What is a recommended focus when practicing Word Formation for the Use of English?

• A. Memorize vocabulary without considering word forms.
• B. Only memorize base words with no variants.
• C. Study common word families and create practice items.
• D. Ignore prefixes and suffixes.

Answer: (C)

Focusing on how words are formed is about learning how to build and recognize different forms from a root word—using prefixes, suffixes, and changes in word class. For the Use of English section, the most effective approach is to study common word families and create practice items. This method trains you to produce the exact form needed in a sentence, not just memorize the base word. By understanding how a noun can become an adjective with a suffix, or how a verb changes with tense or agent nouns, you gain flexibility in spelling, meaning, and grammar. Practicing with your own items also helps you see patterns, test yourself under exam-like conditions, and quickly decide which form fits a particular context.

Other approaches that focus only on memorizing base words or ignore prefixes and suffixes miss crucial connections between form, meaning, and function. They leave you less prepared to generate the right word form in real sentences, which is essential for this part of the exam.