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English Morphology Test: Word Formation and Morphemes

Quick, free English morphology practice. 15 questions. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: M Kairul Azhar Ahmad ShukriUpdated Aug 25, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
Questions: 20
Learning OutcomesStudy Material
Colorful paper art depicting elements related to English Morphology Knowledge Test quiz

This morphology test helps you check how English words are built from morphemes, roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Answer 15 quick questions, see your score instantly, and spot areas to review. For more practice, try the word formation quiz, the root word quiz, or the etymology quiz.

Identify the root of the word "unhappiness".
nip
happy
un
happiness
The root of "unhappiness" is "happy"; "un-" is a prefix and "-ness" a suffix. The root conveys the core meaning of the word.
Which of the following is an inflectional suffix?
-ness
-s
-ly
-ful
The suffix "-s" marks plural on nouns, which is an inflectional function. Inflectional suffixes modify grammatical features like number.
What type of morpheme is "bio" in "biology"?
Derivational suffix
Inflectional suffix
Bound root
Free root
"Bio-" cannot stand alone and must attach to other elements, so it is a bound root. It provides the core lexical meaning of life.
Identify the derivational suffix in the word "careless".
-ly
-ful
-ing
-less
The suffix "-less" derives an adjective meaning "without care" from the noun "care." It changes the word's lexical category.
Which word shows a plural inflection?
dogs
running
runned
ran
"Dogs" is formed by adding the inflectional suffix "-s" to "dog" to indicate plural number. Other forms are irregular or non-plural forms.
Break down the word "international" into its constituent morphemes.
interstate + national
inter + nat + ion + al
inter + nation + al
int + er + national
"International" consists of the prefix "inter-" (between), the root "nation," and the derivational suffix "-al." This structure shows clear morphemic boundaries.
Which word contains both derivational and inflectional morphemes?
walked
happiness
cups
nationalities
"Nationalities" has the derivational suffixes "-al" and "-ity" forming a noun, plus the inflectional plural suffix "-s." That combination meets both functions.
Select the correct adjective meaning "capable of being broken."
brokenable
breakable
breakability
breakible
The word is formed by root "break" plus the derivational suffix "-able." Orthographic rules retain the final "k," yielding "breakable."
Identify the free morpheme in the word "unbelievably".
believe
un-
-ly
-ably
"Believe" is a free morpheme because it can stand alone as a word. The other elements are bound affixes.
Which pair illustrates zero derivation (conversion) in English?
bottle (n) â†' to bottle (v)
quick â†' quickly
pale â†' paled
modern â†' modernize
"Bottle" converts from noun to verb without any added affix, demonstrating zero derivation. Other pairs involve overt affixation.
In the word "reusable," which morphemes are present?
re + useable
re + use + able
re + usa + ble
reus + able
"Reusable" is formed from the prefix "re-" (again), the root "use," and the suffix "-able." This yields an adjective meaning usable again.
Which word contains a bound root?
quickly
kindness
transport
happy
In "transport," the element "port" is a bound root meaning "carry," unable to stand alone. The others have free roots plus affixes.
Derive a noun to mean "the act of teaching again" from the root "teach."
teachingagain
re-teachment
teachness
reteaching
"Re-" (again) + "teach" + "-ing" forms the gerund noun "reteaching," meaning teaching once more. Other formations are nonstandard.
Which process creates an antonym in English?
happy â†' unhappy
happy â†' happiness
run â†' running
cat â†' cats
The prefix "un-" is a derivational affix that attaches to adjectives to form their antonyms. The other examples do not create opposites.
What type of morpheme is "-ity" in "purity"?
Prefix
Free morpheme
Inflectional suffix
Derivational suffix
"-ity" derives a noun from an adjective, which is a derivational function. It changes the word class and meaning.
After which sound environment does the English plural morpheme surface as /ɪz/?
Stop sounds
Sibilant sounds
Nasal sounds
Vowel sounds
The plural suffix surfaces as /ɪz/ after sibilant consonants (/s, z, ʃ, tʃ, dÊ'/) to facilitate pronunciation. Other environments use /s/ or /z/.
Which derivational affix is considered most productive in contemporary English?
-ment
over-
-ity
-ness
The suffix "-ness" is highly productive, forming nouns from adjectives in a wide range of cases. Other affixes are less freely applied.
How many derivational morphemes does the word "antidisestablishmentarianism" contain?
5
4
3
6
The derivational morphemes are anti-, dis-, -ment, -arian, and -ism, totaling five. Each changes meaning or class within the word.
Which of the following is an example of infixation in informal English?
fan-bloody-tastic
untouchable
breakable
unbelievable
"Fan-bloody-tastic" inserts "bloody" inside the base, exemplifying infixation. The others use prefixes or suffixes only.
What type of morpheme is the clitic "'s" in "It's raining"?
Inflectional suffix
Free morpheme
Clitic
Derivational suffix
The "'s" in "It's" is a clitic representing the verb "is," attaching to the preceding word. It behaves like an independent word phonologically.
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Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse root words and affixes in English
  2. Identify derivational and inflectional morphemes
  3. Apply morphological rules to form new words
  4. Evaluate word structure in complex vocabulary
  5. Demonstrate understanding of morpheme functions
  6. Master the classification of English morphemes

