Course: Lexicology 2

Teacher: Mgr. Petra Jesensk, PhD

LEXICAL EXERCISES
















MISTZTAL, Mariusz. 1999. Tests in English Word-formation. Havl. Brod : Fragment. 232 pp. ISBN 80-
7200-375-5.






1 PREFIXES OF ATTITUDE

EXERCISE 1
Which of the following words do not take prefix A-? Add correct attitude or negative prefixes to
the odd words.

connect dependent ice measure
moral political sensual septic
sexual social symmetry tie
typical

EXERCISE 2
Prefix ANTI- can be used with different meanings. Divide the following words formed with ANTI-
into two groups:
1) when it means opposed to a particular system or practice or to a particular group of people or their
policies, culture, or power;
2) when it means intended to prevent something from happening or to destroy something harmful.

anti-abortion anti-apartheid antibacterial anti-British
anti-burglar anti-cancer anticommunist antidemocratic
antifascist anti-freeze antifungal anti-government
anti-infection anti-marriage anti-racist antireligious
anti-rust
anti-war
anti-seasickness anti-submarine anti-tank

EXERCISE 3
Which of the following words do not take prefix ANTI-? Add correct attitude or negative prefixes
to the odd words.
abortion aggression agree balance
behaviour burglar cancer capitalist
freeze fungal government happiness
infection intelligent nuclear pollution
practice trust usual

EXERCISE 4
Which of the following words do not take prefix COUNTER-? Add correct attitude or negative
prefixes to the odd words.

accusation argument attack balance
belief comfort espionage force
move plot reform stability
symmetry tidiness willingness

EXERCISE 5
Divide the following words into two groups:
1) the ones taking ANTI-,
2) the ones taking COUNTER-.

-abortion
-American
balance
-cancer
example
measure
plot
-reform
-submarine
accusation
-apartheid
bacterial
claim
-freeze
-missile
-pollution
religious
-war
act
argument
blow
communist
-government
move
proposal
revolution
-aggression
attack
-burglar
espionage
-infection
nuclear
reaction
-seasickness


2 PREFIXES of TIME and ORDER

EXERCISE 6
PRE- can be used with different meanings. Divide the following words formed with PRE- into
two groups:
1) when it means before, e.g. pre-Christian,
2) when it means already, e.g. prepaid.

re-arranged
pre-cooked
predestination
prefabricated
pre-industrial
pre-planned
pre-retirement
pre-selection
pre-1950
pre-birth
pre-cut
pre-digested
pre-heated
premarital
pre-prepared
pre-revolution
preset

pre-booked
pre-dawn
pre-election
prehuman
pre-packed
pre-recorded
pre-Roman
pre-sixteenth
century
pre-Christmas
pre-delivery
pre-examination
pre-independence
pre-payment
pre-Reformation
pre-school
prewar

EXERCISE 7
Which of the following verbs take FORE- and which PRE-?

cast
see
-date
shadow
decease
tell
determine
view
judge
warn

EXERCISE 8
FORE- can be used with different meanings. Divide the following words formed with FORE- into
two groups:
1) when it means before, e.g. foretell,
2) when it means the front, e.g. forearm.

forearm
forefoot
forelimb
foreshore
forecast
forehead
forepart
foresight
foredoomed
foreknowledge
foresee
foreskin
forefathers
foreleg
foreshadow
forewarn

EXERCISE 9
Not only PRE- and FORE- but also ANTE- have before as part of their meaning. Divide the
following words into three groups: those taking PRE-, ANTE-, or FORE-. Are there any which
can take more than one of the prefixes?

