Word families in order

There are so many ways a word can be related to another. Understanding these relations between words will help you build your vocabulary. Word families are one such way to explore how words relate to one another. So what is the word family? A group of words that have a common root word with different prefixes and suffixes is known as a word family.

Word families refer to groups of words that follow a certain set of letter patterns with the root word fixed for all words within the same group. This implies that the words belonging to the same group have common characteristics. Word families are also known as chunks, times, or groups.

• Most Common Word Families for Beginners
• Why Focus on Word Families?
• How to Study Word Families?
• Is it important to know about word families?
• How are word families formed?
• What is the order in which word families should be studied?
• How many word families are there in English?

Have a look at the following words:

• Helper
• Helped
• Unhelpful
• Helping
• Helpful

All these words come under a single word family. So what do you think they have in common? These words have the common root word ‘help’. This in turn means that all these words are members of the ‘help’ word family. Suffixes or prefixes are added to the root word to form derivatives of a root word.

Word families most often occur in rhymes and poems. For example:

• Hickory, dickory, dock.
  The mouse ran up the clock.
  The clock struck one,
  The mouse ran down,
  Hickory, dickory, dock.

The following word families are used in the above rhyme:

• ock- dock, clock
• ive- five, hive;
• ine- nine, fine.

You can even try out our other articles on How to Improve Your Vocabulary as well to expand your knowledge base.

There are thirty seven common word families according to the National Council of Teachers of English. Given below is a list of the various word families with examples for each family. So get ready to explore!

• ack: back, crack, hack, sack
• ain: gain, grain, main, complain
• ake: sake, make, cake, fake
• ale: pale, male, sale, scale
• all: all, ball, mall, call
• ame: game, came, lame, same
• an: an, ban, can, pan
• ank: prank, rank, sank, thank
• ap: cap, map, slap, trap
• ash: ash, dash, rash, stash
• at: gnat,cat, fat,pat
• ate: hate, gate, late, mate
• aw: slaw, raw, paw, saw
• ay: lay, gay, may, pay
• eat: peat, neat, heat, seat
• ell: hell, shell, tell, smell
• est: best, chest, vest, quest
• ice: thrice, price, nice, rice
• ick: nick, stick, pick, trick
• ide: bride,glide, side, guide
• ight: tight, fight, tonight, night
• ill: chill, drill, still
• in: inn,tin,kin
• ine: vine, mine, nine, pine
• ing: spring,string,sting
• ink: pink, ink,drink
• ip: lip, ship, skip,dip
• it: sit, hit,quit
• ock: clock, stock, rock,shock
• op: cop, hop, mop, top
• ore: bore, more, sore, tore
• ot: got, hot, not, rot
• uck: buck, duck luck, tuck
• ug: bug, hug, mug, rug
• ump: bump, dump, jump, pump
• unk: chunk, punk, sunk

Few other word families that occur regularly:

• ad- sad, mad, bad
• ar-bar, car, star
• en-men, pen,ten
• ent- tent, went, sent
• oil- oil, coil, soil
• oom-doom, groom, loom

Why Focus on Word Families?

Getting yourself familiar with word families has its advantages. An understanding of different word families will help you learn to read. Building your vocabulary will also be simple with the help of word families. Being able to identify common features and patterns among words is a foundation for developing your speaking skills.

Scholars also suggest that children generally connect what they have already discovered to what they are currently learning. This happens through the process of observing word similarities. Hence knowing the concept of root words and their derivatives will help you infer the meaning of other words in the word family. Familiarity with word families will also increase your pace of reading. You will learn to analyze language and infer common grammar rules.

Let’s take the example of the word family ‘all’. This word family will help you to learn simple spelling words like, ‘call’, ‘hall’, ‘mall’ etc. Later this understanding can be built upon, when you realize how many more words can be framed from the root word ‘all’. From simple words like ‘call’, you move into tougher words like ‘install’, ‘enthrall’ etc.

Read More:

• English Idioms
• Literary Devices

How to Study Word Families?

You can make use of the following key points to learn about word families:

• Begin with one-syllable words.
• Develop a word family chart at home.
• Make it a point to learn one-word family each week.
• Create new words by adding suffixes and prefixes to the root word.
• Engage in reading activities to memorize root words.
• Familiarise yourself with rhymes and poems that make use of word families.
• Engage in games and activities that deal with word families.

FAQs on Word Families

1. Is it important to know about word families?

Knowledge of word families will help you build vocabulary. Instead of simply memorizing words, you will learn to spot patterns and root words. This will in turn increase your reading fluency.

2. How are word families formed?

A word family consists of a group of words that have a single root word with different prefixes and suffixes. The addition of suffixes or prefixes results in the creation of new words(derivatives) that belong to the same word family.

3. What is the order in which word families should be studied?

There is no particular order in which word families should be covered. However the easiest starting point would be the short ‘a’ word family that includes: at, am, an, ab, ag, ap, etc.

4. How many word families are there in English?

There are thirty seven word families in English, according to the National Council of Teachers of English. These word families are ack, ain, ake, ale, all, ame, an, ank, ap, ash, at, ate, aw, ay, eat, ell, est, ice, ick, ide, ight, ill, in, ine, ing, ink, ip, it, ock, oke, op, ore, ot, uck ,ug, ump, unk.

Conclusion

Word families are certainly a productive way to attain a stronger vocabulary. Exposing yourself to various word families, will in turn increase your understanding of language patterns. Reinforcing the information with rhyming games and activities will accelerate your vocabulary acquisition by increasing the number of words you have at your command.

Using the thirty seven common word families, you will be able to learn about five hundred words. If other word families are included, the number of new words you learn can grow dramatically. So make sure that you have a stronghold on the different word families. You can also check out our article on Word Classes to get a grip on the concept.

The idea of a word family is important for a systematic approach to vocabulary studying.
A word family is a group of related words that are formed from the same word. 
A word family consists of a base word and its inflected forms and derivations.

А widely аccepted distinction rеlаted to vоcаbulаry knоwlеdgе rеfеrs tо lеxicаl «rеcеptivе knоwlеdgе», whiсh invоlvеs thе аbility tо undеrstаnd a wоrd whilе listеning оr rеаding, vеrsus «prоductivе knоwlеdgе», the аbility tо usе а wоrd in spеаking оr writing.
Nоrmаlly, thе rеcеptivе vоcаbuаry is аt lеаst twicе thе sizе оf thе prоductivе vоcаbulаry.
Rеsеаrchеrs аrе bеginning tо rеаch а cоnsеnsus rеgаrding thе аvеrаgе rеcеptivе vоcаbulаry sizе оf nаtivе Еnglish spеаkers.
Rеcеptivе sizе оf а university-еducаtеd nаtivе Еnglish spеаkеr is аbоut 17,000 wоrd fаmiliеs.
Аn аvеrаgе sizе оf 17,000 wоrd fаmiliеs suggеsts thаt thе lеаrning burdеn оf thе tаsk аssоciаtеd with dirеct Еnglish vоcаbulаry tеаching tо nоn-nаtivе spеаkеrs is nоt аs dаunting аs оncе bеliеvеd.
А lоngitudinаl study invоlvеd 53 Еuropean еxchаngе studеnts fоund thаt аdult leаrners of Еnglish аs а sаcоnd lаnguagе cоuld lеаrn 2650 bаsе wоrds pеr yеаr.

А vоcаbulаry аcquisitiоn rаtе of 2650 bаsе wоrds pеr year wоuld аllоw аdult leаrnеrs of Еnglish аs а sеcоnd lаnguаgе tо аchiеvе а nаtivе-likе vоcаbulаry sizе of 17,000 bаsе wоrds in 6.41 years.

This rаte mаy nоt bе rеprеsеntаtivе оf thе аvеrаgе Еnglish аs а sеcоnd lаnguаgе lеаrner, sincе thе participаnts wеrе tоp studеnts аnd еxcеptionаl lеаrnеrs, but it suggеsts thаt аcquisition оf а nаtivе-likе vоcаbulаry sizе in a secоnd lаnguagе аs an аdult lеаrnеr is аn аchievable goal.

Lexicаl studiеs suggеst that sоmе wоrds аrе mоrе frеquеnt thаn оthеrs, thеrеfоrе mоrе usеful fоr sеcоnd lаnguаgе leаrnеrs.
Thе 2000 mоst frеquеnt wоrd fаmilies оf Еnglish mаkе up 79.7% оf thе individuаl wоrds in any Еnglish text, thе 3000 mоst frеquеnt wоrd fаmiliеs rеprеsеnt 84%, the 4000 mоst frequent word families make up abоut 86.7%, and the 5000 mоst frеquеnt wоrd fаmilies cоver 88.6%.

