B2 First Use of English Part 3: Word Formation Made Easy

Part 3 of the Use of English exam is one of the most significant tests of your vocabulary knowledge across the whole B2 First exam. This article will teach you some strategies to simplify what can be a difficult exercise.

 

Let’s remind ourselves of what you have to do in Part 3.

You’ll be given a short text of around 150 words to read. You need to complete the eight gaps in it with the correct word, by transforming the words written at the side, adding the right suffix (or sometimes a prefix) to form the correct word.

For example:

Good ______________ is essential when working in a team.                     COMMUNICATE

The correct answer here is COMMUNICATION.

A NOUN has been formed using the given word, which is a VERB.

 

Now let’s get started with a quick step-by-step guide to solving this exercise.

 

Step 1: Read!

Before doing anything else, the first step is to read the whole text first. Don’t be tempted to save time and start filling in these gaps right away: a lot of these answers will depend on you understanding their full context within the passage.

Once you’ve taken enough time to read through the text, now you can focus on the gaps.

 

Step 2: What kind of word?

Use of English part 3 tests your word formation skills: can you, for example, transform a verb into a noun, or an adjective into an adverb? Most of the time, these gaps will usually be filled by a noun or an adjective, but don’t be surprised if some of the gaps require an adverb or verb, or a negative prefix. In fact, most examples of this exercise will include one word that needs to be negative!

The first thing to decide is: do you need a noun, verb, adjective or adverb?

 

The report contains several __________ details that need to be checked carefully. ESSENCE

ESSENCE (NOUN) -> ESSENTIAL (adjective before the noun ‘details’)

The film was __________ disappointing, despite its strong reviews.                     EXTREME

EXTREME (ADJECTIVE) -> EXTREMELY (adverb before the adjective ‘disappointing’)

 

If it’s a noun, is it singular or plural, countable or uncountable? (If you remember the right word but forget the -s, you’ll lose the point!)

Recent __________ in online learning have improved access to education.                      DEVELOP

DEVELOP (VERB) -> DEVELOPMENTS (no ‘a’ article, and ‘have’ indicates a plural noun)

 

If it’s an adjective, is it positive or negative?

It would be __________ to ignore the advice given by experts.                 RESPONSIBLE

RESPONSIBLE (POSITIVE ADJECTIVE) -> IRRESPONSIBLE (negative prefix because it’s a bad idea to ignore the advice)

 

Remember: spelling is important! If you remember the right word but misspell it, you won’t get the point.

 

Step 3: Add the suffix or prefix

Suffixes and prefixes are a key part of B2-level writing. As soon as you take the time to learn some suffixes and prefixes, you’ve instantly multiplied your English vocabulary, and you’ve become a much more flexible communicator.

Common Suffixes with Examples

Below are some of the most useful suffixes for B2 First, showing which type of word they form and typical examples.

Adjective Suffixes

-able / -ible → responsible, readable, possible
-al → natural, cultural, accidental
-ant / -ent → independent, important, confident
-ate → considerate, passionate, fortunate
-ed → amazed, bored, interested
-ful → careful, helpful, useful
-ing → interesting, boring, exciting
-ive → active, creative, effective
-less → painless, careless, useless
-ous → dangerous, famous, curious
-y → lucky, healthy, noisy

Noun Suffixes

-al → renewal, refusal, approval
-ance / -ence → importance, difference, confidence
-er → builder, teacher, worker
-ion → revision, decision, education
-ist → guitarist, scientist, tourist
-ity → similarity, activity, ability
-ledge → knowledge
-ment → entertainment, development, improvement
-ness → kindness, happiness, darkness
-or → actor, advisor, creator
-ship → friendship, membership, leadership
-ure → failure, pressure, departure

Adverb Suffix

-ly → extremely, fortunately, happily, quickly

 But don’t forget: suffixes aren’t everything. Sometimes you’ll need a negative prefix instead.

Common Negative Prefixes:

un-	unhappy, unfortunate, unfair, unlucky, unusual, unnecessary, unsafe
in-	insecure, insensitive, inactive, inappropriate, invisible, indecisive
dis-	dishonest, disappointed, disagree, disorganised, dissatisfied, disrespectful
mis- (meaning “badly” or “wrong”)	mistake, misunderstand, misread, misbehave, mishear, misjudge
im- (before words beginning with m or p)	impolite, immature, impossible, impatient, imperfect
il- (before words beginning with l)	illegal, illogical, illegible, illiterate
ir- (before words beginning with r)	irregular, irresponsible, irrelevant, irreplaceable
Note: these last three are common, but not absolute, rules. Words like ‘popular’, ‘lucky’ or ‘reasonable’ take ‘un-’ as their negative prefix.

 

Now that you’ve learnt some strategies and revised the most common prefixes and suffixes, let’s put all that into practice with a complete task, in the style of the exam.

Exam Task

For questions 1–8, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0).

The Impact of Everyday Technology

(0) Importance is often placed on staying connected in the modern world, especially as technology continues to shape how we live and work.

(1) __________, many people underestimate the impact of technology on daily life, assuming that digital tools only bring convenience. In reality, the rapid (2) __________ of new devices has significantly changed the way we communicate with friends, colleagues, and family members.

While some people enjoy instant access to information, others feel (3) __________ with constant updates and notifications. Over time, this pressure can affect concentration and increase stress. Another common issue is the (4) __________ of managing multiple online accounts, each requiring strong passwords.

In response, experts have made several (5) __________ aimed at improving online safety and wellbeing. However, public (6) __________ of the risks posed by the internet remains relatively low. Clear and (7) __________ policies introduced by companies could help users feel more confident. As a result, there is a growing need for better (8) __________ from schools and employers on how to use technology responsibly.

Prompt Words

0.     IMPORTANT

1. FIRST
2. DEVELOP
3. SATISFY
4. DIFFICULT
5. SUGGEST
6. AWARE
7. EFFECT
8. GUIDE

Answers:

1. FIRSTLY - adverb
2. DEVELOPMENT - noun
3. DISSATISFIED - negative adjective
4. DIFFICULTY - noun
5. SUGGESTIONS - plural noun
6. AWARENESS - noun
7. EFFECTIVE - adjective
8. GUIDANCE - noun