-birth
date
fathers
room
-war
cast-
decease
knowledge
-school
warn
chamber
doomed
marital
see
-1900
-Christian
-examination
natal
tell

EXERCISE 10
Prefix RE- added to a verb indicates that an action is done or happens a second time. In which
of the following words RE- may have a different meaning? What is the meaning of the odd
word?

reappear
recover
redistribute
remove
re-read
restart
rebuild
recreate
re-examine
rename
research
restrain
reconsider
redefine
release
reopen
reserve
reunite
reconstruct
rediscover
remarry
reprint
resolve
rewrite


3 NUMBER PREFIXES

EXERCISE 11
BI- can be used with different meanings. Divide the following words formed with BI- into two
groups:
1) when it means two, e.g. bicycle,
2) when it means twice, e.g. biweekly.

biannual
bilateral
binoculars
bicarbonate
bilingual
bisect
bicentenary
bimonthly
bigamy
binary

What are the two possible meanings of the following sentence:
"The film festival takes place biyearly"?

EXERCISE 12
Words with both DEMI- and SEMI- have half as part of their meaning. Divide the following into
two groups:
1) those which take DEMI-,
2) those which take SEMI-.

-annual
-monde
circle
-tone
-detached
-world
-god

EXERCISE 13
SEMI- can be used with different meanings. Divide the following words formed with SEMI- into
two groups:
1) when it means half, e.g. semicircular,
2) when it means partly, e.g. semi-official.

semi-annual
semi-retired
semi-automatic
semi-skilled
semicircle
semi-tone
semi-detached

EXERCISE 14
Words with both MULTI- and POLY- have many as part of their meaning. Choose which of the
given prefixes can be used with the given word or stem:

MULTI / POLY coloured
MULTI / POLY-dimensional
MULTI / POLYglot
MULTI / POLYgraph
MULTI / POLYlingual
MULTI / POLYphony
MULTI / POLYstorey
MULTI / POLYtalented
MULTI / POLYtheism
MULTI/POLY cultural
MULTI/ POLY-flavoured
MULTI / POLYgram
MULTI / POLYlateral
MULTI / POLYnational
MULTI / POLYracial
MULTI / POLYsyllabic
MULTI / POLYtechnic

EXERCISE 15
Which of the following can take:
1) POLY- (meaning many),
2) MONO- (meaning one, single),
3) either prefix?

MONO/POLYculture
MONO/POLYgon
MONO/POLYphonic
MONO/POLYtechnic
MONO/POLYxide
MONO/POLYgamy
MONO/POLYgraph
MONO/POLYplane
MONO/POLYtheism
MONO/POLYglot
MONO/POLYgram
MONO/POLYsyllabic
MONO/POLYtone



EXERCISE 16
Both UNI- and MONO- have one, single as part of their meaning. Divide the following into two
groups:
1) those which take UNI-,
2) those which take MONO-.

form
culture
lateral
syllabic
sex
theism
chrome
tone

EXERCISE 17
Give the defined words. If you find this task too difficult, match the definitions with the right
words given under the exercise. Note that sometimes there are more words than definitions!

A. Note: words with OMNI- have all as part of their meaning.
OMNI..... having complete power to do anything that is desired
OMNI..... having unlimited knowledge
OMNI..... present everywhere at the same time
OMNI..... able to eat all kinds of food

A.
omniscient
omnivorous
omnipotent
omnipresent

B. Note: words with UNI- have one or single as part of their meaning.
UNI..... being the only existing one of its type
UNI..... the same, not varying in any way
UNI..... believing that God is one person and rejecting the dogma of the Trinity
UNI..... to bring together
UNI..... a horse-like creature with a single horn
UNI..... involving only one group or country
UNI..... intended for use by both men and women

B.
unicorn
unify
unique
Unitarian
uniform
unilateral
unisex

C. Note: words with TRI- have three as part of their meaning.
TRI...
TRI
TRI...
TRI...
TRI...
TRI...
TRI...
a painting consisting of three parts
of which three copies are made
lasting for, happening or done every three hundred years
a group of three
three children born at one birth
a series of three books
a geometrical figure with three straight sides
C.
triangle
triennial
trio
triplex
triptych
tricentennial
trilogy
triplet
triplicate
triumvirate

EXERCISE 18
Match the number prefixes with their explanations.

