Course Review Part 2: Word formation and Acronyms

📝 Summary Chart – Part 2: Word Formation and Acronyms in PR

Category	Explanation	Examples	Application in PR
Prefixes	Added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning	re- (redo), pre- (prelaunch), un- (unpaid), dis- (disagree)	Used to describe project phases (pre-event, rebranding)
Suffixes	Added to the end of a word to form a new word class or change meaning	-ment (development), -tion (promotion), -ive (effective), -ly (quickly)	Forms nouns and adjectives for campaigns (improvement, persuasive)
Compound words	Two words combined to form a new one	newsletter, feedback, pressroom, stakeholder	Common in internal communication and marketing
Conversion (Zero Derivation)	Changing a word's class without adding an affix	update (noun → verb), email (noun ↔ verb), report (verb ↔ noun)	Allows flexibility in headlines and bullet points
Clipping	Shortening a longer word into a simpler form	info (information), ad (advertisement), promo (promotion)	Informal usage in blogs and slogans
Blending	Combining parts of two words to create a new one	webinar (web + seminar), infographic (information + graphic)	Used for innovation and tech-based services
Acronyms	First letters of words used as a new word (pronounced as a word)	PR (Public Relations), CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), CEO	Essential in corporate, internal, and external communication
Initialisms	First letters of words pronounced individually	ROI (Return on Investment), HR (Human Resources), R&D (Research & Development)	Widely used in strategy documents and reports
Abbreviations	Shortened form of a word or phrase	dept. (department), approx. (approximately), info (information)	Used in internal memos and quick communication
Buzzwords in PR	Trendy or field-specific words that carry persuasive or professional value	engagement, reach, branding, optimization, synergy	Improve tone and audience engagement in campaigns and reports

✅ Tips for Students

• Use prefixes and suffixes to adapt word forms for different functions (e.g., noun → verb, adjective → noun).
• Incorporate acronyms and buzzwords appropriately in professional documents like press releases, brochures, and memos.
• Avoid overuse of informal blends or clipped words unless the context allows (e.g., a social media post).
• Be consistent with capitalisation of acronyms (e.g., always write PR, not pr).

  

Word Building Exercise:

https://www.grammarbank.com/word-formation-exercise-7.html

📝 Summary Chart – Common Prefixes in Public Relations Writing

Prefix	Meaning	Example Word(s)	Function / Use in PR Writing
re-	Again, back	rebrand, rewrite, relaunch	Used for repeated or updated strategies and relaunches
pre-	Before	prelaunch, prewrite, preplan	Refers to pre-event planning, pre-campaign analysis
un-	Not, opposite of	unprofessional, unresponsive	Describes negative qualities in services or tone
in- / im-	Not, into	ineffective, impossible, inaccurate	Used in evaluation of outcomes or service delivery
dis-	Opposite of, reverse	disconnect, disagree, disapprove	Describes problems in communication or reputation
co-	Together, jointly	cooperate, coorganize, coworking	Highlights teamwork, collaboration, and partnerships
over-	Too much, excessive	overcommunicate, overreact	Warns about overuse or exaggerated tone in communication
under-	Too little, beneath	underestimate, underperform	Used in campaign or team performance analysis
non-	Absence or lack of	nonverbal, nonprofit, nonspecific	Defines types of organizations or communication styles
mis-	Wrong, badly	miscommunicate, mislead	Refers to misunderstandings in media or stakeholder messaging

✅ Tips for Students

• Prefixes change the meaning of the word and can indicate time, negation, intensity, or cooperation.
• Use them to clarify tone, intent, and strategic descriptions in all PR formats—from brochures to press releases.
• Be consistent and accurate—mislead is not the same as disagree, and unprofessional is stronger than incomplete.

📝 Common Suffixes in Public Relations Writing

Suffix	Meaning	Example Word(s)	Word Function Change	Function / Use in PR Writing
-ment	Action or result of	development, engagement, improvement	Verb → Noun	Describes stages or outcomes in project and campaign planning
-tion / -sion	Act or process	promotion, communication, persuasion	Verb → Noun	Refers to strategic actions in media and branding
-ive	Having the quality of	effective, persuasive, responsive	Verb/Noun → Adjective	Adds descriptive power to PR tone, tools, or message types
-al	Relating to	professional, promotional, internal	Noun/Verb → Adjective	Used to classify documents, tone, or message objectives
-ly	In the manner of (adverb)	quickly, clearly, strategically	Adjective → Adverb	Describes how actions are performed (e.g., in guides or instructions)
-able / -ible	Capable of being	adaptable, credible, noticeable	Verb → Adjective	Highlights qualities and standards in branding or communication style
-ness	State, condition, or quality	awareness, effectiveness, readiness	Adjective → Noun	Expresses abstract campaign goals or outcome indicators
-er / -or	One who does	manager, communicator, editor	Verb → Noun (agent)	Names roles or professionals in a PR department
-ance / -ence	State or quality	importance, influence, audience	Verb/Adjective → Noun	Identifies target groups or abstract concepts
-ity	Quality or condition	visibility, credibility, neutrality	Adjective → Noun	Common in performance or tone evaluations

✅ Student Tips

• Look at the root word before and after adding the suffix to understand the shift in function (noun, verb, adjective, adverb).
• Use noun-forming suffixes like -ment, -tion, -ness for reporting and strategy writing.
• Use adjective-forming suffixes like -ive, -al, -able to describe tools, styles, and campaigns.
• Use -ly suffixes when writing clear instructions or process descriptions.

Word Formation Exercise:

https://www.esl-lounge.com/student/advanced/cae-041-word-formation-exercise.php

Exercise of acronyms and abbreviations:

https://wordwall.net/es/resource/94341824