CISL provides intensive Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English and First Certificate of English courses to prepare students for these rigorous exams; in addition, the CISL Blog provides students activities and tips on each of the test modules. Today we are looking at Reading and Use of English Part III, which is called “Word Formation.”
Before learning the structure of this portion of the exam (and learning some tips to prepare), make sure you understand Part I and Part II of the Reading and Use of English Exam:
Reading and Use of English, Part III
Overview
In this section, students are given a small reading. There are gaps in the reading.
Next to each gap, there is a word.
Students must alter this word and put in the correct form to complete the sentence.
Reading and Use of English Part III Tips
Tip 1: Identify the part of speech
Read the sentence first and identify what part of speech the missing word could be: the word could be a noun, adjective, verb, adverb, adjective, or preposition (it usually isn’t a preposition since prepositions don’t change form like the other parts of speech).
Look at the example below. What part of speech could the missing word be?
- According to research, workers were being _________ by fifteen per cent. [PAID]
In this example, we have the construction WERE BEING + ________. This is the Passive form of the Past Progressive. Therefore, the missing word must be a past participle form of PAID.
Tip 2: Find synonyms that complete the sentence
Ask yourself what the meaning of the possible missing word could be. (You do not need to look at the base word for this step: just ask yourself what definition would complete the sentence correctly.
- According to research, workers were being _________ by fifteen per cent. [PAID]
In this example, we know that the missing word must indicate that the workers were paid less than the other workers. They are _______ by 15%.
Tip 3: Identify more members of the word family
Look at the base word. What words do you know that are similar to this word?
You probably know some words related to PAID, like PAY, PAYMENT, PAYER, and PAYEE. But for this sentence, we need a past participle that means “paid less.” Do you know the answer?
Answer: UNDERPAID
Word formation practice
Use the tips provided above to complete this practice Reading and Use of English Part III activity.
Several years ago, the __________ of my community came together to solve a problem. (RESIDE) A factory located near the river of our town was emitting __________ into the air and water, and many people in the community became ill. (POLLUTE)
The community members __________ to solve this problem. (UNITY) First, they held an __________ to choose someone to represent the community and its members. (ELECT) This normal __________ action gave us a chance to meet, talk about our common goals, and learn a little about each other before voting on a representative. (POLITIC) Of course, the person who lost was __________, but the chosen community representative asked him to be the co-leader, so in the end we had strong and __________ leadership. (DISAPPOINT, UNIFY)
The two leaders held several meetings with the factory and its leaders, and some __________ were, according to our leaders, very intense. (CONVERSE) After many hours of negotiating, the leader persuaded the factory to admit that, because they were __________ next to the river, they were clearly responsible for its ecological problems. (SITUATE) The factory finally agreed to cut its emissions and pay to help restore the local river’s state.
Tip One: Identify the missing parts of speech
Look at the sentences below and decide which part of speech each of the missing words could be.
Several years ago, the __________ of my community came together to solve a problem. (RESIDE)
Part of speech: a noun. The missing word is after the word THE: often, the word next word is a noun. Also, there is no subject of this sentence. Who/what came together? The missing word tells us this.
A factory located near the river of our town was emitting __________ into the air and water, and many people in the community became ill. (POLLUTE)
Part of speech: a noun. The verb of the sentence is Past Progressive (“was emitting”). Emitting is a transitive verb: it needs an object. This object, a noun, is our missing word.
The community members __________ to solve this problem. (UNITY)
Part of speech: verb. The subject of the sentence is “the community members.” What is the verb? We do not know.
First, they held an __________ to choose someone to represent the community and its members. (ELECT)
Part of speech: noun. The word before the missing word is AN: this tells us the next word is probably a noun. Also, the members held “something” in order to choose a representative.
This normal __________ action gave us a chance to meet, talk about our common goals, and learn a little about each other before voting on a representative. (POLITIC)
Part of speech: Adjective. The missing word is describing the word “action.”