Bilateral, Bicentennial
CENTigrade, CENTimetre
DECAgon, DECAlitre
KILOcalorie, KILOwatt
MEGAbyte, MEGAhertz
OCTAgon, OCTAve
PENTAgon, PENTAmeter
POLYtheism, POLYsyllabism
QUADrangle, QUADrilateral
TRIangle, TRIlogy
UNIlateral, UNIsex
= eight
= five
= four
= a hundred
= many
= a million
= single
= ten
= a thousand
= three
= two, twice

4 GENERAL SUFFIX EXERCISES

EXERCISE 19
Fill in the table as shown in the example.
e. g.
SUBJECT
art
PERSON
artist
ADJECTIVE
artistic

SUBJECT PERSON ADJECTIVE
analysis ... ...
... ... biological
... economist
electricity ... ...
geography ... ..
... ... grammatical
history ...
... ... linguistic
... ... logical
machine ... ...
... ... physical
science ... ...

EXERCISE 20
Complete the given stems with the suffix the meaning of which is given next to it.

SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLES
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
......
vehicle
lover of
surgical removal
device for measuring
fear of
people
speaking, discussion
rule
killing
inflammation
resemble
study of
device for transmitting sound
angle
rule, government
record, writing
affected by
illness
air...
Anglo...
append...
baro...
claustro...
country...
deca...
dem...
fungi...
hepat...
human...
method...
micro...
octa...
olig...
photo...
poverty-...
tubercul...
space...
biblio...
tonsilI...
chrono...
xeno...
kins...
mono...
techn...
regi...
appendic...
fung...
the
ear...
deca...
an...
auto
terror-...
scler...

-ARCHY
-GON
-OCRACY
-PHOBIA
-CIDE
-GRAPH
-OID
-PHONE
-CRAFT
-ITIS
-OLOGY
-STRICKEN
-ECTOMY
-LOGUE
-OSIS
-FOLK
-METER
-PHILE

EXERCISE 21
-FUL can be used with different meanings.
Divide the following words formed with -FUL into two groups:
1) nouns, referring to amounts and measurement, e.g. teaspoonful,
2) adjectives describing characteristics and qualities, e.g. beautiful.

armful
dutiful
houseful
peaceful
tablespoonful
cheerful
glassful
joyful
plateful
thankful
cupful
graceful
merciful
pocketful
useful
deceitful
handful
mouthful
powerful
youthful
delightful
hopeful painful
spoonful






5 GENERAL PREFIX AND SUFFIX EXERCISES

EXERCISE 22
Fill in the following table as shown in the examples. In case more than one form exists, explain
the difference in meaning if any between the forms. e. g.
ROOT + ADJECTCVE(S) - ADJECTIVES MEANING
help


humour
1. helpful


1. humorous
1. helpless
2. unhelpful

1. humourless
in need of help
not giving help

+ positive meaning - negative meaning
ROOT + ADJECTIVE(S) MEANING - ADJECTIVE(S) MEANING
art 1.
2.
1.
2.

colour 1.
2.
1.
2.
1.
2.
1.
2.
doubt 1.
2.
1.
2.
faith 1.
2.
1.
2.
fault
fruit 1.
2.
1.
2.
1.
2.
grace 1. 1.
2.
1.
2.
heart
law 1.
2.
1.
2.
sense 1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
sleep 1.
spot 1.
2.
1.
2.

taste 1.
2.
1.
2.
1.
value



EXERCISE 23
Fill in the blanks with words formed from the given stems.

1. He said "Hallo" in a most ... way. FRIEND
2. To be a good novelist you really have to be very . . IMAGINE
3. I enjoyed the book very much because it was so .... . READ
4. Travelling in an aeroplane for the first time was a .... experience. MEMORY
5. Pete's parents decided that his scorpion was an .. pet. SUIT
6. Be careful! The floor has just been washed and is very . . SLIP
7. His ... knowledge is very poor he thinks Paris is in Italy. GEOGRAPHY
8. He was turned down for the job because he wasn't ... . QUALIFY
9. The film was well made but not very ... . AMUSE
10. Many ... people sleep on the streets of the capita! HOME
11. Her hair is ..., not bright red. RED
12. In some places the weather changes so quickly that it's very .. . PREDICT
13. I was ... by my friends to take this exam. COURAGE
14. Alexis is really a very ... kind of person. ART
15. This is the restaurant where most of the town's rich and ... people dine. INFLUENCE

EXERCISE 24
Fill in the blanks with words formed from the given stems.

