Learning English
Grammar Rules
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Prepositions
FCE practice ▼ Grammar
So and Such Conditionals Reported Speech Perfect Tenses As/Even + If/Though Passives Modal Verbs Very/Absolutely etc
▼ Word formation
verbs negatives nouns (-ion) nouns (-ance/ence) nouns (-ment/ness) nouns (irregular) adjectives (ful/less) height, width ...
▼ Phrasal verbs
Phrasal verbs: up Phrasal verbs: down Phrasal verbs: 3-word
▼ Expressions
Linking prepositions As-As expressions
▼ Collocations
Make/do/have/take 1 Make/do/have/take 2

FCE (First Certificate)
Word Formation: height, width ...

The word formation part of the FCE use of English exam often tests adjectives such as 'short', 'wide', 'dark' and their nouns and verbs. Here is a list of some of the more common adjectives and their forms.


Look at the information in the table for 1-2 minutes and try to remember the words. Then click below to hide the information and try to answer the questions at the bottom.


AdjectiveNounVerb
deepdepthdeepen
highheightheighten
-weightweigh
widewidthwiden
longlengthlengthen
shortshortage (= not enough)
shortness (= not tall)		shorten
largeenlargementenlarge
low-lower
tighttightnesstighten
looseloosenessloosen
strongstrengthstrengthen
weakweaknessweaken
darkdarkness
dark		darken
brightbrightnessbrighten


Click here to show/hide this information



Write the correct form of the word in brackets to complete these sentences.


  1. Normally I prefer tall men, but my husband's isn't a problem. (SHORT)
  2. The news report covered the economic crisis in . (DEEP)
  3. A healthy diet will your life expectancy. (LONG)
  4. If they this road, there would be fewer accidents. (WIDE)
  5. I think I'll this photograph. (LARGE)
  6. The airport has security at passport control. (TIGHT)
  7. I do yoga to my back. (STRONG)
  8. There is a water nearly every summer in the south of England. (SHORT)
  9. The moment I left work I my tie and started to relax. (LOOSE)
  10. When I myself, I found out I'd lost 10kg! (WEIGHT)
  11. The of my computer screen gives me a headache. (BRIGHT)
  12. I'm afraid of so I couldn't live on the 10th floor. (HIGH)
  13. The lights went out and the room was plunged into . (DARK)
  14. I'm afraid of the so I sleep with the lights on. (DARKEN)
  15. The government are going to the legal drinking age to 18. (LOW)
  16. His long illness has him. (WEAK)



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