Of course, the person who lost was __________, but the chosen community representative asked him to be the co-leader, so in the end we had strong and __________ leadership. (DISAPPOINT, UNIFY)
Part of speech: probably an adjective? We know that WAS, which is a form of the verb TO BE, is also a part of many constructions like the Past Progressive and the Simple Past Passive. But in this case, it seems like the missing word is an adjective to describe the “person who lost.”
Part of speech: adjective. The missing word, like the word STRONG, will modify the word UNIFY.
The two leaders held several meetings with the factory and its leaders, and some __________ were, according to our leaders, very intense. (CONVERSE)
Part of speech: a noun. SOME + NOUN is the construction this sentence gives us as a clue. Another hint: this noun is modified by the adjective INTENSE.
After many hours of negotiating, the leader persuaded the factory to admit that, because they were __________ next to the river, they were clearly responsible for its ecological problems. (SITUATE)
Part of speech: an adjective/past participle. This word comes after WERE, so it’s probably the past participle form of SITUATE in order to form the construction WERE + PAST PARTICIPLE.
Tip Two: Identify other words that complete the sentence
What words do you know that could complete the gap and keep the sentence’s meaning the same?
Several years ago, the __________ of my community came together to solve a problem. (RESIDE)
Synonyms: people, people who live somewhere, citizens
A factory located near the river of our town was emitting __________ into the air and water, and many people in the community became ill. (POLLUTE)
Synonyms: things that pollute, the parts of pollution
The community members __________ to solve this problem. (UNITY)
Synonyms: bring together, come together
First, they held an __________ to choose someone to represent the community and its members. (ELECT)
Synonyms: the process when we elect a leader/vote
This normal __________ action gave us a chance to meet, talk about our common goals, and learn a little about each other before voting on a representative. (POLITIC)
Synonyms: adjective of “politic”
Of course, the person who lost was __________, but the chosen community representative asked him to be the co-leader, so in the end we had strong and __________ leadership. (DISAPPOINT, UNIFY)
Synonyms: adjective of disappoint; bring together, come together
The two leaders held several meetings with the factory and its leaders, and some __________ were, according to our leaders, very intense. (CONVERSE)
Synonyms: discussions, talks
After many hours of negotiating, the leader persuaded the factory to admit that, because they were __________ next to the river, they were clearly responsible for its ecological problems. (SITUATE)
Synonyms: located
Tip Three: Brainstorm word families
What words do you know in these word families? What words can you build adding prefixes and suffixes?
RESIDE
Residential, resided, residing
UNITY
Unite, united, uniting
POLLUTE
Pollution, pollutant, polluting, polluted, non-polluting, non-pollutant
ELECT
Electing, elected, election, re-elect
SITUATE
Situation, situated, situating,
POLITIC
Politician, political, politically, unpolitical, politicize
DISAPPOINT
Disappointing, disappoint, disappointed
CONVERSE
Conversing, converse, conserved, conversational, conversation, conversationally
The last step: put it all together!
Use the tips provided above to complete this practice Reading and Use of English Part III activity.
Several years ago, the RESIDENTS of my community came together to solve a problem. (RESIDE) A factory located near the river of our town was emitting POLLUTANTS into the air and water, and many people in the community became ill. (POLLUTE)
The community members UNITED to solve this problem. (UNITY) First, they held an ELECTION to choose someone to represent the community and its members. (ELECT) This normal POLITICAL action gave us a chance to meet, talk about our common goals, and learn a little about each other before voting on a representative. (POLITIC) Of course, the person who lost was DISAPPOINTED, but the chosen community representative asked him to be the co-leader, so in the end we had strong and UNIFIED leadership. (DISAPPOINT, UNIFY)
The two leaders held several meetings with the factory and its leaders, and some CONVERSATIONS were, according to our leaders, very intense. (CONVERSE) After many hours of negotiating, the leader persuaded the factory to admit that, because they were SITUATED next to the river, they were clearly responsible for its ecological problems. (SITUATE) The factory finally agreed to cut its emissions and pay to help restore the local river’s state.