1. Understanding the Root Word
* Noun Derivative: Starts with a noun as its root word.
* Adjective Derivative: Starts with an adjective as its root word.
2. Suffixes and Their Meanings
* Noun Derivatives: Often use suffixes like:
* -ness: happiness, kindness
* -ity: diversity, stability
* -ship: friendship, hardship
* -ment: development, agreement
* -er/-or: teacher, actor
* -tion/-sion: action, decision
* Adjective Derivatives: Often use suffixes like:
* -ful: beautiful, helpful
* -less: careless, hopeless
* -ish: childish, foolish
* -ive/-ative: active, creative
* -al: practical, national
* -ic: scientific, heroic
3. Function in a Sentence
* Noun Derivative: Acts as a noun, typically the subject, object, or complement of a verb.
* Example: The artist's creativity was inspiring. (Creativity is the noun derivative, acting as the subject)
* Adjective Derivative: Modifies a noun, describing its quality or characteristic.
* Example: The creative artist painted a beautiful mural. (Creative is the adjective derivative, modifying the noun "artist")
Examples:
* Noun Derivative: "Strength" is derived from the noun "strong".
* Adjective Derivative: "Beautiful" is derived from the adjective "beauty".
Key Points:
* There can be overlap, as some suffixes can create both nouns and adjectives (e.g., -er can form both "worker" and "stronger").
* Context is crucial! The meaning of the word and its function within the sentence determine its category.
Let me know if you have any specific examples you'd like help differentiating!