1. My little son is always getting into trouble at school. He's not very ... . OBEY
2. Unfortunately, your illness is ... . CURE
3. Steve was bitten by a ... snake. POISON
4. He is completely ... . Not only is he lazy but he is dishonest too. EMPLOY
7. Don't leave any money lying around. He's ... . TRUST
6. There will be no pay rise in the ... future. SEE
7. Please don't tell lies. It is very ... . HONESTY
8. I asked for directions but people were rather... . HELP
9. My dog never does what it is told, it's very ... . OBEY
10. Of course it's a violet! It's colour and shape are ... . MISTAKE
11. The editor said my poems were so bad they were ... . PRINT
12. You won't be paid much as a/an ... worker. SKILL
13. The car in front braked ... and I ran into it. EXPECT
14. "This is not a good essay" said the lecturer, "I find your arguments ... ." CONVINCE
15. The factory was ... so the management tried to cut costs by making some work redundant.
COMPETE

EXERCISE 25
Fill in the blanks with words formed from the given stems.

1. Pushing into a queue is considered extremely ... . POLITE
2. This is good quality leather, but actually very ... . EXPENSE
3. Dont depend on hum, hes a very person RELY
4. Those shoes are not waterproof. They are ... for the fall. SUIT
5. Her parents ... her to apply for the job. COURAGE
6. Unfortunately Jim's bid for the 100 metre record was ... . SUCCEED
7. Even if you're good at a game, you shouldn't be ... . CONFIDE
8. Water came through our roof but luckily my books were ... . DAMAGE
9. 8:15 a.m. on Saturday is a rather ... time for an appointment. CONVENIENT
10. The world of computers is extremely ... . COMPETE
11. We feel that the laws against begging should not be ... . FORCE
12. Don't be so ..., we've only been waiting a few minutes. PATIENT
13. Most people who work feel that they are ... . PAY
14. People who suffer from ... should buy a pet. LONELY
15. Barb is a good employee, and is very ... . CONSCIENCE

EXERCISE 26
Fill in the blanks with words formed from the given stems.

1. My sister never stops talking! She's a very ... person. TALK
2. Please don't be so ..., I can't do all the work by myself. REASON
3. The judge described Smith as a "... criminal" who was a danger to members of the public. HARD
4. There are always mistakes because the firm is so ... . EFFICIENCY
5. Nobody wears clothes like that any more they are terribly ... .FASHION
6. I'll always remember that journey it was an ... experience. F0RGET
7. The new professor gave a most ... lecture to the students. IMPRESS
8. When the miners were finally rescued they were ... . EXHAUST
9. Everyone was very ... by the good news. HEART
10. His boss told him off because he had behaved ... . RESPONSE
11. Arnold is very tall and ... . MUSCLE
12. Please make the cheque ... to M. Brown. PAY
13. I couldn't help it, the accident was ... . AVOID
14. This small car is ... for long journeys. SUIT
15. The villages in the mountains are quite ... during winter. ACCESS


6 COMPOUNDS

COMPOUND NOUNS

Note: compound nouns are usually written either as two separate words or as one word; hens are very
rarely used.
There are no precise rules as to the spelling of compound nouns, but the following should be
remembered:
1) when two short nouns are joined together, they form one word without a hyphen, e.g. a schoolboy,
2) when we form compound nouns with the use of self- (self-education) or verb + particle (make-up)
we usually use a hyphen;
3) when a compound is accepted as a single word, it can be written either as one word, two separate
words or with the hyphen. The tendency, especially after a period of time when the word has been
used, is to avoid hyphens where possible.

