Background for formatives
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formatives

/ˈfɔːrmətɪvz/ /ˈfɔːrmeɪtɪvz/

Meanings
noun
(grammar) A language unit that has morphological function.

Examples :

"In English, suffixes like "-ing" and "-ed" are formatives because they change the tense of a verb. "
grammar language linguistics

Related Words

Illustration morphological

morphological adjective

/ˌmɔːfəˈlɒd͡ʒɪkəl/

Of, or pertaining to, morphology.

"The spelling test included questions about the morphological structure of words, like identifying prefixes and suffixes. "

Illustration tense

tense noun

/tɛns/

(grammar) Any of the forms of a verb which distinguish when an action or state of being occurs or exists.

"The present tense of the verb "go" is "go," while the past tense is "went." "

Illustration that

that noun

/ˈðæt/ /ˈd̪æt/ /ˈðɛt/

Something being indicated that is there; one of those.

"My sister brought several books to the library, and that one is about dinosaurs. "

Illustration because

because adverb

/bɪˈkɒz/ /biˈkɔz/

For the reason (that).

"I went to the park because the weather was nice. "

Illustration language

language noun

[ˈleɪŋɡwɪd͡ʒ]

A body of words, and set of methods of combining them (called a grammar), understood by a community and used as a form of communication.

"Deaf and mute people communicate using languages like ASL."

Illustration grammar

grammar noun

/ˈɡɹæm.ə(ɹ)/ /ˈɡɹæmɚ/

A system of rules and principles for speaking and writing a language.

"My son is studying grammar in his English class. "

Illustration change

change noun

/tʃeɪndʒ/

The process of becoming different.

"The product is undergoing a change in order to improve it."

Illustration function

function noun

/ˈfʌŋ(k)ʃən/ /ˈfʌŋkʃən/

What something does or is used for.

"The function of a school lunch is to provide students with nutrition. "

Illustration english

english noun

/ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/

Spinning or rotary motion given to a ball around the vertical axis, as in billiards or bowling.

"The bowler added some english to the ball to make it hook sharply towards the pins. "

Illustration suffixes

suffixes noun

/ˈsʌfɪksɪz/ /ˈsʌfɪksəs/

(grammar) A morpheme added at the end of a word to modify the word's meaning.

"The suffix "-able" changes "sing" into "singable"."

Illustration like

like noun

/laɪk/

(usually in the plural) Something that a person likes (prefers).

"Tell me your likes and dislikes."

Illustration unit

unit noun

/ˈjuː.nɪt/

A particular, minute unit of mass, defined differently for different substances, but so that varying substances of the same general type have the property that one international unit of the one has the same effect on the human body as one international unit of the other.

"The doctor prescribed a specific unit of vitamin D for the patient's bone health. "