Vocabulary Hack: Multiply Words with -ize and -ization

1. Introduction to the Vocabulary Hack

Learning vocabulary one word at a time is slow. This lesson introduces a hack—a shortcut—that helps you learn hundreds of words by understanding a simple pattern.

The pattern is:

Base Word → Verb (-ize/-ise) → Noun (-ization/-isation)

By adding these two suffixes to a base word, you can create a whole word family. For example:

Base Word	Verb	Noun
final	finalize	finalization
maximum	maximize	maximization
western	westernize	westernization

Why This Hack Works

• You learn three words instead of one.
• The pattern is consistent and predictable.
• These words appear frequently in academic, business, and professional English.
• They are especially useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and GRE.

Word Meaning Section

Word / Phrase	English Meaning	Bengali Meaning
Hack	a shortcut or trick	শর্টকাট; কৌশল
Prefix	letters added to the beginning of a word	উপসর্গ
Suffix	letters added to the end of a word	প্রত্যয়
Verb	action or state word	ক্রিয়া
Noun	naming word	বিশেষ্য
Vocabulary	all the words you know	শব্দভান্ডার
Expand	to make larger	প্রসারিত করা

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2. Understanding Prefixes and Suffixes

A prefix is added to the beginning of a word. A suffix is added to the end. Both change the meaning or function of a word.

8 Examples of Prefixes and Suffixes

#	Base Word	Prefix	Suffix	New Word
1	happy	un-	–	unhappy
2	do	re-	–	redo
3	write	–	-er	writer
4	use	–	-ful	useful
5	possible	im-	–	impossible
6	teach	–	-er	teacher
7	help	–	-less	helpless
8	act	–	-ion	action

In this lesson, we focus on two suffixes:

Suffix	Function	Example
-ize / -ise	forms verbs	modernize
-ization / -isation	forms nouns	modernization

American vs. British Spelling

American	British
-ize	-ise
-ization	-isation

Both are correct. Choose one style and be consistent.

Word Meaning Section

Word	English Meaning	Bengali Meaning
Prefix	beginning addition	উপসর্গ
Suffix	ending addition	প্রত্যয়
Function	the purpose of a word	কাজ
Consistent	following the same pattern	সামঞ্জস্যপূর্ণ
Modern	current; new	আধুনিক

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3. The -ize/-ise Suffix: Creating Verbs

The Rule

Add -ize (American) or -ise (British) to a base word to create a verb. The verb means to make or cause something to be a certain way.

8 Examples with Explanations

#	Base Word	Verb	Meaning
1	final	finalize	to make final; complete
2	maximum	maximize	to make as large as possible
3	minimum	minimize	to make as small as possible
4	western	westernize	to make western in culture
5	global	globalize	to make global or worldwide
6	normal	normalize	to make normal
7	legal	legalize	to make legal
8	visual	visualize	to make a mental image
9	criminal	criminalize	to make something a crime
10	memory	memorize	to commit to memory

8 Example Sentences with Explanations

#	Sentence	Explanation
1	We need to finalize the report by Friday.	Complete and make final.
2	The company wants to maximize profits.	Make profits as high as possible.
3	We should minimize costs.	Reduce costs to the lowest level.
4	The country began to westernize in the 20th century.	Adopt western culture.
5	Many businesses want to globalize their operations.	Expand worldwide.
6	After the crisis, they tried to normalize relations.	Restore normal conditions.
7	Several countries decided to legalize marijuana.	Make it legal.
8	Athletes visualize their success before a race.	Imagine in the mind.
9	He memorized the speech for the ceremony.	Learned by heart.
10	The new law will criminalize certain online activities.	Make them crimes.