EXERCISE 27
Combine the words in capital letters with each word of the list below it, putting it either before
or after according to the meaning. Explain the compound word you have formed in this way:
e.g. POT tea teapot = a pot for tea

BED BOOK DAY HEAD HOUSE
bath address birth big coffee
camp case break dress boat
oyster cheque dream figure hold
river coffee-table flag magnetic keeper
twin cookery time office lower
water guest pay publishing
wetting phone wife
reference
stall
talking
token

LAND MASTER TABLE TIME WORK
father
grazing
mark
lord
promised
slide

bedroom
head
list
key
school
piece
plan
old
dressing
high
linen
manners
tennis
wine

bomb
lag
limit
machine
table
prime
question
zone
day
social
team
permit
shop
stone

EXERCISE 28
Make as many compound nouns with HIGH, LOW and MlDDLE as you can, using the words
below. If you are uncertain what each of the compounds means, check in the dictionary.

HIGH- MIDDLE- LOW-
age
heels
rise
tide
church
jump
school
treason
class
light
season
way
court
name
speed
weight
finger
noon
street

EXERCISE 29
What do the following compound nouns mean?
A.
short circuit
short list
shortcoming
shortbread
shortfall
shorthand

B.
double bass
double-decker
doubles
double-glazing
double bed


EXERCISE 30
Which of the following words can be used with both FIRST and SECOND to make compound
nouns? And which form compound nouns only with FIRST or SECOND? Form all the
compounds and explain their meaning.

best born childhood class
coming cousin floor lady
language light name nature
prize sight thoughts wind

EXERCISE 31
Expressions like walking shoes may mean either:
1) shoes for walking, and then we have a compound noun.
In this case we stress the first word only, and sometimes use a hyphen.
2) shoes which are walking, and then we have a noun and an adjective.
In this case we stress both words and never use a hyphen.
Decide which of the following are compound nouns.

1. 100 degrees Centigrade is the boiling point
2. Fetch some boiling water for our tea.
3. Could I borrow a frying pan.
4. Yesterday I bought a new pair of running shoes.
5. I often fish in that running stream.
6. My English professor is a walking dictionary.
7. After the volcanic eruption everything was covered with boiling lava.
8. I need some writing paper, please.
9. I spent the whole day writing a paper for my history class.
10. Put it away, it is not drinking water.

EXERCISE 32
Combine the verbs with prepositions to form compound nouns. The meaning of the needed
compound noun is given in brackets.

break... (failure)
break... (important discovery)
check-... (cash-desk)
cut... (reduction)
drop... (person who rejects society)
feed... (comment)
print... (printed information)
shake-... (change)
turn... (change; money earned and spent)
...-pass (secondary road)
...break (start)
...let (place to sell)
out (production)
break-... (escape)
break-... (finish)
crack-... (action against)
draw... (negative aspect)
fall... (radioactive dust)
lay-... (parking at the side of a road)
set-... (start)
take... (purchase by another firm)
walk-... (strike)
... put (information that is put in)
...come (conclusion)
...look (forecast)

EXERCISE 33
What's the difference in meaning between the following pairs?

break-out versus outbreak
let-out versus outlet
hang-over versus overhang
set-up versus upset
lay-out versus outlay
look-out versus outlook
take-over versus overtake


COMPOUND ADJECTIVES

EXERCISE 34
Fill in the blanks with the right words to form compound adjectives. If you find the exercise too
difficult, look for the right words in the list below.

absent-... professor air-... apartment audio- aids
bitter-... taste blood-... monster brand-... car
breast-... infant breath... view bullet-... jacket
clean-... man cold-... criminal duty- shop
fact-... mission far-... conclusion first-... ticket
freeze-... coffee front-... news

BLOODED
FED
GOING
PROOF
SWEET
CLASS
FETCHED
MINDED
SHAVEN
VISUAL
DRIED
FINDING
NEW
TAKING
CONDITIONED
FREE
PAGE
THIRSTY

EXERCISE 35
Join words from the list with the colours to form compound colour adjectives.

