MCQs - Word Formation  

1. Which of the following is NOT a common process of word formation?

A. Compounding 

B. Clipping 

C. Syntax 

D. Blending 

Answer: C. Syntax 

 

2. The process of forming a new word by joining two or more words together, such as "sunflower" or "notebook," is called:

A. Clipping 

B. Compounding 

C. Borrowing 

D. Acronym 

Answer: B. Compounding 

 

3. What type of word formation is seen in the word "brunch" (from "breakfast" and "lunch")? 

A. Clipping 

B. Blending 

C. Borrowing 

D. Coinage 

Answer: B. Blending 

 

4. The process of creating a new word by removing one or more syllables from a longer word, such as "ad" from "advertisement," is called:

A. Blending 

B. Clipping 

C. Acronym 

D. Backformation 

Answer: B. Clipping 

 

5. The word "laser" (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) is an example of:

A. Compounding 

B. Clipping 

C. Acronym 

D. Borrowing 

Answer: C. Acronym 

 

6. When a new word is created by taking an existing word and removing what appears to be an affix, such as "edit" from "editor," this process is called: 

A. Backformation 

B. Derivation 

C. Conversion 

D. Blending 

Answer: A. Backformation 

 

7. Which of the following words is an example of conversion (zero derivation)?

A. Google (as a verb from a noun) 

B. Motel (from "motor" + "hotel") 

C. Ad (from "advertisement") 

D. Biology (from Greek) 

Answer: A. Google (as a verb from a noun) 

 

8. Borrowing is a process in which words are taken from another language. Which of the following words is an example of borrowing? 

A. Robot (from Czech) 

B. Smog (from "smoke" + "fog") 

C. Exam (from "examination") 

D. Fridge (from "refrigerator") 

Answer: A. Robot (from Czech) 

 

9. Which process of word formation involves the addition of prefixes or suffixes to a root word? 

A. Acronym 

B. Derivation 

C. Clipping 

D. Borrowing 

Answer: B. Derivation 

 

10. The word "smog" (from "smoke" and "fog") is an example of: 

A. Borrowing 

B. Clipping 

C. Blending 

D. Coinage 

Answer: C. Blending 

 

11. Which of the following is an example of coinage? 

A. Kleenex (as a brand name used for tissues) 

B. Blog (from "web" + "log") 

C. Exam (from "examination") 

D. Biology (from Greek) 

Answer: A. Kleenex (as a brand name used for tissues) 

 

12. The formation of a new word by shortening a longer word, such as "flu" from "influenza," is known as:

A. Clipping 

B. Compounding 

C. Blending 

D. Conversion 

Answer: A. Clipping 

 

13. The process by which a word shifts from one grammatical category to another without changing form, such as "email" (noun) becoming "to email" (verb), is called:

A. Backformation 

B. Conversion 

C. Blending 

D. Borrowing 

Answer: B. Conversion 

 

14. Which of the following words is an example of backformation?

A. Editor → Edit 

B. Hotel → Motel 

C. Telephone → Phone 

D. Advertisement → Ad 

Answer: A. Editor → Edit 

 

15. Which of the following is an example of an eponym (a word derived from a person's name)? 

A. Sandwich (from the Earl of Sandwich) 

B. Internet (from "interconnected networks") 

C. Email (from "electronic mail") 

D. Radar (from "Radio Detection and Ranging") 

Answer: A. Sandwich (from the Earl of Sandwich) 

 

16. Which type of word formation involves creating a new word without using any existing words as a base, such as "Google" or "Kodak"? 

A. Acronym 

B. Coinage 

C. Clipping 

D. Backformation 

Answer: B. Coinage 

 

17. The word "blog" is formed from "web" and "log." What process does this represent?

A. Borrowing 

B. Blending 

C. Clipping 

D. Conversion 

Answer: B. Blending 

 

18. Which word formation process does "television" → "televise" illustrate? 

A. Clipping 

B. Acronym 

C. Backformation 

D. Conversion 

Answer: C. Backformation 

 

19. The word "jeans" was borrowed from which language?

A. French 

B. Italian 

C. Spanish 

D. German 

Answer: B. Italian 

 

20. Which of the following words is an example of reduplication (repeating sounds to create a new word)?

A. Ping-pong 

B. Blog 

C. Brunch 

D. Robot 

Answer: A. Ping-pong

 

21. Which word formation process creates completely new words without borrowing from other languages or existing words?

A. Clipping

B. Blending

C. Coinage

D. Acronym

Answer: C. Coinage

 

22. Which of the following is an example of coinage?

A. Aspirin

B. Biology

C. Mathematics

D. Biology

Answer: A. Aspirin

 

23. The word "zipper" was created as a new term for a fastening device. What type of word formation does this represent?

A. Borrowing

B. Coinage

C. Blending

D. Clipping

Answer: B. Coinage

 

24. Which of the following words is NOT an example of coinage?

A. Google

B. Kleenex

C. Restaurant

D. Xerox

Answer: C. Restaurant

 

25. What process best describes the formation of the word "escalator," which was originally a brand name?

A. Borrowing

B. Acronym

C. Coinage

D. Blending

Answer: C. Coinage

 

26. The creation of words such as "Kodak" and "Xerox," which were originally brand names, is an example of:

A. Derivation

B. Borrowing

C. Coinage

D. Blending

Answer: C. Coinage

 

27. The word "Google" has become a verb meaning "to search online." This process is called:

A. Borrowing

B. Coinage

C. Conversion

D. Clipping

Answer: C. Conversion

 

28. What is the process of shortening a longer word, such as "ad" from "advertisement"?

A. Acronym

B. Clipping

C. Backformation

D. Blending

Answer: B. Clipping

 

29. Which of the following words was formed through blending?

A. Smog (Smoke + Fog)

B. Laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation)

C. Phone (from Telephone)

D. Robot (from Czech)

Answer: A. Smog (Smoke + Fog)

 

30. The word "email" is an example of which word formation process?

A. Blending

B. Borrowing

C. Acronym

D. Coinage

Answer: A. Blending (Electronic + Mail)

 

31. The word "piano" was borrowed from which language?

A. Spanish

B. French

C. Italian

D. German

Answer: C. Italian

 

32. Which of the following words is NOT borrowed from French?

A. Ballet

B. Café

C. Chocolate

D. Tomato

Answer: D. Tomato (borrowed from Nahuatl)

 

33. The word "tsunami" was borrowed from which language?

A. Chinese

B. Japanese

C. Korean

D. Hindi

Answer: B. Japanese

 

34. Which of the following words is an example of borrowing from Arabic?

A. Alcohol

B. Robot

C. Shampoo

D. Cartoon

Answer: A. Alcohol

 

35. The word "safari" was borrowed from which language?

A. Arabic

B. Swahili

C. French

D. Italian

Answer: B. Swahili

 

36. The word "guru" was borrowed from which language?

A. Sanskrit

B. Latin

C. Arabic

D. Russian

Answer: A. Sanskrit

 

37. The word "bungalow" was borrowed from which language?

A. Portuguese

B. Hindi

C. Latin

D. Greek

Answer: B. Hindi

 

38. The word "robot" was borrowed from which language?

A. German

B. Czech

C. French

D. Spanish

Answer: B. Czech

 

39. The word "tattoo" was borrowed from which language?

A. Polynesian (Tahitian)

B. Spanish

C. Greek

D. Russian

Answer: A. Polynesian (Tahitian)

 

40. The word "chocolate" was borrowed from which language?

A. Italian

B. Nahuatl

C. Greek

D. French

Answer: B. Nahuatl