B2 First · Use of English · Module 1, Lesson 3

Part 3: Word Formation

You're given a stem word in CAPITALS and you build the word the sentence actually needs — noun, adjective, adverb, negative, or plural. Spelling counts.

8 items 1 mark each 8–10 min target build from a stem
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What this part really tests

Part 3 gives you a "stem" word in capitals at the end of each line and asks you to change its form so it fits the gap — grammatically and in meaning. The two most common ways students lose marks: forgetting a negative prefix, and forgetting a plural ending.

The examiner's method

  1. Decide the word class the gap needs — is it a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb, based on the words around it?
  2. Decide if the meaning needs to be positive or negative — look for "not", "un-" clues, or a contrasting idea nearby.
  3. Decide if it needs to be singular or plural — check for a number, "many", "some", or an article like "a".
  4. Build the word: add the right suffix or prefix to the stem, watching for spelling changes (y→i, dropping a final e, doubling a consonant).
  5. Re-read the finished sentence to confirm it makes sense and is spelled correctly.

The affix map

Noun suffixes
-tion/-sion, -ment, -ness, -ity, -er/-or, -ance/-ence
Adjective suffixes
-able/-ible, -ful, -less, -ive, -al, -ous
Adverb suffix
-ly
Verb suffixes
-ise/-ize, -en, -ify
Negative prefixes
un-, in-/im-/il-/ir-, dis-, non-
Irregular / internal changes
strong→strength, deep→depth, wide→width, choose→choice

Worked example

Her decision to study abroad surprised everyone, but it was completely ___. (UNDERSTAND)
  1. "...was completely ___" needs an adjective.
  2. UNDERSTAND is a verb stem; add "-able" to make the adjective "understandable".
  3. No negative is needed — the sentence says the decision made sense, not that it didn't.
  4. Answer: understandable.
Try

Micro-trainer — eight word-building patterns

Eight sentences, each testing a different word-building skill: noun-from-verb, negative adjective, adverb, person noun, abstract noun, plural, irregular form, and a double affix. Type your answer and press Check.

Try score: 0 / 8
Ready for the real thing? Scroll down to Apply — a brand new 8-item passage in full exam format, against the clock.
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Exam-format practice

A new 8-item passage, official Part 3 format. Aim to finish before the timer runs out — then check your answers below.

10:00

Young People and the Freelance Economy

A growing (1) of young people are choosing freelance work over traditional jobs. Online platforms have made it far (2) to find short-term projects in design, writing, and video editing, and supporters say freelancing offers real (3), letting workers choose their own hours and clients.

However, career advisers warn that freelance income can be (4), rising and falling from month to month, and that many freelancers miss the (5) of a fixed salary and paid holidays that a regular job provides. Even so, a recent survey found that most young freelancers feel (6) with their choice and would not return to a traditional office job.

Schools are now responding by offering short courses in basic (7) skills such as budgeting and invoicing clients. Whether the trend continues will depend largely on how (8) young workers can build long-term careers without a traditional employer.

(1) NUMBER · (2) EASY · (3) FREE · (4) PREDICT · (5) SECURE · (6) SATISFY · (7) FINANCE · (8) SUCCESS

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