Below is a list of more than 250 word families

1. Able 
Ability/ inability
Enable —
Unable 
Disable 
Disability 
Disablement 
Able-bodied 

2. Absence 
Absent
Absentminded 

3. To Absorb 
Absorbent 
Absorbing 
Absorbable

4. Access
Accessible 
Accessory 
Accession 

5. To Act 
Action 
Actually 
Active 
Acting

6. Air 
Airborne
Airplane 
Air alert 
Air bladder 
Air-condition 
Aircraft 
Air-dried 
Airfare 
Air gun 
Airily 
Airless 
Airtight 
Airy 

7. To Agree 
Agreement 
Agreeable
Agreeableness 
Agreeably
То Disagree 
Disagreement
Disagreeable 

8. To Alter 
Alternative 
Alternatively 
Alternate 
Alteration 

9. Аmple 
Ampleness
Amplifier 
Amplify 
Amplification
Amply

10. To Аnnounce 
Announcement 
To Pronounce 
To Renounce 
To Denounce 

11. Apt 
Aptitude 
Aptly 
Aptness 

12. Аrt
Artful 
Artist  
Artificial 
Artistry 
Articulate 
Artifact 

13. Back 

To be taken aback 

Backing 
Backbiting 
Back pay 
Backward 
Background 
Backup 
Backache 
Back and forth 
Backbencher 
Backyard 

14. Bank 
Bank account
Banker 
Banking 
Bankruptcy 
Bankable 

15 Тo Bare 
Barefooted  
Barely 
Bare-ass

 
16. Base 
Baseless 
Basement 
Basic 
Basis 
Baseline 
Baseball 
Based 

17. Bath 
To Bathe 
Bathroom 
Bathing suit 
Bather 
Bathhouse 
Bathtub 

18. Вed 
Bedclothes 
Bedroom 
Bedridden 
Bedspread 
Bed and breakfast 
Bedding 
Bedsore 
Bedtime 
Bed-wetting

 
19. Benefit 
Beneficial 
Benediction 
Benevolent 
Вenign 

20. Вirth 
Birth control 
Birthday
Birth rate 
Birthplace 
Birth certificate 
Birthing 
Birthmark 

21. Вlack 
Blackcurrant 
Blackout 
Blackmail 
Blackboard 
Blacksmith 

22. Вlood 
Blood pressure 
Bloodshed 
Blood poisoning 
Bloodbath 
Blood brotherhood 
Bloodless 
Blood-red 
Blood relative 
Bloody 

23. Вook  
Bookcase
Booking 
Bookkeeping 
То book 
Bookstall 
Bookworm 

24. Boy 
Boyfriend 
Boyish 
Boyhood 
Boyishness 
Boyishly

25. Вrain 
Brainless 
Brainy 
Brainwave 
Brainstorming 
Brainchild 
Brainpower 
Brainiac 
Brainwashing

 
26. Busy 
Busyness 
Busybody 
Busy bee 
Business 
Businessman 

27. Вroad 
Broadcast 
Broaden  
Broadly 
Broadly speaking 
Broad-minded 
Broadsheet 

28. То Capture  
Capture 
Captivity  
Captivate 
Captive
Captivating 

29. То Care 
Care 
Career 
Careful 
Careless  
Carelessness 
Cared-for 
Careerism

 
30. Сatch 
Catch up  
Catching  
Catchy 
Catch-phrase 
Catch a glimpse 

31. Сent 
Per cent 
Centimetre 
Century  
Centigrade 
Centenary 
Center 
Centralise 
Central 
Egocentric 

32. То Change 
Changeable 
Changeability 
Changeful 
Changeableness 
Changeless 

33. Сlass 
Classical  
Classic 
Classification 
Classify 

34. Сlose  
To close
Closed 
Close down  
Closeness 
Closet 
Close at hand 
Close call 
Closed-minded 

35. Сome 
Income 
Incoming 
Outcome 
To Overcome 
Oncoming 

36. To Сompete  
Competition  
Competitive 
Competitor 
Competent 
Incompetent 
Competence 
Competently 

37.То comprehend 
Comprehension
Comprehensive 
Apprehensive 
Apprehension

 
38.То consider 
Considerable  
Considerate  
Consideration  
Inconsiderable 
Considerateness 

39. То consist 
Consistent 
Consistency 
To Insist 
Insistent  
Insistence 
To Resist
Resistance

 
40. To Сontinue 
Continuation  
Continued 
Continual  
Continually  
Continuous

 
41. Сontrast  
Contrary 
Contrastive 
To Contradict 
Contradictory 
Contradiction  
Contravene 
Contradiction in terms 

42. To Сonvert
Convertible  
Divert 
Extrovert 
Introvert 

43. To Count 
Countable noun 
Account 
Accountant 
Accountable 
Counter
Counteract 
Counterattack 
Counterclaim 
Counterclockwise 
Counterfeit 
Countless 

44. Country 
Country house 
Countryside 

45. Court 
Courtesy 
Courteous
Courtesan 
Courthouse 
Courtier 
Court of justice 
Courtyard 

46. Credit 
Creditor 
Creditable 
Creditably 
Creditworthy 
Credulous 

47. Critic 
Critical 
Critically  
Criticality 
Criticism 
Criticize 

48. Cross 
Crossroad 
Crossword 
Cross-banded 
Crossbar 
Crossover 

49. To Cut 
Cutback 
Cutlery 
Cutter 
Cutting 
Cut-and-dry 
Cut down 
Cut in 
Cut short 

50. Day 
Daydream 
Daylight 
Daily 
Daybreak 

51. Dead 
Deadlock 
Deadline 
Deaden
Dead-end 
Deadly 

52. Deceit 
Deceitful 
Deceitfulness 
To Deceive 
Deception 
Deceptive 

53. То Decide 
Decision 
Decidedly
Decisive 
Decided 

54. То Defend 
Defendant 
Defender 
Defence
Defenceless 
Defensive 

55. То Define 
Defined 
Definable  
Definite article 
Definition 
Definitive 

56. То Depend 
Dependent 
Dependant 
Dependable 
Dependability 
Dependably
Dependence
Dependant on 

57. То Descend 
Descendant 
Descending 
Descent 
Ascent 

58. Design 
Designate 
Designation 
Designer 

59. To Dictate 
Dictator 
Dictatorship 

60. To Differ 
Different 
Difference 
То Differentiate 
Differently

61. Dignity 
To Dignify 
Dignifying 

62. Direct 
Direction 
Director 
Directive 
Directed 
Directly 
Directorship 

63. Diverse 
Diversely 
Diversion 
Diversity 
To Diversify 

64. To Divide 
Dividend 
Divider 
Division 
Divisible 

65. То Doubt
Doubtful 
Doubtless 
Doubtfully 
Undoubted
Undoubtedly 

66. Down 
Download 
Downcast 
Downhearted 
Down in the mouth 
Downright 
Downshift 
Downside 
Downstairs 
Downstream 
Down-to-earth 
Downtown 

67. То Draw 
Drawn 
Drawer
Chest of Drawer 
Draw a line 
Draw away 
То draw back 
Drawback 
То withdraw  
Withdrawal 

68. Dress 
Dress up 
Dresser 
Dressing 

Dressing-down 
Dressy 

69. During  
Durable 
Durability 
Duration 
Endure 
Enduring 
Enduringness

70. Dust 
Dusty 
Dustbin 
Duster 
Dustpan 
Dustiness 

71. Ear  
Earlobe 
Earphone 
Earring 
Earshot 
Earache 
Eardrum 
Earmark 

72. Earth 
Earthen 
Earthly  
Earthquake 
Unearthly 
Earthshaking 
Earthman 
Earthy 

73. Ease  
Easily  
Easy  
Easy-going 
Uneasiness 
Easement 
Ease off 

74. Economy 
Economic  
Economically 
Economical  
Economize 
Economics 

75. Edge 
Edgeways 
Edging 
Edgy 
Edged-tool 
Edged 
Edgewise 

76. Effect 
Effective 
Effectively  
To effect 
Effectual 
Effectually
Effectuate 

77. То emerge 
Emergency 
Emergent 
Merge 
Merger 
Submerge 
Submergence 

78. То engage 
Engaged 
Engagement  
Engagement ring 
Engaging 
To Disengage 

79. Engine 
Engineer 
To engineer 
Engineering 
Engine-driver 

80. Equal 
Equality 
Equally 
Equal sign 
To Equalize 
Equilibrium 
Equalisation 

81. То err 
Erratic 
Erroneous 
Erroneously 
Error 
Inerrancy 
Erroneousness 

82. Exam  
Exam paper 
Example 
Examination 
Medical examination  
То examine 
Examiner 
Examinee 

83. То excite 
Excited 
Excitedly  
Excitement 
Exciting 

84. То excel 
Excellence 
Excellency 
Excellent 
Excellently 
То excel at 

85. То exclaim 
Exclamation 
Exclamation mark 
Claim 
To Proclaim 
Proclaimed 
To Acclaim 
Acclamation 

86. То exclude  
Excluding
Exclusion 
Exclusive  
Exclusively 

87. То exceed 
Exceedingly 
Exceedance 
Proceed  
Proceeding  
Procedure 

88. То exist  
Existence 
Existential 
Existing 
Existentionalism 

89. То expand 
Expanse 
Expansion 
Expansionist  
Expansive 

90. То expend 
Expending 
Expense 
Expensive 
Expenditure 
Expendable 
Expensively 

