were found) means a plural noun. In Listening the final -s is part of the answer: factory and factories are different answers, and only one is correct.
- 3
Predict the meaning, including any prefix
Decide whether the missing word is positive or negative. If the notes say the scheme proved ___ for most families and the context is about cost, expect something like unaffordable or too expensive. This helps you recognise the answer when the passage paraphrases the question.
- 4
Copy the exact form; never change it
In Reading, answers must be taken from the passage in exactly the form they appear. If the gap needs a noun but the passage has the verb expand, you are probably reading the wrong sentence: look nearby for expansion. In Listening, write the word exactly as you hear it, spelled correctly.
- 5
Check the finished sentence
Read the completed sentence back to yourself. Is it grammatical? A result like the government decided to investment shows immediately that you have chosen the wrong word or the wrong form.
Word formation in a Task 2 paragraph
Band 6 paragraph
In my opinion, economical development is more important than protecting the environment in poor countries. When a country develops, people get more jobs and their life becomes more comfort. However, pollution is very danger for people's health, so the government must take responsible for reducing it. If not, it will be very difficult to solve the problem in the future.
Band 8 paragraph
Admittedly, economic growth is a pressing priority for developing nations, since it creates employment and lifts millions out of poverty. However, it is highly likely that growth achieved at the expense of the environment will prove counterproductive: polluted rivers and toxic air impose substantial health costs, and some damage to soil and water is irreversible. Governments should therefore prioritise development that is both economically and environmentally sustainable, rather than treating the two as competing goals.
The band 6 paragraph communicates its idea, but it contains four word-form errors (economical → economic, comfort → comfortable, danger → dangerous, responsible → responsibility) and relies on general words. The band 8 paragraph uses a wide range of accurately formed words: nouns (employment, poverty), adjectives (counterproductive, irreversible, substantial), an adverb + adjective collocation (highly likely) and paired adverbs (economically and environmentally). Notice that most of these are ordinary words in the correct form, not rare vocabulary.
Fix the word form
7 questions- 1
Find and correct the mistake:
The develop of public transport should be a priority for every city.
- 2
Find and correct the mistake:
Bangladesh has achieved impressive economical growth over the past twenty years.
- 3
Find and correct the mistake:
It is high likely that more people will work from home in the future.
- 4
Find and correct the mistake:
Many unemployment people move abroad to find work.
- 5
Find and correct the mistake:
Air pollution has a serious affect on children's health.
- 6
Find and correct the mistake:
Smoking in public places is very danger for non-smokers.
- 7
Find and correct the mistake:
The government should take responsible for providing clean water.
Answer every question to check.
Writing Task 2 practice
120+ words · 15 minWrite ONE body paragraph (120–150 words) for the IELTS Writing Task 2 question below. Use at least six words or collocations from this lesson accurately, including at least two words with a prefix and two adverb + adjective collocations.
Some people believe that economic development is more important than protecting the environment, especially in developing countries.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Your paragraph should support your own view. Start with a clear topic sentence, explain your reasoning, and give a specific example (Bangladesh works well here). When you finish, check every noun, verb, adjective and adverb: is each word in the correct form?
Self-check before submitting
- ☐ My first sentence is a clear topic sentence that states my view.
- ☐ I used at least six lesson words or collocations accurately (e.g. economic, irreversible, unprecedented, disproportionate, counterproductive, highly likely, heavily dependent on, prioritise).
- ☐ I used at least two words with a prefix and two adverb + adjective collocations.
- ☐ Every 'the ___ of' phrase in my paragraph contains a noun (the development of, not the develop of).
- ☐ I used economic (about the economy) and economical (saving money) correctly.
- ☐ I used adverbs to describe verbs and adjectives (grow rapidly, highly likely) and adjectives to describe nouns.
- ☐ I included a specific, realistic example.
Final review
9 questions- 1
Planners seriously the cost of the bridge, which in the end was three times higher than their first estimate.
- 2
Scientists warn that if sea levels keep rising, some of the damage to the Sundarbans could be .
- 3
Match each sentence beginning with the most natural ending.
It is highly…These customs are deeply…Mobile banking is now widely…The region is heavily…Most smokers are fully… - 4
Choose TWO correct sentences.
Select 2.
- 5
Which word completes the sentence? 'The ___ of the scheme has been questioned, as it costs far more than expected and achieves very little.'
- 6
A summary says: 'Coastal communities have suffered a ___ share of the damage.' Which word fits?
- 7
What does 'industrious' mean?
- 8
Find and correct the mistake:
The new law proved counterproductivity, because it encouraged people to hide their income.
- 9
There is a common (CONCEIVE) that IELTS examiners reward long, rare words.
Answer every question to check.
Key takeaways
Keep your progress
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