worksheet for english morphology

WORKSHEETS

MORPHOLOGY: INTRODUCTION

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Below are some terms related to English morphology. Consult a recent dictionary for any whose meaning is not clear to you and define them.

morpheme, free morpheme, bound morpheme (form), allomorph, base morpheme, affix, inflectional affix, derivational affix, prefix, suffix, compound (compounding)

Divide the following words into morphemes by writing them with dashes at the morpheme boundaries. For examples: cat-s, re-view, power-point.

                applejack              Wisconsin                        houseboat              uniform                          playback               transplant                       joyous                 generative                       poisonous              coolness                         grievous               codify                           unsightly              microwave                        sees                   joyless                          don't                  reception                  

The word reactivation has five morphemes in it (one free and four bound). Analyse it step by step:

Derivational affixes may be either prefixes or suffixes. Most derivational prefixes simply change the meaning of the word to which they are attached (for example, unbelievable and desensitize). Derivational suffixes normally change the part-of-speech category and may also change the meaning of the word to which they are attached. Notice how derivational suffixes change the part-of-speech category and the meaning in the following words.

a. generative, b. coolness, c. codify, d. joyless