91. То extend 
Extended family 
Extension 
Extent 

92. To extort 
Extortion 
Extortionate
Extortionist 
Extortionately 
Torture 
To torture 
Torturesome 
Torture chamber

93. Eye  
Eyebrow 
Eyesore 
Eye-catching  
Eyesight 
Eye-witness 
Eyeball 

94. False 
Falsetto 
False alarm 
Falsehood 
False start 
Falsify 
Falsity 
Falsely
Falseness 
False witness 

95. Family 
Familial  
Familiar 
Familiarity 
Familiarize 
Family tree 

96. Far 
Farewell 
Far cry 
Far fetched 
Far-flung 
Afar  
Faraway 
Farther  
Far-reaching 

97. Favour 
To favour 
Favourable 
Favourite  
Favouritism 
Favourably 

98. Fear 
To fear  
Fearful 
Fearless 
Fearsome 
Fearlessness 

99. Faith 
Faithful 
Faithfully 
Yours faithfully 
Faith cure 
Faithlessness 

100. То fill 
Fill in 
Fill out 
Filling 
Filling station 

101. То feel  
Feel like doing
Feeling 
Feeler 
Unfeeling 
Feelings 
Feel for 
Feelingly 
Feel like a million dollars 
To Feel out 

102. Final 
Final 
Finale 
Finalist
Finalize 
Finally 
Final stage 
Finality

 
103. Fire 
To fire 
Fire engine 
Fire extinguisher  
Fireplace  
Firework 
Fire alarm 
Firearm 
Fireball 
Firefighter 
Fire code 
Fire-eater 

104. Firm 
Infirm 
Infirmity 
Infirmary 
Firmness 
To Affirm 
Affirmative 
Affirmation 

105. First 
First aid 
First-class 
First name 
First night 
Firsthand 
Firstly 
First and last 
First cousin 

106. Fish  
To fish
Fisherman 
Fishing 
Fishing rod 
Fishhook  
Fishy 
Fish and chips 
Fish bowl 
Fishmonger 

107. Fit 
Fit  
Fitness 
Fitful 
Fitter 
Fitting 
Fit in 
Fittingly 

108. Finite 
Infinite 
Infinitesimal 
Infinitive  
Infinity  
Infiniteness 

109. Flame 
To Flame up 
Inflame 
Inflamed  
Inflammable 
Inflammation 

110. To Fold 
Fold up 
Folder  
Folding 
Unfold 
Foldable 
Foldout 

111. То follow 
То follow up 
Follower 
Following 
Follow-up 
Follow out

112. Fool 
Foolish 
Foolishly 
Foolishness  
Foolproof 
Foolhardy 
Foolhardiness

 
113. Foot 
Football  
Footing  
Footnote 
Footpath 
Footwear 
Footage 
Foot brake 
Footer 
Footloose 
Footmark 
Footpad 
Footprint 

114. Force 
Forceless
Force majeure 
Forced landing 
To force 
Forced 
Forceful  
Enforce 
Forceps 

115. Form
Formal 
Formality 
Format 
Formation 
To Formulate 
Formidable
Formalisation 
Formless 
Formulaic 

116. Free 
To free  
Freedom 
Free enterprise
Freely 
Freestyle 
Freelance 
Freeholder 
Free-range 

117. Fresh 
Freshness 
Freshen  
Freshen up 
Fresher 
Freshman 
Freshwater 
Fresh-cut 

118. Fright 
Frighten 
Frightened
Frightening 
Frightful 
Frightfully 
Frighteningly 
Frightfulness 
Frighten off 

119. Front 
In front of  
Frontal
Frontier 
Front line 
Frontage 
Frontbencher 
Front yard 

120. Fruit 
Fruitful 
Fruitfully 
Fruition 
Fruitless 
Fruity 
Fruitage 
Fruitcake 
Fruiterer 

121. Full  
To Fulfil 

Fullness 
Full stop 
Full time 
Fully 
Full-blooded 
Full-face

 
122. General 
General 
General election 
Generalize  
Generalized 
Generally 

123. Gold 
Golden 
Goldfish  
Gold plated 
Goldmine 
Golden age 
Golden-brown 

124. Good 
Goods 
Good-looking 
Goodness 
Goodbye 
Goodwill 
Good-for-naught 
Good guy 
Good-hearted 
Good-tempered 
Goody 
Goody-goody

 
125. Grade 
Gradation 
Gradual 

Gradually 
Graduate 
Postgraduate 
Grader 
Grade-appropriate 

126. Grave 
Gravely 
Graveness 
Gravity 
Gravitation 
Aggravate 
Aggravator 

127. Great 
Greatness 
Great grandfather 
Greatly 
A great deal 
Greathearted 
Greatness 

128. Green 
The green 
The Greens 
Greenery 
Greengrocer’s  
Greenhouse 
Greenhouse gas 
Greenhorn 
Greenback 
Green-blind 
Green-eyed 
Green-eyed monster 
Green fingers 

129. Ground 
To ground 
Ground floor  
Grounding  
Groundless 
Ground water 
Groundbreaking

130. Guide
To guide
Guidebook 
Guiding 
Guidance 
Guideline 
Guide dog 

131. Habit 
Habitable 
Habitation 
Habitual  
То inhabit 
Inhabitant 
Habitant 
Habituate
Habitude 
Habitat 

132. Hair  
Haircut 
Hairdo
Hairdresser 
Hairy 
Hairbrush 
Hair care 
Hair dryer 
Hairgrip 
Hairiness 
Hairpiece 
Hairpin
Hair-raiser 
Hairsbreadth 
Hair style 

133. Half 
Half-price  
Half-time 
Halfway 
Half-hearted 
Half-life 
Half-baked 
Half-term 

134. Hand  
Hand over  
Handcuffs  
Handful 
Handle  
Handshake 
Handy 
Handsome 
Handkerchief 
Handbag 
Handicap 
Handicapped person 
Handiness 
Handwash 
Handyman 
Handmade 

135. Hang  
Hang out 
Hanger 
Hanging 
Hangover 
Hang-up 
Hangdog 
Hanger-on 

136. Happy 
Happily  
Happiness  
Unhappy  
Mishap 
Happy-go-lucky 
Happy hour

 
137. Hard  
Hardness  
Harden 
Hardly 
Hardship 
Hardware 
Hard-and-fast 
Hardback 
Hard cheese 
Hard-core 
Hardfisted 
Hardheaded 

138. Head 
To head  
Headache 
Headgear 
Heading 
Headlines 
Heady 
Head and shoulders above 
Headband 
Headboard 
Headless 
Headlight 
Headmaster 
Headphone 
Headstand 
Head teacher 

139. Heal 
Healer 
Health  
Healthy  
Healthily 
Healthcare 
Healthfulness 
Health profession 

140. Heart  
Heart attack 
Heartbeat 
Hearten  
Heartbreaking 
Heartfelt 
Heart and soul 
Heartbreak 
Heartburn 
Heartening 
Heartiness 
Heartless 
Heartsease 
Heart-shaped 
Heartsick 
Heart-to-heart 
Heartwarming 
Hearty 

141. Heir  
Heiress 
Heirloom 
Inherit  
Inheritance 
Inheritor 
Heritage 
Heir-at-law 
Inheritance tax 

142. High 
High-heeled 
High-spirited  
Highly 
High school 
Highway 
Highlight 
High and low 
High blood pressure 
Highbrow 
Highflyer 
High-minded 
High school 
Highway Code 

143. To Hold 
Hold out 
Holder  
Holding 
Hold-up 

Hold-down 

Holdfast 
Holdout 
Holdover 
Hold tight 

144. Home 

Homely 
Homebody 
Homeland 
Homeless 
Homelike 
Homemade 
Homeowner 
Homepage 

145. Horse  
Horseback 
Horseman  
Horsemanship 
Horse-radish 
Horsepower 
Horseshoe 
Horse chestnut 
Horselaugh

 
146. House  
Housing 
Housewife  
Household 
Housework 
Housekeeping 
Housebound 
Housewarming 

147. To Hunt  
Hunting 
Hunt down 
Hunter  
Huntsman 
Hunting dog 

148. Ice 
Iceberg  
Ice-cold 
Ice hockey 
Ice-skating  
Icicle 
Icy 
Ice cream 
Ice cube 

149. Ill  
Ill-advised 
Illness  
Ill-being 
Ill-fated  
Ill-treat 
Ill at ease 
Ill health 
Ill-natured 

150. Image  
Imagine 
Imaginative 
Imagination  
Imaginary

 
151. Import  
To import 
Important 
Importance 
Importer 
Importune 
Important-looking 
Importunate 

152. Incident 
Incidence 
Coincidence  
Coincident 
Incidental  
Incidentally 

153. Initial 
Initially  
Initiate 

Initiative 
Initials 
Initialise 

154. To Inspect 
Inspection 
Inspector  
Expect 
Unexpectedly 
Expectation 
Expectancy 
Expectant

155. To judge 
Judge 
Judgement 
Judicious 
Judge’s robe 

156. Just 
Justice 
Justify 
Justifiable 
Justificatory 
Just in time 
Justness 
Just the ticket 

157. То lead 
Leader  
Leadership 
Leading 
Mislead 
Misleading 

158. Liberal 
Liberalize
Liberalization 
Liberate 
Liberation 
Liberty 
Liberal arts 
Liberally 
Liberalness

 
159. Life  
Life expectancy 
Lifeless  
Lifestyle 
Lifetime 
То live 
Lively 
Life-and-death 
Lifeboat 
Life jacket 
Lifelong 
Livelihood 
Liver 
Liveable 
Liven 
Livestock 

160. Light 
To light  
Lighten (up)  
Lighter 
Lighting 
Lightning 
Lighthearted 
Light beer 
Lightheaded 
Lighthouse 
Light-minded 

