ESL Vocabulary: Word Families, Noun, Verb, Adjective, Adverb Forms, Decide, Decision, Decisive

What It Is

Word families are groups of words that have the same root or base but change their form to indicate different parts of speech, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. For example, decide (verb), decision (noun), and decisive (adjective) all come from the same root. This topic can be difficult for ESL learners because they often struggle to recognize and use the different forms correctly.

Key Rules

• Verb + -ing forms an adverb: "She sings beautifully" (adverb).
• Verb + -ed forms a past tense or past participle: "I decided to go" (past tense).
• Verb + -s forms a third person singular: "He decides quickly" (third person singular).
• Noun + -ion forms a noun: "The decision was made" (noun).
• Adjective + -ive forms an adjective: "The decision was decisive" (adjective).
• Root word + -ly forms an adverb: "She speaks clearly" (adverb).
• Root word + -ful forms an adjective: "The decision was thoughtful" (adjective).
• Root word + -less forms an adjective: "The decision was careless" (adjective).
• Root word + -ly forms an adverb (some exceptions): "He runs quickly" (adverb).
• Root word + -ful forms an adjective (some exceptions): "The decision was careful" (adjective).
• Root word + -less forms an adjective (some exceptions): "The decision was careless" (adjective).
• Root word + -ing forms a gerund or present participle: "I love singing" (gerund).
• Root word + -ed forms a past participle (some exceptions): "I have decided" (past participle).
• Root word + -s forms a third person singular (some exceptions): "He decides quickly" (third person singular).
• Root word + -ion forms a noun (some exceptions): "The decision was made" (noun).
• Root word + -ive forms an adjective (some exceptions): "The decision was decisive" (adjective).

Common ESL Errors

Error: "I decide to go" (instead of "I decided to go"). Why it happens: ESL learners often use the present tense instead of the past tense. Correction: "I decided to go" (past tense is used to describe a completed action in the past).

Error: "The decision was decisively" (instead of "The decision was decisive"). Why it happens: ESL learners often add an adverb to an adjective. Correction: "The decision was decisive" (adjective is used to describe a quality or characteristic).

Error: "I have decide" (instead of "I have decided"). Why it happens: ESL learners often use the infinitive form instead of the past participle. Correction: "I have decided" (past participle is used to form the present perfect tense).

Practice Exercises

1. Fill in the blank: "She _ (go) to the store yesterday." Correct answer: "went" Reason: The past tense is used to describe a completed action in the past.

2. Fill in the blank: "The _ was made last week." Correct answer: "decision" Reason: The noun form is used to describe a person, place, thing, or idea.

3. Fill in the blank: "The _ was very clear." Correct answer: "decision" Reason: The adjective form is used to describe a quality or characteristic.

Last-Minute Revision

Irregular verb: go (go, went, gone)
Preposition pair: in and on (e.g., "I am in the store" vs. "I am on the bus")
Article: "a" vs. "an" (e.g., "a cat" vs. "an apple")
Pronunciation: -ed ending (e.g., "walked" vs. "walked")
Pronunciation: -ing ending (e.g., "walking" vs. "walking")
Pronunciation: -s ending (e.g., "goes" vs. "goes")
Pronunciation: -ion ending (e.g., "decision" vs. "decision")
Pronunciation: -ive ending (e.g., "decisive" vs. "decisive")
Pronunciation: -ful ending (e.g., "thoughtful" vs. "thoughtful")
Pronunciation: -less ending (e.g., "careless" vs. "careless")
Pronunciation: -ly ending (e.g., "clearly" vs. "clearly")