C1 word formation exercises (CAE Use of English Part 3)
C1 word formation is CAE Use of English Part 3: eight gaps in a short text, each with a stem word that you must change to fit. The answer may need a prefix, a suffix, an internal change or a compound, and there is usually at least one word that needs a negative prefix.
- Questions
- 8 (17–24)
- Marks
- 1 each
- Answer
- One changed word
- Counts towards
- Use of English
What CAE word formation tests
Part 3 is a text of about 130 words with a title and eight gaps, numbered 17–24, plus an example (0). Next to each gap there is a stem word in capital letters, shown to the right of the text. You must use that stem to form the word that fits the gap. Each stem belongs only to the gap with the same number.
The stem always has to change. Cambridge's focus is affixation (adding prefixes and suffixes), internal changes (STRONG → strength) and compounding (combining with another word, as in widespread or outnumber). The answer may also need to be plural or a particular verb form, and the class of word you need, whether noun, verb, adjective or adverb, depends entirely on the sentence. Cambridge also notes that there is usually at least one word in each task that needs a negative prefix. At C1, two changes in one word are common: RESPOND → unresponsive needs a prefix and a suffix.
Each correct answer earns one mark, and the part counts towards your Use of English score with Parts 2 and 4. Spelling must be correct: independant or occurence loses the mark even though the idea is right. On paper you write in capital letters; in the digital exam you type the word into the gap.
Try a C1 word formation exercise
Use the word in capitals to form a word that fits each gap.
The science of first impressions
We like to believe that we judge other people fairly, yet there is a striking (17) (WILLING) among most of us to admit how quickly we make up our minds. In laboratory studies, volunteers who saw a stranger's face for less than a second rated that person's (18) (TRUST) almost exactly as they did when they were given unlimited time. What surprises researchers is not so much the speed of these judgements as the (19) (STRONG) of the confidence people place in them. First impressions can, of course, be wildly (20) (ACCURATE), yet we tend to remember the occasions when they proved correct and quietly forget the rest.
Show the answer and explanation
17 unwillingness. After a striking you need a noun, and the meaning (we do not want to admit it) needs a negative prefix: un- + willing + -ness. Two changes in one word.
18 trustworthiness. That person's needs a noun describing a quality. Trust itself is the stem, so it cannot be the answer; the quality of being reliable is trustworthiness (compound trustworthy + -ness).
19 strength. The … of needs a noun. STRONG changes internally to strength; there is no suffix to add.
20 inaccurate. After be wildly you need an adjective, and yet we tend to remember … when they proved correct shows the meaning is negative. Note the prefix is in-, not un-.
Two more C1 word formation exercises
These are full-length texts with eight gaps, numbered 17–24 as in the exam. Each one includes at least one negative.
Practice set 2: Rethinking the open-plan office
Use the word in capitals to form a word that fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).
Rethinking the open-plan office
For decades, the open-plan office was promoted as a way of encouraging (0) collaboration (COLLABORATE). Removing walls, designers argued, would make managers more (17) (APPROACH), and ideas would flow freely between departments. The reality has often proved (18) (APPOINT). Studies suggest that employees in open offices actually speak to each other less, and many report that constant (19) (INTERRUPT) make it almost impossible to concentrate. Noise is not the only problem: the feeling of being permanently on display can also cause considerable (20) (ANXIOUS), particularly for those who need to work (21) (DISTURB) for long periods. Some companies have responded by creating quiet zones and small booths, (22) (EFFECT) turning the office into a series of spaces with different purposes. Critics point out the (23) (ABSURD) of tearing down walls only to build them again, as employers try to strike a balance between cost and the (24) (PRODUCE) of their staff.
Show the answers and explanations
17 approachable. More + adjective; managers you can easily talk to are approachable.
18 disappointing. Proved + adjective, and reality contrasts with the designers' promise. Two changes: dis- and -ing.
19 interruptions. A noun after constant, and the verb make shows it must be plural.
20 anxiety. Considerable + noun. ANXIOUS changes inside the word: anxious → anxiety.
21 undisturbed. An adjective after work, meaning "without being interrupted". Prefix un- plus -ed.
22 effectively. An adverb meaning "in practice", modifying turning.
23 absurdity. The … of needs a noun. Adjective → noun with -ity.
24 productivity. The … of their staff needs a noun for how much work people get done. Production is about making goods, not about how well people work.
Practice set 3: The quiet value of boredom
Use the word in capitals to form a word that fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).
The quiet value of boredom
Boredom has long been regarded as an (0) unpleasant (PLEASANT) state to be avoided at all costs. Recent research, however, suggests that it may serve a useful purpose. In one (17) (WIDE) reported study, volunteers who had first completed a dull task went on to produce more (18) (IMAGINE) ideas than a group who had not. Psychologists believe that boredom acts as a signal: a sense of (19) (SATISFY) with the present that pushes us to look for something better. The problem today is that we rarely allow it to develop. With a phone always within reach, the (20) (TEMPT) to fill every spare moment is hard to resist. Some educators now argue that children should be given more (21) (STRUCTURE) time, in which they are left to find their own (22) (ENTERTAIN). (23) (UNDERSTAND), parents tend to step in with a solution the moment a child complains of having nothing to do, but the evidence suggests that a little patience may be more (24) (BENEFIT) in the long run.