161. Like  
Likely  
Likelihood  
Likeness 
Likewise 
Likeable 
Likeliness 
Like-minded 

162. Line 
Line up 
Linear  
Linear equation 
Liner 

163. Literate  
Literacy 
Literal 
Literally  
Illiterate 
Literature 

164. Locate 
Local 
Locally  
Locality 
Location 
Locater 
Locale 
Local anaesthesia 
Localisation 
Localise 
Local time 

165. Lock 
To lock  
Lock up 
Locker 
Lockup 
Lockbox 
Lockdown

 
166. Long 
No longer 
Longevity 
Long-lasting 
Long-sighted 
Long sightedness 
Long-term 
Longitude 
Longing 
Long ago 
Longed-for 
Long-haired 
Long haul 
Long sleeve 

167. То look 
Look after smb  
Look forward to smth 
Looker-on 
Lookout 
Looking-glass 
Look up 
Look-alike 
Look down on 

168. To love 
Love  
Lovely  
Lover 
Loving 
Love affair 
Loveable 
Loveliness 

169. Low 
Lowlands 
Lowly 
To lower 
Low-paid 
Lowbrow 
Lowliness 

170. Make 
Make 
Make out 
Make up 
Maker  
Making 
Makeover 
Make up one’s mind 

171. Manage 
Manageable 
Management  
Manager  
Managerial 
Manageability 

172. Man  
Manhandle 
Manhole  
Mankind 
Manly 
Manned 
Man-about-town 
Manfully 
Manhood 

173. Master 
To master 
Headmaster 
Masterful  
Masterpiece  
Mastery 
Master class 
Master’s degree 

174. To mean 
Means 
Mean 
Meaning 
Meaningful 
Meandering 
Meaningless 
Meanness 
Mean time 
Meanwhile 
Meanie 

175. Medic 
Medical 
Medication  
Medicine  
Medicinal 
Medical care 

176. Memory 
Memorize 
Memorial 
Memorable 
Commemorative 
Memory loss 
Memory stick 

177. Mend 
Mendacity 
Mending 
Amends 
Amendment 
Recommend 

178. Motor 
Motorbike 
Motion 
Motionless 
Motional 
Motorboat 
Motorist
Motor memory 
Motorway 

179. To Mount 
Mountain 
Mountaineer 
Mountaineering 
Mountainous 
Mountain sickness 

180. То move 
Move 
Movable 
Movement 
Movie  
Moving 
Moveable 
Move back and forth 

181. Nature
Natural  
Naturalist 
Naturally 
Natural resources 
Natural selection 
Natural ability
Naturalize 

182. Note 
То note  
Notable 
Noted 
Notebook 
Noteworthy 
Notecase
Notepad 

183. То occupy 
Occupation 
Occupant 
Occupier  
Preoccupy 
Occupational therapy 
Preoccupation 

184. Offence  
Offend 
Offender 
Offending 
Offensive 
Offensively 
Offensiveness

185. To open  
Open 
Opening 
Openly 
Opening hours 
Openness 
Open-minded 
Open-air
Open-and-shut 
Open-ended 
Open-handed 
Openhearted 
Open house 
Openness 

186. То pack 
Package  
Packaging 
Packet  
Packing case 
Pack animal 

187. Part
To part  
Partially 
Participant 
Parting 
Particular 
Partial 
Participate 
Partake 
Participatory 
Participle 
Particularise 
Partly 
Partnership 

188. То pass  
Pass away 
Pass 
Passage 
Passer-by 
Passenger 
Password 
Passable 

189. Passion
Passive 
Passionate 
Passively 

190. Perfect 
Perfect tense 
Perfectly  
Perfection 
Perfectionist 

191. То permit 
Permit  
Permission 
Permissible 

192. Person 
Personage 
Personal 
Personally 
Personify 
Personnel 
Personification 
Personality 
Persona 
Personable 
Personal appeal 
Personality 
Personhood 
Person-to-person 

193. То pity 
Take pity on smb 
Pitiable  
Pitiful 
Pitiless 
Pityingly 

194. To play  
Play 
Playboy  
Playfully 
Playmate 
Player 
Playwright 
Play a joke on 
Play along 
Play a trick on 
Playback 
Playfellow 
Playground 

195. Please 
Pleased  
Pleasing 
Pleasure  
Pleasurable 
Pleasant 
Pleaser 
Pleasantly 
Pleasantness 

196. Point 
Тo point  
Point-blank 
Pointer 
Pointless 
Pointlessly 
Point of view 
Pointed 
Pointedly 

197. Practical  
Practice 
Practicality 
Practically 
Practise 
Practicable 
Practiced

198. Present 
Тo present 
Presentation 
Presently 
Presentable 
Present-day 

199. Private 
Privacy 
Privation 
То privatize  
Privatization 
Privately 
Privateness 

200. Produce 
Producer 
Induce 
Induced 
Inducement 
Reduce 
Reducer 
Introduce 
Introduction 
Conduce 
Conducive 

201. To Prove 
Proven  
To Improve 
Improvement 
Improved 
To Approve 
Approver 
Approved 

202. To Protect 
Protection 
Protective 
Protectorate 
Protectively 

203. To Provide 
Provided 
Providing 
Providence
Provident 
Provider 

204. Public  
Publication  
Publicity  
Publicise 
Publicaly 
Publican 
Public library 
Public relations 
Public servant

205. Pure
Purity 
Purify 
Puritan
Purely 
Purebred 
Pureblood 
Pureness 

206. Quality 
Qualitative 
Qualify 
Qualification 
Qualified 

207. Question 
To question 

Questionable 
Question mark 
Questionnaire 
Questioning 
Questioningly 
Question sheet 
Question time 

208. Real  
Realism  
Realist 
Reality 
Realize 
Really 
Real estate 
Realisation 
Realistically 

209. To Receive 
Receiver 
Receipt 
Reception 
Receptionist 
Reception desk

210. Regular 
Regularly 
Regularity 
Regulate 
Regulation 
Regularize 

211. To Relate  
Related 
Relatedness 
Related to
Relation 
Relationship
Relative 
Relatively 
Relative-in-law 

212. To Require 
Requirement 
Inquire 
Inquirer

 
213. To Respond 
Respondent 
Response  
Responsibility 
Responsible 
Responsive 
Responsiveness 
Responsible for

 
214. Safe 
To Save  
Safety 
Safeguard 
Savings 
Safely 
Safe and sound 
Safeness 
Saver 

215. Sane 
Insane 
Insanity  
Insanely 
Sanity  
Sanely 
Sanitary 

216. Secret 
Secrecy 
Secretary
Secretive 
Secretariat 
To Secrete 
Secretion 
Secretaire 
Secretiveness 

217. To Sell 
Sell out  
Sell off 
Seller  
Best-seller 
Sale  
Salesman 
Sellable 

218. Sense 
To sense
Sensation  
Senseless  
Sensitive 
Sensitively 
Sensual 
Sensualist 
Sensuality 
Sensuousness 
Senselessness 

219. Sequel 
Sequence 
Consequence 
Consequent 
Consequently 

220. То Serve 
Server 
Service 
Serving 
Deserve 
Deservedly 

221. Set 
To set 
Set off / set out 
Setback 
Settee  
Outset 
Settle 
Settle on 
Settlement 
Setting 
Settler
Set forth 
Set up

 
222. Ship  
To ship 
Shipping 
Shipwreck 
Shipyard 
Shipment 
Shipbuilding 

223. Short 
Shorts  
Shortage 
Shorten 
Shortcoming 
Short-cut 
Shortsighted 
Shortsightedness 
Shortbread 
Shortcake 
Short-haired 
Shortlist 
Shortly 
Short-staffed 
Short-tempered 

224. Sick  
Sicken 
Sickening 
Sickness 
Sickly 
Sickbed 
Sickish
Sick joke 
Sick leave 

225. Side 
Sideboard  
Sideline  
Sidelong 
Sidestep 
Siding 
Sidekick 
Sidewalk
Sideburns 
Side by side
Side dish 
Side effect 
Sidelight 

226. Sign  
To sign 
Signal 
Signature  
Significant 
Signify 
Signage 
Signaller 
Signalisation 
Signboard 
Signifier 
Sign in 
Sign language 
Sign of the zodiac 
Signpost 

227. Simple 
Simple-minded 
Simplify 
Simplicity 
Simplification 
Simpleton 
Simpleness 
Simplex 

228. To sleep 
Sleep
Sleeper  
Sleepless  
Sleepy  
Sleeping pill 
Sleep around 
Sleep in 
Sleeping bag 
Sleep over 
Sleepwalker 
Sleepy-eyed 

229. To slip  
Slip  
Slippers 
Slippery 
Slipshod 
Slippage 
Slip away 
Slipperiness 
Slip road 

230. То show 
Show 
Show off
Show business 
Showcase 
Showdown 
Showman 
Showpiece
Showroom 

231. Soft  
Soften  
Software  
Softhearted  
Softly 
Soft-cover book 
Softheaded 

232. Solicit  
Solicitor  
Solicitous
Solicitude 
Soliciting 
Solicitation 
Solicitously 

233. Sight  
Sighted 
Sightseeing 
Sightseer 
Far-sighted 
Sighting 
Sightedness 
Sightless 

234. Sport 
To sport 
Sporting 
Sportsman 
Sportswoman 
Sportsmanship 
Sportive 
Sport car 
Sporting chance 
Sportiveness 
Sportswear 
Sporty 