blood blue bottle brick coal
electric ice iron jet lime
midnight nut ocean off pea
pearl royal sea sky snow
Colours:
...-BLACK
...-GREY
...-BLUE
...-RED
...-BROWN
...-WHITE
...-GREEN

EXERCISE 36
Some compound adjectives are borrowed from foreign languages. Explain the meaning of the
following compounds. Check their pronunciation.

a la mode
avant-garde
de luxe
laissez-faire
a priori
bona fide
de rigueur
per capita
ad hoc
cordon bleu
de trop
prima facie
ad lib
de facto
ex gratia
sub judice
au fait
de jure
infra dig

EXERCISE 37
Match the compound adjectives from list A with the right nouns from list B.

A.
a la mode
au fait
de jure
laissez-faire
a priori
avant-garde
de luxe
per capita
ad hoc
bona fide
ex gratia
prima facie
ad lib
cordon bleu
infra dig
sub judice

B.
... art
... comments
... income
... payment
... with the situation
... court case
... cuisine
... intentions
... player

... chores
... evidence
... marriage
... policy

... clothes
... hotel
... meeting
... reasoning


EXERCISE 38
In each of the following sentences there is a blank with a word just before it. Fill each blank with
a word that combines with the one given in a way that fits the sentence. If you find the exercise
too difficult, look for the right words in the list below.

1. He paid a lot of money for his FIRST-... ticket.
2. She hasn't much money to spend because she can find only a PART-... job.
3. She looks rather severe but she is really a very KIND-... woman.
4. My mother always gives her guests HOME-... cakes for tea.
5. What I'd really like for breakfast is a nice NEW-... egg.
6. We say that the SO-... "leader" of the group is just a petty tyrant.
7. I have never had any painting lessons. I am entirely SELF-....
8. Peter always wears very WELL-... shoes.
9. Our teacher isn't strict at all. She is very EASY-....
10. To be honest, I enjoy eating in HIGH-... restaurants.
11. Please enclose a SELF-... envelope.
12. Everyone began the holiday in a LIGHT-... mood.
13. This particular kind of LONG-... sheep can run quite fast.
14. I think you would be ILL-... to sell the house at the present time.
15. I much prefer having a drink in an OLD-... country club.

ADDRESSED CALLED CLASS
GOING HEARTED HEARTED
LAID LEGGED MADE/BAKED
POLISHED PRICED TAUGHT
TIME ADVISED FASHIONED

COMPOUND VERBS

Note: you cannot always guess the meaning of a compound verb if you are not already familiar with it.
Always check the meaning of the new compounds in the dictionary.

EXERCISE 39
Join words from list A and list B to form compound verbs (transitive).

A.
blow court cross cross cross
double double dry field force
hand ill nick proof rubber
sand ship spin spoon tape
white

B.
check clean cross cuff dry
dry examine feed feed glaze
martial
reference
wreck
name
stamp

paper
test

read
treat
record
wash


7 CLIPPING

Note: clipping means cutting off the beginning or the end of a word, or both, leaving a part to stand for
the whole. The resultant form is called a clipped word. The jargon of the students is filled with clipped
words: LAB, DORM, PROF, EXAM GYM, MATH, etc.
As these examples suggest, the clipping of the end of a word is the most common, and it is mostly
nouns that undergo this process.
However, be careful in using them in exams, theses, etc., as some examiner-will not accept them, and
you will lose a mark for their use. As a safe generalisation, use them only in spoken English.

EXERCISE 40
Give the original words from which these clipped words were formed.
e. g. ad advertisement

e. g. ad advertisement
bike bus co-ed coke decaf
doc exam flu fridge gas
gent grannie lab maths mike
movie phone photo plane pop
vet zoo

EXERCISE 41
Give clipped forms of the following words.
e.g. cabriolet cab

brassiere
fanatic
memorandum
perambulator
poliomyelitis
promenade dance
sergeant
communist
graduate (student)
Metropolitan Opera
permanent (hair wave)
preparatory (school)
public house
taximeter cab
dormitory
grandmother
pantaloons
periwig
professor
San Francisco
violoncello

EXERCISE 42
First names are, in spoken language, more often used in their clipped than in their original
forms. Give clipped forms of the following names. In some cases more than one form is
possible.
e.g. Elizabeth Betty

Albert
Benjamin
Elizabeth
Philip
Thomas
Alfred
Charles, Charlotte
Frederick
Richard
William
Anthony
Arnold
Edmund, Edward, Edwin
Nicholas
Samuel

EXERCISE 43
Match the clipped forms in list A with the full names in list B.