Word Meaning Section

Verb	English Meaning	Bengali Meaning
Finalize	to complete	চূড়ান্ত করা
Maximize	to increase to the highest	সর্বাধিক করা
Minimize	to reduce to the lowest	সর্বনিম্ন করা
Westernize	to adopt western customs	পাশ্চাত্যকরণ করা
Globalize	to make worldwide	বিশ্বায়ন করা
Normalize	to make normal	স্বাভাবিক করা
Legalize	to make legal	বৈধ করা
Visualize	to imagine	কল্পনা করা
Criminalize	to make illegal	অপরাধ ঘোষণা করা
Memorize	to commit to memory	মুখস্থ করা

Related Phrasal Verb

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
Carry out	to perform	We will carry out the finalization next week.
Put into practice	to use	We need to put the new system into practice.

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4. The -ization/-isation Suffix: Creating Nouns

The Rule

Add -ization (American) or -isation (British) to the same base word to create a noun. The noun means the act, process, or result of making something a certain way.

8 Examples with Explanations

#	Verb	Noun	Meaning
1	finalize	finalization	the act of completing
2	maximize	maximization	the process of increasing
3	minimize	minimization	the act of reducing
4	westernize	westernization	the process of adopting western ways
5	globalize	globalization	the process of becoming global
6	normalize	normalization	the process of making normal
7	legalize	legalization	the act of making legal
8	memorize	memorization	the act of learning by heart
9	criminalize	criminalization	the act of making criminal
10	visualize	visualization	the process of imagining

8 Example Sentences with Explanations

#	Sentence	Explanation
1	The finalization of the merger took months.	The act of completing.
2	Profit maximization is the goal of many firms.	Process of increasing profit.
3	Cost minimization is essential for efficiency.	Act of reducing costs.
4	Globalization has connected the world.	Process of becoming global.
5	The normalization of relations was welcome.	Making relations normal.
6	The legalization of the drug is debated.	Act of making legal.
7	Memorization is an important study skill.	Act of learning by heart.
8	The criminalization of the act surprised many.	Making it a crime.
9	Visualization techniques help athletes.	Process of imagining.
10	The westernization of the region was rapid.	Process of adopting western ways.

Word Meaning Section

Noun	English Meaning	Bengali Meaning
Finalization	act of completing	চূড়ান্তকরণ
Maximization	act of maximizing	সর্বাধিকীকরণ
Minimization	act of minimizing	সর্বনিম্নকরণ
Westernization	process of adopting western ways	পাশ্চাত্যকরণ
Globalization	process of becoming global	বিশ্বায়ন
Normalization	act of making normal	স্বাভাবিকীকরণ
Legalization	act of making legal	বৈধকরণ
Memorization	act of memorizing	মুখস্থকরণ
Criminalization	act of making criminal	অপরাধকরণ
Visualization	act of visualizing	দৃশ্যায়ন

Related Phrasal Verb

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
Bring about	to cause to happen	The policy brought about the legalization of the drug.
Lead to	to result in	The changes led to the globalization of the market.

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5. The Power of Word Families

When you know one base word, you can create a word family of three related words. This multiplies your vocabulary rapidly.

Word Family Examples

Base Word	Verb	Noun
western	westernize	westernization
global	globalize	globalization
democratic	democratize	democratization
money	monetize	monetization
normal	normalize	normalization
hospital	hospitalize	hospitalization
legal	legalize	legalization
criminal	criminalize	criminalization
visual	visualize	visualization
optimum	optimize	optimization

8 Examples with Explanations

#	Base Word	Verb	Noun	Explanation
1	democratic	democratize	democratization	Make democratic; process of becoming democratic.
2	money	monetize	monetization	Make money from something.
3	hospital	hospitalize	hospitalization	Admit to hospital; act of admitting.
4	legal	legalize	legalization	Make legal; act of making legal.
5	criminal	criminalize	criminalization	Make criminal; act of making criminal.
6	visual	visualize	visualization	Form a mental image; process of imagining.
7	global	globalize	globalization	Make global; process of becoming global.
8	normal	normalize	normalization	Make normal; act of making normal.
9	western	westernize	westernization	Make western; process of adopting western ways.
10	optimum	optimize	optimization	Make optimal; process of making best.