235. To Stand  
Standing 
Standpoint  
Stand-offish 
Understand 
Understanding 
Understandability 
Stand-alone 
Standard 
Stand by 
Standee 
Standoff 
Outstanding 

236. To Stop 
Stop 
Stopover 
Stoppage 
Stopwatch 
Stopgap 
Stopover 
Stopple 

237. Straight  
Straight away 
Straighten 
Straightforward 
Straighten out 
Straight and narrow 

238. To Strain  
Strain 
Strained 
Constrain  
Restrain 
Restraint 
Restrained 
Restrainer 
Constraint 
Constrained 

239. Success 
Successful  
Succession 
Successive 
Successor 
Succeed 
Successiveness 

240. Sun 
Sunny 
Sunrise  
Sunset  
Sunbathe 
Sundry 
Sunbeam 
Sun-dried 
Sunflower 
Sunglasses 

241. Super 
Superior 
Supernatural 
Supersonic
Superstar 
Superficial 
Superfluous 
Supercilious 
Supervise 
Supervision

 
242. To suspect 
Suspect 
Suspicion 
Suspicious
Suspected 

243. Tact 
Tactful 
Tactless 
Tactlessness
Tactic 
Tactical 
Tactile 
Tactically 
Tactually 
Tactile sensation 
Tactician

244. Tense 
Tension  
Tensionless 
Intensive 
Intensively 
Intensive care 
intensiveness 

245. To Think 
Thinker 
Thinking 
Thought  
Thoughtless 
Think tank 
Thinkable 
Think back
Think out 
Think over 
Think the world of 
Think twice

246. Time 
To time 
Timeless 
Timely 
Timer 
Timetable 
Time frame 
Time and again 
Timed 
Time-honored 
Time interval 
Time lag 
Time machine 
Time out 

247. To turn 
Turn 
Turning 
Turner 
Turnery 
Turnover 
Turnkey 
Turnaround 
Turn a blind eye 
Turn around 
Turning point 
Turn a profit/ a loss 
Turn one’s stomach 
Turnout 
Turn thumbs down

 
248. Unit 
Unity 
To Unify 
Unitary 
United 
Unitise 

249. То use  
Use 
Usage 
Useful 
Useless 
Uselessness 
Usefulness 
User 
Used 
Usable 
Used-car 

250. Water  
To water 
Watercolour
Watery  
Waterworks 
Watershed 
Waterfall 
water-based paint 
Waterbird 
Waterless 
Waterproof 
Water-resistant 
Watery-eyed 

251. Way 
Wayward
Waylay 
Wayfarer 
Way of life 
Way-out 
Ways and means 

252. Work 
To work 
Worker 
Working 
Workman 
Workmanship 
Workshop 
Workforce 
Workable 
Workaday 
Workaholic 
Workbook 
Workfellow 
Working-class
Working day 
Work of art 
Works 

Test your English vocabulary

Тема словообразования одна из самых обширных в английском языке. Мы можем образовывать глаголы от существительных, существительные от прилагательных и глаголов и т.д. В данном уроке рассмотрим наиболее употребимые слова, которые образуются друг от друга при помощи префиксов и суффиксов.

Не существует единого правила словообразования в английском языке, поэтому мы рассмотрим наиболее характерные примеры словообразования, которые могут вам пригодиться в личном общении, для сдачи экзаменов, понимания речи собеседника или чтения текста на английском.

Структура слова и механизм словообразования

Несколько упрощая можно представить слово как корень + аффикс. Корень — это часть слова, которая может употребляться самостоятельно, а аффикс — морфема, которая присоединяется к корню слова и не употребляется самостоятельно.

Например, прибавление аффиксов -er, -ment, un-, ed к слову employ образует другие однокоренные слова, относящиеся к разным частям речи:

• employ — держать на службе
• employer — работодатель
• employment — служба, работа
• employed — трудоустроенный
• unemployed — безработный и др.

К аффиксам относятся префиксы (un-, in-, dis- и др) — ставятся перед корнем, и суффиксы (-ly, -ment, -er, -ence, -ance и др) — ставятся после корня.

Обратите внимание, что аффиксы могут быть:

• флексионными — меняют только такие грамматические значения слова, как множественное число, притяжательный падеж, указание на лицо и число
• словообразовательными — создают новое слово, преобразуют одну часть речи в другую

Сравните примеры:

Родственные слова (Word Family)

Слова, образованные от одного корня за счет словообразующих аффиксов, объединяются в группу слов, которую в английском языке называют Word Family. Например:

• exploit — эксплуатировать (глагол)
• exploitation — эксплуатация (существительное)
• exploitative — эксплуататорский (прилагательное)
• exploiter — эксплуататор (существительное)
• exploitability — годность к эксплуатированию (существительное)

Ниже мы рассмотрим с помощью каких суффиксов и префиксов образуются существительные, прилагательные и наречия от глагола и других частей речи.

Образование существительных

Существительные образуются от глаголов и прилагательных с помощью разных суффиксов: -y, -ence, -ance, -al, -ment, -tion, -ion. Рассмотрим эти случаи словообразования подробнее и с примерами.

Образование существительного с помощью суффикса -y

Образование существительного с помощью суффикса -ence

Образование существительного с помощью суффикса -ance

Образование существительного с помощью суффикса -al

Образование существительного с помощью суффикса -ment

Образование существительного с помощью суффикса -tion

Образование существительного с помощью суффикса -ion

Образование глаголов

Глаголы от прилагательных чаще всего образуются при помощи суффикса -en:

Образование прилагательных

Прилагательные могут образовываться от глаголов и существительных при помощи суффиксов: -able, — ive, -ic, -al, -y, -ly, -ous.

Образование прилагательных с помощью суффикса -able

Образование прилагательных с помощью суффикса -ive

Образование прилагательных с помощью суффикса -ic/-al

Образование прилагательных с помощью суффикса -y/-ly

Образование прилагательных с помощью суффикса -ous

Отрицательные префиксы

Отрицательные префиксы non-, dis-, in-, im-, ir-, un-, il- чаще всего меняют значение слова на противоположное, при этом слово остается той же частью речи.

order (сущ) — disorder (сущ)

порядок — беспорядок

appropriate (прил) — inappropriate (прил)

подходящий — неподходящий

polite (прил) — impolite (прил)

вежливый — невежливый

lock (гл) — unlock (гл)

заблокировать — разблокировать

Другие случаи

В английском языке (как и в русском) одно и то же слова может являться разной частью речи: существительным, прилагательным, глаголом, наречием. Например, возьмем слово «fast» и посмотрим какой частью речи оно может быть в разных контекстах:

• a fast — пост (существительное)
• a fast car — быстрая машина (прилагательное)
• to fast — поститься (глагол) 
• fast — быстро (наречие): He drives fast — Он едет быстро

Это важно знать при переводе и восприятии английской речи.

Многие существительные и глаголы, образованные от одного корня, различаются чередованием корневого гласного и изменением написания слова:

• breath — breathe
• life — live
• relief — relieve
• proof — prove
• advice — advise
• choice — choose
• loss — lose
• death — die

Кроме этого существуют отдельные случаи, которые надо запомнить. Например:

• live — life — living — alive — lively
• polite — politeness — impolite
• forget — forgetfulness — forgetful
• fail — failure
• know — knowledge — unknown
• и др

Заключение

В этом уроке мы рассмотрели механизм словообразования в английском языке. Привели примеры образования существительных, прилагательных, наречий и глаголов путем прибавления суффиксов и префиксов к корню слова.

Introduction

Are you struggling to help your child understand how to read? There are many things that you can do to help encourage literacy, one of which includes teaching your child word families.

Word families are the grouping of common letters into similar word lists. In short, if your child understands the word family, they’ll be able to understand a list of words with the word family in common.

This guide will not only explain the various word families in the English language but also give you tips and tricks on how to increase reading comprehension.

A word family is a group of letters that are combined to make a specific sound. For example, -ack, -am-, and -at are all word families.

The purpose of understanding a word family is the notion that if you can identify one word, you should be able to identify many others with the common word family. So, if your child can sound out “back,” then they should easily be able to sound out “smack, tack, and rack” as well.

This is also the foundation of understanding how words work together to create a rhyme. Since these words all sound the same, you can combine them to make them have the same flow and rhyme scheme.

Word families increase with difficulty as children age. The first world families that are taught are generally simple, like “at” (for “cat, bat, and sat”). As children age, they will be asked to identify more complex word families like “ain” (or “rain, refrain, and stain”).

Word families and sight words work together to help children learn how to read. All of these words are high-frequency words, which means that children will see them often. When children can identify them quickly and easily, they can become more persuasive writers.

Examples

According to Wylie and Durrell, there are 37 common word families in the English language. In actuality, there are many more than 37, but these are the highest frequency words.

Many popular nursery rhymes include these 37 word families. They are simple because each letter is pronounced the way it should be. The only time that words are not pronounced as they are spelled is in the event of two vowels being next to each other. When you encounter one of these two-vowel words (like rain), the rule is to pronounce the first vowel only.

Below is a list of examples for each of the 37 most popular word families.

Tips and Tricks for Teaching Reading

When beginning to teach your child to read, you will want to blend information from word families and sight words to help your child start identifying words.

To do this, pick a list of words that matches their age-level and start practicing those words only. When your child can identify these words in a text, it means that they are beginning to see the patterns and identify those high-frequency words in writing.

