📄️ Word formation
There are four main kinds of word formation: prefixes, suffixes, conversion and compounds.
📄️ Abbreviations, initials and acronyms
Abbreviations and letters
📄️ \-ish and \-y
We can add the suffixes \-ish and -y to words in informal contexts to make the reference sound deliberately vague and approximate.
📄️ Compounds
Compound words
📄️ Diminutives (-let, -y and mini-)
A diminutive creates a meaning of ‘small’ or ‘little’. The most common diminutives are formed with the prefix mini\- and with suffixes such as \-let and \-y. We often use a diminutive with names or with abbreviated names when we want to be more informal, or to express affection for someone or something:
📄️ Hyphens
Hyphens are a form of dash (-) which we use between words or parts of words.
📄️ Prefixes
Prefixes are letters which we add to the beginning of a word to make a new word with a different meaning. Prefixes can, for example, create a new word opposite in meaning to the word the prefix is attached to. They can also make a word negative or express relations of time, place or manner.
📄️ Suffixes
A suffix is a letter or group of letters added at the end of a word which makes a new word.