Word Meaning Section

Base Word	English Meaning	Bengali Meaning
Democratic	related to democracy	গণতান্ত্রিক
Money	currency	টাকা
Hospital	medical institution	হাসপাতাল
Legal	related to law	আইনি
Criminal	related to crime	অপরাধমূলক
Visual	related to seeing	দৃষ্টিগত
Global	worldwide	বৈশ্বিক
Normal	usual	স্বাভাবিক
Western	related to the West	পাশ্চাত্য
Optimum	the best	সর্বোত্তম

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6. Base Words and Their Transformations

Let’s look at each transformation in detail with example sentences.

Western / Westernize / Westernization

#	Sentence	Explanation
1	Western culture is influential.	Base adjective.
2	Many countries have westernized their economies.	Verb: adopt western ways.
3	The westernization of the region changed it forever.	Noun: process.

Global / Globalize / Globalization

#	Sentence	Explanation
1	Climate change is a global issue.	Base adjective.
2	The company wants to globalize its brand.	Verb: make global.
3	Globalization has both supporters and critics.	Noun: process.

Democratic / Democratize / Democratization

#	Sentence	Explanation
1	Democratic principles are important.	Base adjective.
2	The new government will democratize the institutions.	Verb: make democratic.
3	The democratization of the country took years.	Noun: process.

Money / Monetize / Monetization

#	Sentence	Explanation
1	Money is necessary for the project.	Base noun.
2	You can monetize your website with ads.	Verb: earn money from.
3	The monetization of the platform increased revenue.	Noun: act of earning.

Normal / Normalize / Normalization

#	Sentence	Explanation
1	The situation returned to normal.	Base adjective.
2	The two countries normalized relations.	Verb: make normal.
3	The normalization of relations was gradual.	Noun: process.

Hospital / Hospitalize / Hospitalization

#	Sentence	Explanation
1	She was taken to hospital.	Base noun.
2	He was hospitalized after the accident.	Verb: admit to hospital.
3	His hospitalization lasted two weeks.	Noun: state of being in hospital.

Legal / Legalize / Legalization

#	Sentence	Explanation
1	The contract is legal.	Base adjective.
2	They voted to legalize the drug.	Verb: make legal.
3	The legalization of the drug was controversial.	Noun: act.

Criminal / Criminalize / Criminalization

#	Sentence	Explanation
1	Criminal behavior is punished.	Base adjective.
2	The law will criminalize the action.	Verb: make criminal.
3	The criminalization of the act was debated.	Noun: act.

Visual / Visualize / Visualization

#	Sentence	Explanation
1	Visual aids help learning.	Base adjective.
2	Visualize your success.	Verb: imagine.
3	Visualization is a powerful technique.	Noun: act.

Optimum / Optimize / Optimization

#	Sentence	Explanation
1	The optimum temperature is 25°C.	Base adjective.
2	We need to optimize our resources.	Verb: make the best use.
3	The optimization of the process saved time.	Noun: act.

Word Meaning Section

Base Word	English Meaning	Bengali Meaning
Western	related to the West	পাশ্চাত্য
Global	worldwide	বৈশ্বিক
Democratic	related to democracy	গণতান্ত্রিক
Money	currency	টাকা
Normal	usual	স্বাভাবিক
Hospital	medical institution	হাসপাতাল
Legal	related to law	আইনি
Criminal	related to crime	অপরাধমূলক
Visual	related to seeing	দৃষ্টিগত
Optimum	the best	সর্বোত্তম

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7. Using the New Words in Phrases

Using the new verbs and nouns in phrases helps you see how they function in context.