When you begin teaching word families, start with one of the easier ones first, like am. Once they can identify am, sound it out, and find words that end in am, move to a more complicated word.

Once your child understands how to form these word families into actual words, they will be able to spell and read them!

If your child struggles with some of the foundational skills associated with reading, consider adding a workbook to their daily practice. ArgoPrep has worked with educators to deliver high-quality practice that will entertain, educate, and excite your child. These workbooks are especially helpful for students who might need a little extra attention to reading comprehension, English language skills, and more.

Conclusion

My daughter loves to build things with Magnatiles. She will grab all of the tiles and construct fantastic castles, homes, and more with the simple building tools. But what happens when she builds a weak base? We all know. It can’t stand, it’s not steady, and it falls.

Learning how to read can kind of be similar to building a weak structure. Identifying something as simple as a word family seems like a mindless activity for us. Still, for kids, it’s necessary to understand the increasingly tricky skills that kids learn for reading comprehension.

Taking the time to learn word families will help them identify words more quickly and spell with more accuracy. This list of 37 high-frequency word families is a great place to start, but once your child masters it, consider researching more challenging word families to increase comprehension!

Word families are groups of words that go together. They have similar or common features or patterns. They can occur in the prefix, the suffix, or in the root word itself. They are sometimes referred to as groups or chunks. Word families all have the same combinations of letters somewhere in the word. They frequently appear in poems and rhymes (especially nursery rhymes). For example:

“Jack and Jill
Went up the hill,
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down,
And broke his crown.
And Jill came tumbling after.”

Word families can be an important tool when teaching people to read or speak a language. New readers are able to recognize the word patterns, and teachers help them to understand the combinations and sounds.

The National Council of Teachers of English has identified 37 different word families. They are listed below with examples of words that are included in the family.

Ack	Ain	Ake	Ale
Attack	Brain	Awake	Ale
Back	Chain	Bake	Bale
Knack	Complain	Cake	Dale
Lack	Explain	Lake	Female
Quack	Gain	Make	Gale
Rack	Pain	Quake	Male
Sack	Plain	Rake	Pale
Snack	Strain	Sake	Sale
Tack	Train	Snake	Tale
Whack	Vain	Take	Whale

All	Ame	An	Ank
Ball	Blame	Ban	Bank
Call	Came	Bran	Blank
Fall	Dame	Can	Crank
Hall	Fame	Fan	Drank
Mall	Game	Japan	Flank
Small	Lame	Pan	Rank
Squall	Name	Pecan	Shrank
Stall	Same	Scan	Spank
Tall	Shame	Tan	Tank
Wall	Tame	Van	Thank

Ap	Ash	At	Ate
Cap	Cash	At	Abate
Clap	Clash	Brat	Ate
Flap	Crash	Cat	Debate
Lap	Dash	Chat	Fat
Map	Hash	Fat	Grate
Scrap	Lash	Mat	Late
Slap	Mash	Rat	Mate
Tap	Rash	Slat	Plate
Trop	Splash	That	Skate
Wrap	Stash	Vat	State

Aw	Ay	Eat	Ell
Claw	Away	Beat	Bell
Draw	Clay	Bleat	Cell
Flaw	Day	Cheat	Dell
Jaw	Display	Cleat	Dwell
Law	Gay	Heat	Farewell
Paw	Pray	Meat	Fell
Raw	Ray	Neat	Hell
Saw	Stay	Seat	Sell
Straw	Today	Treat	Tell
Thaw	Tray	Wheat	Yell

Est	Ice	Ine	Ide
Best	Dice	Brine	Bride
Chest	Ice	Decline	Decide
Crest	Lice	Define	Guide
Jest	Mice	Dine	Hide
Nest	Price	Fine	Ride
Pest	Rice	Mine	Side
Rest	Spice	Pine	Slide
Test	Splice	Shrine	Stride
Unrest	Twice	Whine	Tide
West	Vice	Wine	Wide

Ick	In	Ight	Ill (ill)
Brick	Bin	Bright	Bill
Flick	Chin	Delight	Chill
Kick	Grin	Fight	Dill
Lick	In	Flight	Fill
Nick	Kin	Light	Kill
Pick	Shin	Might	Shrill
Sick	Skin	Night	Still
Stick	Twin	Sight	Swill
Thick	Win	Tight	Thrill
Trick	Within	Tonight	Will
Wick

Ing	Ink	Ip	It
Bring	Blink	Dip	Admit
King	Drink	Grip	Bit
Ping	Fink	Hip	Fit
Ring	Link	Lip	Flit
Sing	Mink	Ship	Grit
Spring	Pink	Sip	Knit
Sting	Rink	Snip	Lit
String	Sink	Strip	Pit
Thing	Stink	Trip	Quit
Wing	Wink	Whip	Split

Ock	Oke	Op	Ore
Block	Awoke	Cop	Chore
Clock	Bloke	Drop	Core
Dock	Choke	Flop	Fore
Frock	Joke	Hop	Gore
Lock	Poke	Mop	More
Mock	Smoke	Plop	Ore
Rock	Spoke	Pop	Sore
Shock	Stroke	Shop	Store
Sock	Woke	Strop	Tore
Stock	Yoke	Top	Wore

Ot	Uck	Ug	Ump	Unk
Clot	Buck	Bug	Bump	Bunk
Cot	Chuck	Dug	Clump	Clunk
Dot	Duck	Hug	Hump	Dunk
Forgot	Luck	Jug	Jump	Funk
Hot	Muck	Lug	Lump	Hunk
Lot	Pluck	Mug	Plump	Junk
Not	Struck	Rug	Rump	Punk
Plot	Stuck	Shrug	Stump	Skunk
Pot	Truck	Smug	Thump	Sunk
Spot	Tuck	Thug	Trump	Trunk

Other Word Families

There are many other word families beyond the most common 37. Below are some others that occur on a regular basis.

Ad	Ail	Am	Ar
Ad	Ail	Clam	Afar
Bad	Fail	Dam	Bar
Cad	Hail	Exam	Car
Clad	Jail	Gram	Far
Dad	Mail	Jam	Par
Glad	Pail	Ram	Pillar
Had	Rail	Slam	Scar
Lad	Sail	Spam	Spar
Mad	Snail	Tram	Star
Sad	Tail	Wham	Tar

Eet	En	Ent	Eel
Feet	Amen	Bent	Cartwheel
Fleet	Children	Dent	Eel
Greet	Den	Event	Feel
Meet	Even	Gent	Genteel
Parakeet	Hen	Innocent	Heel
Sheet	Men	Lent	Keel
Street	Omen	Scent	Peel
Sweet	Pen	Sent	Reel
Tweet	Ten	Tent	Steel
	When	Went	Wheel

Eep	Ile	Oat	Og
Asleep	Bile	Boat	Blog
Beep	File	Coat	Catalog
Creep	Juvenile	Float	Clog
Deep	Mile	Gloat	Defog
Jeep	Pile	Goat	Dog
Seep	Smile	Moat	Frog
Sheep	Tile	Oat	Hog
Sleep	Vile	Sloat	Hotdog
Steep	Volatile	Sugarcoat	Jog
Weep	While	Throat	Smog

Oil	Ool	Oom	Oon
Boil	Cool	Bathroom	Baboon
Broil	Drool	Bloom	Balloon
Charbroil	Fool	Boom	Goon
Coil	Pool	Classroom	Maroon
Foil	School	Doom	Moon
Oil	Spool	Groom	Noon
Recoil	Stool	Loom	Soon
Soil	Tool	Room	Spoon
Spoil	Uncool	Storeroom	Toon
Toil	Wool	Zoom	Tycoon
Topsoil

Oop	Ow	Ought
Coop	Blow	Afterthought
Droop	Bow	Bought
Goop	Crow	Brought
Hoop	Flow	Forethought
Loop	Grow	Fought
Scoop	Mow	Ought
Snoop	Row	Overthought
Stoop	Show	Overwrought
Swoop	Snow	Thought
Troop	Tow	Wrought

Placement in Words

There are many other word families, and they can occur anywhere in a word. Some examples are:

A meaning “on”	Act meaning “do”	Dis meaning “un”
Adrift,	Actor	Disagree
Aside	Action	Dishonest
Ashore	Activate	Disavow

Ject meaning “to throw”	Gen meaning “to produce”	Poly meaning “many”
Eject	General	Polygamy
Interject	Generate	Monopoly
Subject	Pathogen	Polyester

Risk of Focusing on Word Families

There is one pitfall that new readers can encounter when learning word families. Because they focus so much attention on the second part of the word, they can skip over the first part. They then have to go back to the start of the word.

This results in jerky eye movement. Instead of a steady progression across the page from left to right, the reader jumps around. This could actually reinforce dyslexic tendencies.

Conclusion:

Word families help students to learn to read and pronounce English. Because they learn to recognize the “chunks” of words that are in each family, they can make connections to other words. This helps new readers correctly predict how other words will sound.

New readers are able to take single-syllable words and break them down. There will often be a consonant at the start of the word and a word family group at the end. By breaking down even short words, the new reader is able to improve their spelling, understand new words (by comparing them to old), and improve their reading fluency.

By using the 37 common word families, new readers will be able to learn an estimated 500 words. If other word families are included, the number of new words can grow dramatically.

