Use of English

Level B2

Part 3 - Word Formation

Exercises Feed

3
0

For Questions 1-8, read the text below and use the word given in capitals to form a word that fits in the gap.

Humour and Communication

People often think of humour as something extra in conversation, but it can play an (0) IMPORTANT (IMPORT) role in everyday communication. A well-timed joke can reduce (1) .......... (TENSE) in a difficult discussion and make people feel more relaxed. In social situations, humour can also create a sense of (2) .......... (CONNECT) between people who have only just met. However, successful humour requires (3) .......... (SENSE) to other people's feelings and cultural background. A comment that seems funny to one person may be (4) .......... (OFFEND) to another. For this reason, good communicators usually think (5) .......... (CARE) before making jokes in formal settings. Used well, humour can make a speaker seem more (6) .......... (APPROACH) and confident. It may even increase the (7) .......... (EFFECT) of a message, because people are more likely to remember something that amused them. On the other hand, humour that is badly judged can cause (8) .......... (EMBARRASS) and damage relationships.

What to do

For each gap you get one word in capitals which you have to change so the grammar and meaning fit in the sentence. Here you have to show how well you know word families and if you can change words by using prefixes and suffixes.

You need to read the whole text to get the writer’s opinion on the topic. That’s because sometimes a negative prefix will be required. There is usually at least one word requiring a negative prefix, so look out for these.

In the exam always write something. You never know, you might be lucky even if you are not sure of the answer!

Strategy

  1. Read the title and the whole text so that you understand what it is about.
  2. Look at each sentence in detail.
  3. Think about what kind of word you need and whether you need a negative prefix or a suffix.
  4. Read the sentence again to check whether you need a plural form.
  5. Check your spelling, as it must be correct.

Instructions

For Questions 1-8, read the text below and use the word given in capitals to form a word that fits in the gap.

Exercise Details

Author

James Ford

@james-ford

User Prompt

"Create an exercise about the role of humour in communication"

Tone: Standard
Level: B2

Created on:

Jun 15, 2026

Found an issue? Let us know.