Apart from completing gap-filling exercises based on the Word Formation Resource (controlled practice), as an advanced English major, you’re recommended to reflect and comment on the language you’ve learned. You can:
- discuss the word formation processes involved in each word; this should be done while or after you study the word family resource and before you start doing the gap-filling exercises; note that when identifying the origins of new words, you should also consider what factors may have led to the creation of the words. Blairism, for example, arose because of the need for a word to describe the style of politics associated with Tony Blair (previously there were Thatcherism and Majorism). This is an important social aspect of word formation specifically and language change in general.
- write a summary-response essay (for your language tutor) in which you:
- summarise key information about the origins of the headword and include your personal reactions to its stories (e.g. how they have changed the way you view the word and added to your knowledge in a significant way);
- select one word from the Word Formation Resource and discuss the processes of word formation involved, considering factors that may have led to its morphological changes;
- include relevant examples of your own or from authentic sources to illustrate the usage or constraints of the word you chose.
You should write in a discursive, neutral/formal style. You may quote relevant information from reference resources, but you should try to use your own words throughout as far as possible.
Sample Essay
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