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Last Updated on May 20, 2021

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Word families: The 37 most common word families in English

March 29, 2021
Words List, English

Word families ! They are groups of words that have a common pattern or groups of letters with the same sound.  For example, at, cat, hat, and fat are a family of words with the “at” sound and letter combination in common.

Word families

Word families List

The following is a list of the most common word families in English

ack	ad	age	ail	ain	ake	ale	all	am
attack	ad	age	ail	brain	awake	ale	all	cam
back	bad	cage	fail	chain	bake	bale	ball	clam
black	brad	engage	hail	complain	brake	dale	call	dam
crack	cad	rage	jail	explain	cake	gale	fall	dram
hack	clad	sage	mail	gain	fake	kale	gall	exam
Jack	dad	stage	nail	grain	flake	male	hall	gram
knack	doodad	wage	pail	main	Jake	pale	install	ham
lack	glad		rail	obtain	lake	sale	mall	jam
pack	had		sail	pain	make	scale	small	lam
quack	lad		snail	plain	quake	stale	squall	ma’am
rack	mad		tail	rain	rake	tale	stall	Pam
sack	pad		wail	slain	sake	whale	tall	ram
snack	sad			Spain	shake		thrall	Sam
stack				sprain	snake		wall	scam
tack				stain	stake			slam
track				strain	take			spam
whack				train	wake			swam
Zack				vain				tam
								tram
								wham
								yam

ame	an	ank	ap	ar	ash	at	ate	aw
blame		bank	cap	afar	ash		abate	caw
came	ban	blank	clap	bar	bash	bat	ate	claw
fame	bran	crank	flap	car	brash	brat	crate	draw
flame	can	dank	gap	czar	cash	cat	date	flaw
frame	clan	drank	lap	far	clash	chat	debate	gnaw
game	Dan	flank	map	gar	crash	fat	fate	jaw
lame	fan	frank	nap	guitar	dash	flat	gate	law
name	flan	Hank	rap	jar	flash	gnat	grate	paw
same	Fran	plank	sap	mar	gash	hat	hate	raw
shame	Jan	prank	scrap	par	gnash	mat	Kate	saw
tame	Japan	rank	slap	scar	hash	pat	late	slaw
	man	sank	snap	spar	lash	rat	mate	straw
	pan	shrank	strap	star	mash	sat	plate	thaw
	pecan	spank	tap	tar	rash	slat	rate
	plan	tank	trap	tsar	sash	spat	relate
	ran	thank	wrap		slash	tat	sate
							skate
							state

ay	eat	eel	eep	eet	ell	en	ent	est
away	beat	eel	beep	beet	bell	amen	accent	best
bay	cheat	feel	creep	feet	cell	Ben	bent	chest
bray	cleat	heel	deep	fleet	dell	children	cent	crest
clay	eat	keel	jeep	greet	dwell	den	dent	jest
day	feat	kneel	keep	meet	farewell	fen	event	nest
decay	greet	peel	peep	sheet	fell	gentlemen	gent	pest
delay	heat	reel	seep	sleet	hell	glen	lent	quest
display	meat	steel	sheep	street	sell	Gwen	rent	rest
flay	neat	wheel	sleep	sweet	shell	hen	scent	test
gay	peat		steep	tweet	smell	men	sent	unrest
gray	pleat		sweep		spell	open	spent	vest
hay	seat		weep		swell	pen	tent	west
jay	treat				tell	then	vent	zest
lay	wheat				well	ten	went
may					yell	when
nay						wren

ice	ick	ide	ife	ight	ile	ill	in	ine
dice	brick	bride	fife	bright	bile	bill	bin	brine
ice	chick	decide	knife	delight	file	chill	chin	decline
mice	click	glide	life	fight	mile	dill	din	define
nice	flick	hide	strife	flight	Nile	drill	fin	dine
price	kick	pride	wife	fright	pile	fill	gin	fine
rice	lick	ride		height	rile	frill	grin	line
slice	nick	side		knight	smile	gill	in	mine
spice	pick	slide		light	stile	grill	kin	nine
splice	quick	stride		might	tile	hill	pin	pine
thrice	Rick	tide		night	vile	ill	shin	shine
twice	sick	wide		plight	while	Jill	skin	shrine
vice	slick			right		kill	sin	sine
	stick			sight		krill	spin	spine
	thick			slight		mill	thin	swine
	tick			tight		pill	tin	tine
	trick			tonight		quill	twin	twine
	wick					shrill	win	vine
						sill
						skill
						spill
						still
						swill
						thrill
						thrill
						till
						trill

ing	ink	ip	it	oat	ock	og	oil	oke
bring	blink	blip	admit	boat	block	blog	boil	awoke
cling	brink	chip	bit	coat	clock	bog	broil	bloke
fling	drink	dip	fit	float	cock	catalog	coil	broke
king	fink	drip	flit	gloat	crock	clog	foil	choke
ping	ink	flip	grit	goat	dock	cog	oil	joke
ring	link	grip	hit	oat	flock	dog	soil	poke
sing	mink	hip	it	stoat	frock	fog	spoil	smoke
sling	pink	lip	kit	throat	hock	frog	toil	spoke
spring	rink	nip	knit		jock	hog		stoke
sting	shrink	quip	lit		knock	jog		stroke
string	sink	rip	mit		lock	log		woke
swing	stink	ship	pit		mock	slog		yoke
thing	think	sip	quit		o’clock	smog
wing	wink	skip	sit		rock
wring		slip	skit		shock
zing		snip	slit		smock
		strip	snit		sock
		tip	spit		stock
		trip	split
		whip	twit
		zip	wit

oo	ood	ood	oof	oof	ook	oom	ool	oon
boo	good	brood	goof	hoof	book	bloom	cool	balloon
coo	hood	food	proof	woof	brook	boom	drool	goon
goo	stood	mood	roof		cook	broom	fool	loon
igloo	wood		spoof		crook	doom	pool	moon
moo					hook	gloom	spool	noon
shoo					look	groom	stool	soon
too					nook	loom	tool	spoon
woo					rook	room		swoon
zoo					shook	zoom
					took

oop	oot (long oo)	oot (short oo)	op	ore	orn	ot	ought	ould
coop	boot	foot	bop	bore	adorn	apricot	bought	could
droop	hoot	soot	chop	chore	born	blot	brought	should
hoop	scoot		cop	core	corn	bot	fought	would
loop	shoot		crop	fore	forlorn	clot	ought
scoop			drop	gore	horn	cot	sought
snoop			flop	lore	morn	dot	thought
stoop			hop	more	scorn	forgot	wrought
troop			lop	ore	shorn	got
			mop	pore	thorn	hot
			plop	score	torn	jot
			pop	shore	worn	knot
			prop	sore		lot
				spore		not
				store		plot
				swore		pot
				tore		rot
				wore		shot
				yore		slot

ouse	out	ow (rhymes with cow)	ow (rhymes with low)	own	uck	ug	ump	un	unk
douse	about	bow	bow	brown	buck	bug	bump	bun	bunk
grouse	bout	cow	blow	crown	chuck	dug	clump	fun	chunk
house	clout	chow	crow	down	cluck	hug	dump	gun	drunk
louse	gout	how	flow	drown	duck	jug	grump	nun	dunk
mouse	grout	now	glow	frown	luck	lug	hump	pun	flunk
spouse	out	plow	grow	gown	muck	mug	jump	run	funk
	lout	sow	low	nightgown	puck	plug	lump	shun	hunk
	pout	vow	mow	town	pluck	pug	plump	spun	junk
	scout	wow	row		stuck	rug	pump	stun	lunk
	shout		show		struck	shrug	rump	sun	plunk
	snout		slow		truck	smug	slump		punk

List of Word families with Examples and Pictures

• Words that Rhyme with Ad: 

1. I love my dad.
2. Behind bad luck comes good luck.
3. He is a handsome lad.
4. We all felt sad about his death.
5. I’m glad that the exams are over.
6. He was mad with me for losing his watch.
7. She wrote on a pad of paper.   

• Words that Rhyme with At:

1. She sat up in bed, listening.
2. The cat was clawing at the door.
3. Wipe your feet on the mat.
4. She was wearing a red hat.
5. He gave the dog a pat.
6. I think he’s too fat.
7. A rat squeaked and ran into the bushes.
8. The bat is flying with swiftness.

• Words that Rhyme with An:   

1. She fried the eggs in a frying pan.
2. A man is known by his friends.
3.  She cooled herself with a fan.
4. They ran straight across the road .
5. Fran has a can of beer.
6. The man has a van.
7. Jan is from Japan.
8. The plan began.

• Words that Rhyme with Am:

1. Be careful of that ram —it butts you.
2. A new dam is now being built.
3. The yam pieces were then simmered in water with the sailcloth for ten or twelve hours.
4. Put the jam in the jar over there.
5. Would you like another slice of ham/beef?
6. From the salad to the clam chowder to the pasta with grilled peppers and chicken, dinner was perfect.
7. I think I did OK in the exam.
8. We heard a car door slam.

• Words that Rhyme with Ap:

1. When you want a bath,you turn on the tap.
2. The water was dripping from the tap.
3. Do you see this point on the map?
4. He picked his cap up from the floor and stuck it back on his head.
5. I want to take a nap.
6. She’s a good singer. Let’s clap her on.
7. With a flap of its wings, the bird was gone.
8. Come and sit on Grandpa’s lap!
9. The road goes through a gap in/between the hills.