Show the answers and explanations
17 widely. An adverb before the participle reported: widely reported means reported in many places.
18 imaginative. Imaginative ideas are creative ones. Imaginary means "not real", which is the wrong meaning.
19 dissatisfaction. A noun after a sense of; the feeling pushes us to look for something better, so it is negative. Prefix dis- and suffix -faction.
20 temptation. The … to fill needs a noun. Verb → noun with -ation.
21 unstructured. An adjective before time; left to find their own shows the time has no fixed plan. Prefix un- and -ed.
22 entertainment. Their own + noun. Verb → noun with -ment.
23 Understandably. A sentence adverb before the comma: the writer is saying the parents' reaction is easy to understand.
24 beneficial. More + adjective. Noun → adjective: benefit → beneficial.
How to do CAE word formation, step by step
- 01
Read the whole text first. A gap that needs a negative prefix only becomes obvious when you follow the meaning, as in gap 20 above, where the contrast with proved correct comes in the next clause.
- 02
Decide the word class from the grammar around the gap: after an article or possessive you need a noun; before a noun, an adjective; describing a verb or an adjective, an adverb; after a modal or to, a verb.
- 03
Then decide the exact form: singular or plural (check the verb and words like many or a), positive or negative, and whether a verb needs -s, -ed or -ing.
- 04
Check for internal changes and chains of suffixes. Deep becomes depth, pronounce becomes pronunciation, and respond can become responsiveness.
- 05
Copy the spelling carefully, watching doubled consonants and dropped letters: occurrence, commitment, argument, noticeable. Then reread the sentence with your word in it.
Mistakes that cost marks
The right word in the wrong form. Inaccuracy where the sentence needs inaccuracies, or considerable where it needs considerably, scores nothing.
Missing the negative. If the sentence is critical or contrasts with what follows, check whether you need un-, in-, im-, ir-, dis- or mis-. Most tasks contain at least one.
Spelling slips. Independant, occurence and noticable are frequent slips, and each one costs a full mark.
Inventing words. Adding a suffix that the root does not take (arrivement, relyable) produces a word that does not exist. If it looks odd, try another ending.
C1 word formation patterns to learn
Most CAE word formation answers are built from a small set of affixes. Learn word families, not single words: rely, reliable, reliably, reliability, unreliable, reliance.
| Type | Patterns | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Negative prefixes | un-, in-, im-, il-, ir-, dis-, mis-, non- | unforeseen, inadequate, impractical, illegible, irreversible, disloyalty, misinterpret, non-existent |
| Other prefixes | over-, under-, out-, re-, counter-, inter- | overestimate, underlying, outweigh, reassess, counterproductive, interdependent |
| Noun suffixes | -ness, -ity, -ment, -ance / -ence, -ion, -ship, -hood | awareness, reliability, entitlement, maintenance, persistence, recognition, hardship, likelihood |
| Adjective suffixes | -able / -ible, -ive, -ous, -ful, -less, -al, -ic | sustainable, comprehensible, decisive, ambitious, resentful, pointless, controversial, enthusiastic |
| Verb suffixes | -en, -ise, -ify | broaden, prioritise, clarify |
| Internal changes | spelling changes inside the word | strong → strength, deep → depth, broad → breadth, high → height, prove → proof, choose → choice, maintain → maintenance, pronounce → pronunciation, explain → explanation |
Practise Part 3 in full CAE Reading and Use of English tests
Each CAE Reading and Use of English test on this site has its own Part 3, timed with the whole paper and marked as soon as you submit, with an explanation for every answer.
CAE word formation: questions
How many word formation questions are there in CAE?
Eight, numbered 17 to 24, worth one mark each. They count towards your Use of English score together with Parts 2 and 4.
Do I always have to change the word in CAE word formation?
Yes. The stem word never fits the gap as it is. You may need a prefix, a suffix, an internal change or a compound, and sometimes a plural or a different verb form as well.
Is spelling important in C1 word formation?
Yes. Cambridge requires correct spelling in Part 3, so a misspelled answer scores zero even if you chose the right word.
How can I practise CAE word formation exercises?
Build word families from your reading and test yourself on the negative form of each adjective. Then do full eight-gap tasks under time pressure: all six of our CAE Reading and Use of English tests include one, with explanations.
Sources
- C1 Advanced Handbook for Teachers (Cambridge University Press & Assessment), pages 7–8, 12
- C1 Advanced exam format (cambridgeenglish.org)
- C1 Advanced preparation materials: Cambridge's own sample tests
CambridgeMock is independent and not affiliated with Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Facts on this page are checked against the official documents above; the practice items and advice are our own.
Ready for C1 Advanced? Find out today
Take a free CAE mock test and get an estimated Cambridge English Scale score, with your marks part by part.