A.
Aggie
Con
Lu
Prue
Trixy
Andy
Debby
Mabel
Ray
Vee
Archie
Dora
Mae, May
Tilda

Bella
Gene
Net
Tina

Bert
Lottie
Nora
Tish


B.
Agnes
Antoinette
Christina, Albertina
Eugene
Mary
Theodora
Andrew
Arabella
Constance
Herbert
Mathilda
Veronica
Archibald
Beatrice
Deborah
Letitia
Prudence

Amabel
Charlotte
Eleonora
Luisa
Raymond


EXERCISE 44
Clipped words are formed not only from individual words but also from grammatical units, such
as modifier + noun. Paratrooper, for example, is a clipped form of parachutist trooper.
Give the original of these clipped words.

Aframerican Amerindian Australasia
comintern Eurasia maitre d
medicare newsboy paratrooper


8 BLENDING

Note: blending is the fusion of two words into one, usually the first part of one word with the last part of
another, as in BRUNCH, from BREAKFASTand LUNCH.
The resultant blend shares both original meanings. The two classes, blends and clipped words are not
sharply separated, and some words may be put into either class.

EXERCISE 45
Give the originals of these blends.
e.g. BRUNCH = BReakfast + lUNCH

autobus Benelux breathalyser
cablegram Eurovision heliport
Interpol motel newscast
paratroops telecast smog



EXERCISE 46
Give the blends that result from fusing these words. If you find the exercise too difficult, match
the blends given underneath with the right words.
e. g. BLOT = BLemish + spOT

binary digit
motor + pedal(cycle)
blare or blow + spurt
transfer + resistor
dumb + confound
splash + spatter


BIT BLURT DUMBFOUND MOPED TRANSISTOR SPLATTER


9 ACRONYMS

Note: acronymy is the process whereby a word is formed from the initials or beginning segments of a
succession of words.
In some cases the initials are pronounced, as in MP [em'pi:] (military police, or Member of Parliament).
In others, the initials and/or beginning segments are pronounced as the spelled word would be.
For example, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) is pronounced as ['neitou].


EXERCISE 47
Acronyms which are pronounced as sequences of letters are called alphabetisms.
Pronounce these acronyms and give their originals.

AA
BA
DC
FAO
A-bomb
BC
DIY
FBI
AC
CIA
DJ
GB
A level
c/o
D. Litt.
GMT
a.s.a.p.
C.O.D.
DNA
GP
b & b
DC
EEC/EU
HM



HRH

EXERCISE 48
Acronyms which are pronounced as sequences of letters are called alphabetisms.
Pronounce these acronyms and give their originals.

ID
LP
MP
POW
UK
IMF
LSD
mph
PTO
UN
IOU
MA
MSc
s.a.e.
US
IQ
MC
OED
SF
VSO
IRA
MD
ono
TB
wc
LA
MIT
PO Box
TV
YMCA


EXERCISE 49
Some acronyms are of Latin or French origin, but they are, very common in English.
Pronounce the following acronyms, give their originals and their English meanings.

AD
i.e.
am
NB
CD
p.a.
D.G.
RIP
e.g.
RSVP
etc.

EXERCISE 50
Acronyms pronounced as a word are very often used without knowing what the letters stand
for.
Pronounce the following acronyms and give their originals.
e.g. NATO ['neitou] -North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

Basic English
OPEC
UNICEF
GATT
SALT
UNO
laser
UFO
WASP
radar
UNESCO