• Words that Rhyme with Ar:

1. The car is in very good condition.
2. He that travels far knows much. 
3.  His guitar solos are just unbelievable.
4. He put the lid on the jar.
5. Sirius is the brightest star in the sky.
6. We use tar to make roads.
7. We were all in the bar sipping cocktails
8. He had a scar on his forehead.

Most common Word Families | Pictures

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English word families and sentence structures

If you want to learn more about word families and sentence structures in English this page will help you.

This information is very useful when learning to speak English. If you know the basics of how the English language works, you will have a good foundation on which to become an advanced speaker. The information in this article is also very useful to know and learn if you want to study for the FCE or CAE exams. These exams give you the qualifications you need to get better jobs or get into universities in English speaking countries. If you would like to find out more about how these exams can help you, sign up to receive my free e-book with lots of information on this and other topics.

Sentence Structures

If you are unsure what types of words go where in a sentence, here are a few basic guidelines to follow:

Adjectives and Nouns

Adjectives (describing words) come before nouns (things/objects/people/places).
E.g. This is a funny (adjective) book (noun).

Adverbs of Frequency

Frequency adverbs (often, rarely, sometimes) go before the main verb in a sentence, but after an auxiliary verb or after a form of the verb ‘be’.
E.g. I often go to the supermarket on Sundays.
I have (auxiliary) never been (main verb) so insulted in my life.
I am (‘be’) always in a good mood after I eat.
There are a lot of exceptions to this rule though, for example adverb phrases normally go at the beginning or end of a clause.
E.g. Once a year, my brother comes to visit me.
My brother comes to visit me once a year.

Other Adverbs

Other adverbs typically start a sentence or paragraph. These are followed by commas (,).
E.g. Consequently, we decided not to go to the cinema.

Verbs + ing

Verbs which end –ing (Running, walking, looking etc.) can be used at the beginning of a clause, when acting like a noun.
E.g. Running is a very tiring activity.
*Watch out – the word ‘tiring’ above is an adjective and comes before the noun ‘activity’. Lots of adjectives end –ing or –ed.
Verbs+ing are also used in continuous tenses.
E.g. I was walking to the supermarket when I saw Billy.
Billy is going to the supermarket.

Verbs

Verbs are often preceded by a subject (I, you, he, she etc.) and followed by an object.
E.g. I went to the supermarket.

Auxiliary Verbs

Auxiliary verbs (have, be, do, will) come before the main verb in a sentence. These are used for various reasons, often in different verb tenses to help you know whether a person is talking about something in the past or the future.
Sometimes an adverb of frequency will be situated between the auxiliary verb and the main verb in a sentence.

Modal verbs

Examples: can/could, may/might, must/have to/ought to, shall/should, will/would etc.

Modal verbs (may, might, should, could, ought to etc.) also affect our understanding of a sentence. They have many uses, e.g. when a person is speculating and deducing. Modal verbs are always followed by a bare infinitive (unless used in a negative sentence when ‘not’ is used).
E.g. We should go to watch the new James Bond film.
The car might be broken.
We might not eat dinner until 9pm.

Modal verbs are used to show: ability, probability, obligation, permission, to make offers, to make conclusions about past, present and future events etc.

E.g. I can climb that mountain! (ability)

E.g. He should be here by 6pm. (probability)

E.g. You mustn’t smoke inside this building. (obligation)

E.g. You don’t have to smoke inside this building, but you can if you want to (permission)

Notice that ‘mustn’t’ and ‘don’t have to’ have different meanings in the above sentences.

E.g. Shall I collect you from the station? (offer)

in a question the word order changes to: modal-subject-bare infinitive.

E.g. Charlie is sick! He must have eaten some gone off food. (Here the modal verb is used to make a conclusion about the past – to answer the question — why is he sick).

When modal verbs are used to make past conclusions, they are followed by have + past participle)

E.g. It’s 2.30pm. Charlie should be in Paris by now! (Here the modal verb is used to make a conclusion about the present and is followed by a bare infinitive.

E.g. Charlie will be in Paris this time tomorrow. (Here the modal verb will is used to make a statement/conclusion about the future and is followed by a bare infinitive).

Word families

Here are some typical noun endings: -ment, -ion, -ty,

Here are some typical adjective endings: -al,

Here are some typical adverb endings: -ly, ally,

This book has some really useful exercises for understanding word endings. It is C1 Advanced (CAE) level:

This book is also very useful with similar exercises for B2 First (FCE) level:

This page also has some fun word family exercises.

A word family is a group of words with a common base to which different prefixes and suffixes are added. For example, members of the word family based on the headword, base, stem, or root word work include rework, worker, working, workshop, and workmanship, among others. Similar words are called paronyms. 

Polyptoton is the use of more than one of these words together, such as in this quote from the movie «Fight Club»: «The things you own end up owning you.» The repetition can serve as a dramatic effect or for emphasis in writings ranging from plays and poetry to advertising and political speeches.

Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes

Don’t plan to memorize all the word families, though. An analysis of a 1963 dictionary by scholars in 1990 found 54,000 word families. With English users creating new words all the time, it’s better to know how to work with the language and its roots, prefixes, and suffixes than to attempt to memorize it all.

According to Birgit Umbreit, «[L]anguage users are able to analyze complex words and to establish synchronic relations between words both formally and semantically because they have an implicit or even explicit knowledge of word-family organization.» (Birgit Umbreit, «Does Love Come From to Love or to Love From Love? Why Lexical Motivation Has to Be Regarded as Bidirectional,» from «Cognitive Perspectives on Word Formation,» edited by Alexander Onysko and Sascha Michel)

Said in a simpler way, language learners can decode many new or unfamiliar words through understanding what different prefixes and suffixes do to a root word. The technique can also help people figure out spellings of words they hear or determine the etymology of a word. Frank E. Daulton wrote, «[M]ost linguists agree that word families should be transparent, in that learning a new item related to one already known should involve a minimum of learning burden…For instance, if a learner knows govern and is familiar with the prefix mis-, then misgovern requires little if any additional learning (Goulden et al., 1990). Derivations that don’t meet the transparency criteria are not included in a word family but given separate listings; for instance, business (busy)…» (Frank E. Daulton, «Japan’s Built-in Lexicon of English-Based Loanwords»)

Breaking Words Into Parts

The roots or stems don’t have to be words on their own to make other words. For example, the root struct forms the base of more than 30 English words; it comes from a Latin word for to build and creates words such as: construction, structure, and constructive. Knowing that con- as a prefix means «with» or «together,» you can see how the words construction and constructive involve the creation of something. Knowing that the prefix de— means the opposite—to reduce or remove—and that the suffix —ion indicates that a word is a noun, you can understand how the word destruction is created—or even the verb to deconstruct.

Following the same pattern, look at contract and detract; a contract is something that joins parties in agreement, while to detract means to draw away from.

Source

• Norbert Schmitt, Vocabulary in Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press.

Nouns and adverbs and verbs, oh my!

Parts of speech are the building blocks for English sentences, and studying them early on can be beneficial for English language learners. Along with common sentence patterns, learning the parts of speech (nouns, verbs, prepositions, etc.) can help students form English sentences more easily.

But how do students know which vocabulary words are nouns, verbs, etc.? This is where suffixes (word endings) come into play. Learning common word endings can help students easily guess at the part of speech of a new vocabulary term.

Parts of speech and suffixes aren’t just for beginner students. This knowledge can boost students’ abilities in both grammar and vocabulary at any level, and is quite useful for higher‑level students who need to decipher complex and unfamiliar words. Learning and practicing word families in context can help higher-level students with speaking and writing as well as on tests such as the TOEIC.

Try presenting the word family chart below to your intermediate- to advanced‑ level learners, and then see if they can complete the following practice exercise. Subscribers can access a printable pdf of the chart and exercise here: Advanced Word Families. See our Parts of Speech lesson for lower‑level practice.

Practice

Have students complete the sentences below with a form of the prompt word. Allow them to refer to the chart above. You may also want to have students identify the parts of speech. Note that they may have to change the word form by making a noun plural or conjugating a verb into the correct tense.

Example

#	Prompt	Sentence
Ex	protect	Female bears are very protective (adjective) of their young.

Questions

#	Prompt	Sentence
1	succeed	Practice and patience are the keys to ______ .
2	rely	My best friend has never let me down. I ______ on her many times in the past.
3	differ	I can’t see what’s ______ in the second version of this document.
4	act	______ speak louder than words.
5	apologize	After tripping me on my way to my desk yesterday, my coworker ______ profusely.
6	identify	Please show me your ______ and your insurance papers.
7	understand	He was ______ upset when he heard about the accident.
8	divide	There were so many ______ issues that they called a mediator in.
9	decide	Because the manager reacted ______ , the problem didn’t spiral out of control.
10	benefit	This document was a ______ resource for the project.

Answers

1. success (noun)
2. have relied (verb)
3. different (adjective)
4. Actions (noun)
5. apologized (verb)
6. identification (noun)
7. understandably (adverb)
8. divisive (adjective)
9. decisively (adverb)
10. beneficial (adjective)

Related

• Advanced Word Families
• Parts of Speech Lesson
• Parts of Speech Lesson – Young Learners
• Parts of Speech Chart
• Parts of Speech Cards
• English Sentence Patterns
• Suffixes
• Suffix Flashcards
• Prefixes
• Prefix Flashcards
• Flying Affixes Activity