Forming Nouns from Verbs

VERB + -ation

confirmation

VERB + -ence/ -ance

action/result of V

preference, attendance, 

VERB + -age

action/result of V

breakage, wastage, package

VERB + -ee

someone who is V-ed

Trainee

VERB + -er

someone who V-s/es

something used for V-ing

Carver - Driver

Computer - Silencer

VERB + -ery/-ry

action/instance of V-ing
place of V-ing

bribery, robbery, misery
refinery, bakery

VERB + -ant / -ent

person who V-s

assistant, consultant
student

VERB + -ing

the result of V-ing  /   the process of v-ing

Carving   / Training

VERB + -tion / -sion

the result of V-ing         

Adoption - Decision

VERB + -ism

abstract reflection of the action

Criticize  - Criticism

Nouns that end in -ism often have related

            verbs that end in -ize

            nouns that end in -ist                optimism / optimist

            adjectives that end in -istic       optimistic 

VERB + -ist

a person that carries out the action

journalist

Although -ist frequently forms agent nouns from verbs ending in -ize or nouns ending in -ism, it has also come to be combined with words that do not end in -ize or -ism

In fact in some cases -ist can be used much like the suffix -er. In pairs such as conformer/conformist, copier/copyist, and cycler/cyclist, -ist and -er may be used interchangeably.

VERB + -ment

1. act or instance of doing something

2. state of being acted upon  

3. result of an action

entertainment  

amazement

advancement

VERB + -ure

Failure - departure

VERB + -al

Refusal - dismissal

Verb  + -ster

Spinster

Forming Nouns from Adjectives

Adj. + -ness

quality of adj.

Darkness

Adj. Made of participle + -ness  

Willingness

Compound adj. + ness

straightforwardness

-ness can even be used with phrases

Matter-of-factness

Adj. + -ce

quality of adj.

Important - Importance

Adj. + -ity / -ty

quality of adj.  

The suffixes -ty and -ity can be compared in meaning to the suffix -ness

Availability - certainty

Adj. + -th

Warmth

Adj. + -dom

Wisdom - Freedom - Boredom

Forming Nouns from Other Nouns

Noun + -dom

1.    State; condition: stardom.

2.    a. Domain; position; rank: dukedom.

       b. Those that collectively have a specified position, 

            office, or character: officialdom.

Noun + -age

collection of N

baggage, plumage

(C) NOUN + -dom

KIngdom

(C) NOUN + -hood

(U) ABSTRACT NOUN

Childhood

Noun  + -ster

Gangster - roadster - prankster

(C) NOUN + -ship

1. usually indicates a state or condition

2. qualities belonging to a class of human   beings

3. rank or office

Friend - Friendship  

Craftsmanship, horsemanship  

ambassadorship

NOUN + -ful

A quantity that would fill a particular receptacle

cupful / mouthful

Prefix + Noun

Non-

Not

Non-resident / non-violence

 All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

A person who never takes time off from work becomes boring and bored and boring.

The sentiment expressed by this proverb was first recorded thousands of years ago by the Egyptian sage  Ptahhotep, who wrote in 2400 B.C.,

One that reckons accounts all the day passes not a happy moment. One that gladdens his heart all the day provides not for his house. The bowman hits the mark, as the steersman reaches land, by diversity of aim. He that obeys his heart shall command.

Tickled pink: to be delighted.

The tickling is the figurative sense of the word that means 'to give pleasure or gratify'. The tickling pink concept is of enjoyment great enough to make the recipient glow with pleasure.

in the pink: In perfect condition, especially of health.

This phrase is usually seen with the specific meaning of 'the pink of condition'. The allusion is of the association of pink with new-born babies and healthy glowing cheeks, i.e. with perfection and health. 

The earliest citations are from the 18th century and, at that time, the meaning was 'the very pinnacle of something', but not necessarily limited to things healthy or desirable

Nothing is as easy as it looks.
Nature always sides with the hidden flaw.
Success always occurs in private, and failure in full view.
Every solution breeds new problems..
If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.

Exceptions prove the rule ... and wreck the budget.
Whenever you set out to do something, something else must be done first.
It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious.
Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse.
Everything takes longer than you think..
An expert is one who knows more and more about less and less until he knows absolutely everything about nothing.
Tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it and he'll have to touch to be sure.
A meeting is an event at which the minutes are kept and the hours are lost.
If you have to ask, you're not entitled to know.
If you don't like the answer, you shouldn't have asked the question.
When working toward the solution of a problem, it always helps if you know the answer
A memorandum is written not to inform the reader but to protect the writer.
Anybody can win -- unless there happens to be a second entry.
When the plane you are on is late, the plane you want to transfer to is on time.
The theory is supported as long as the funds are.
An exception TESTS a rule; it NEVER PROVES it.