Cheat Sheet

  1. Understand Morphemes - Morphemes are the tiniest units of meaning in any language, like building blocks for words. In "unhappiness," you can spot three morphemes: "un-" (a prefix that flips the meaning), "happy" (the root), and "-ness" (a suffix that turns an adjective into a noun). Playing detective with morphemes helps you break down big words into bite-sized pieces!
  2. Differentiate Free vs. Bound Morphemes - Free morphemes can stand alone as full words (think "book" or "sing"), while bound morphemes hitch a ride on other words (like "-s" in "books" or "re-" in "redo"). Spotting this difference gives you a secret superpower for word analysis. With practice, you'll instantly know which parts can dance solo and which need a partner!
  3. Recognize Affixes - Affixes are like word accessories: prefixes attach at the start (e.g., "un-" in "unhappy") and suffixes clip on at the end (e.g., "-ness" in "happiness"). They tweak the meaning or part of speech of the root word. Collecting affixes expands your vocabulary collection with flair!
  4. Distinguish Derivational vs. Inflectional Morphemes - Derivational morphemes change a word's meaning or its part of speech (like "happy" → "happiness"), while inflectional morphemes tweak grammar (tense, number, degree) without altering the core meaning (like "book" → "books"). It's the difference between transforming a word and simply dressing it up for grammar class!
  5. Learn Allomorphs - Allomorphs are variant pronunciations of the same morpheme: the plural "-s" sounds like /s/ in "cats," /z/ in "dogs," and /ɪz/ in "buses," yet they all mean "more than one." Recognizing allomorphs fine-tunes your ear and writing skills. It's like spotting costume changes for the same actor!
  6. Explore Compounding - Compounding fuses two or more free morphemes into a shiny new word, such as "notebook" (note + book) or "sunflower" (sun + flower). This trick lets you invent vivid terms on the fly. Your imagination is the limit when you start compounding!
  7. Understand Infixation - Infixation is the rare art of slipping a morpheme into the middle of a word. English doesn't do it much, but in Tagalog "kain" (eat) becomes "kumain" (ate) by infixing "um." Discovering infixes shows you just how creative languages can get!
  8. Recognize Zero Morphemes - A zero morpheme is invisible but powerful: it marks a grammatical change with no extra sound or letters. For instance, the plural of "sheep" stays "sheep," yet English grammar knows it's plural! It's the ghost of morphology, quietly working behind the scenes.
  9. Study Morphological Trees - Morphological trees are diagrams that break words down into their morpheme roots and branches. They help you visualize how affixes and roots connect, making complex words less scary. Drawing these trees turns abstract concepts into clear, leafy trails!
  10. Practice Identifying Morphemes - The best way to master morphology is hands-on practice: break "unbelievable" into "un-" (not), "believe" (trust), and "-able" (capable of). This skills-builds supercharge your vocabulary, reading comprehension, and even spelling. Grab any giant word and get dissecting!
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