Verb Phrases

#	Verb Phrase	Explanation
1	westernize a society	adopt western customs
2	globalize the economy	make economy global
3	democratize the country	introduce democracy
4	monetize a website	earn money from website
5	normalize the situation	restore normal
6	hospitalize a patient	admit to hospital
7	legalize marijuana	make marijuana legal
8	criminalize marijuana	make marijuana illegal
9	visualize your goals	imagine your goals
10	optimize your income	maximize income

Noun Phrases

#	Noun Phrase	Explanation
1	the westernization of society	process of adopting western ways
2	the globalization of the economy	process of becoming global
3	the democratization of the country	process of becoming democratic
4	the monetization of the website	act of earning from website
5	the normalization of the situation	act of making normal
6	the hospitalization of the patient	act of admitting to hospital
7	the legalization of marijuana	act of making legal
8	the criminalization of marijuana	act of making illegal
9	the visualization of goals	act of imagining
10	the optimization of income	act of maximizing

Word Meaning Section

Word / Phrase	English Meaning	Bengali Meaning
Westernize a society	adopt western customs in society	সমাজে পাশ্চাত্য রীতি গ্রহণ
Globalize the economy	make economy global	অর্থনীতিকে বিশ্বায়ন করা
Democratize the country	introduce democracy	দেশে গণতন্ত্র আনা
Monetize a website	earn from website	ওয়েবসাইট থেকে আয় করা
Normalize the situation	restore normal	পরিস্থিতি স্বাভাবিক করা
Hospitalize a patient	admit to hospital	রোগীকে হাসপাতালে ভর্তি করা
Legalize marijuana	make legal	গাঁজাকে বৈধ করা
Criminalize marijuana	make illegal	গাঁজাকে অবৈধ করা
Visualize your goals	imagine goals	লক্ষ্য কল্পনা করা
Optimize your income	maximize income	আয় সর্বাধিক করা

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8. Grammar Focus: Verb and Noun Patterns

Verb Formation Pattern

Base Word + -ize/-ise = Verb

Base	Verb
final	finalize
modern	modernize
legal	legalize
global	globalize
normal	normalize
visual	visualize
memory	memorize
hospital	hospitalize
criminal	criminalize
optimum	optimize

Noun Formation Pattern

Base Word + -ization/-isation = Noun
or Verb + -ation = Noun

Verb	Noun
finalize	finalization
modernize	modernization
legalize	legalization
globalize	globalization
normalize	normalization
visualize	visualization
memorize	memorization
hospitalize	hospitalization
criminalize	criminalization
optimize	optimization

Affirmative, Negative, and Interrogative Forms

Verb Forms

Form	Example
Affirmative	They want to globalize the business.
Negative	They don’t want to globalize the business.
Interrogative	Do they want to globalize the business?
Past affirmative	They globalized the business.
Past negative	They didn’t globalize the business.
Past interrogative	Did they globalize the business?

Noun Forms

Form	Example
Affirmative	The globalization of trade is increasing.
Negative	The globalization of trade is not new.
Interrogative	Is the globalization of trade increasing?
Past affirmative	The globalization of trade increased last decade.
Past negative	The globalization of trade did not increase last decade.
Past interrogative	Did the globalization of trade increase last decade?

5 WH-Question Examples with Answers

#	WH Question	Possible Answer
1	What does “to modernize” mean?	It means to make modern.
2	How can you monetize a blog?	You can monetize it with ads and sponsors.
3	When did the country democratize?	It democratized in the 1990s.
4	Why is legalization controversial?	Because people disagree about its effects.
5	Where is globalization most visible?	It is visible in international trade.

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9. Sentence Patterns with -ize and -ization Words

Pattern 1: Subject + want to + verb

Example
I want to maximize my time.
The company wants to globalize its products.
She wants to optimize her website.

Pattern 2: Subject + be + focused on + noun

Example
The team is focused on cost minimization.
The government is focused on the legalization of the drug.
The manager is focused on the optimization of the process.

Pattern 3: It + be + adjective + to + verb

Example
It is important to finalize the report.
It is necessary to normalize the situation.
It is useful to visualize your goals.

Pattern 4: Subject + have + verb (present perfect)

Example
They have globalized their operations.
She has memorized the speech.
The country has westernized over the years.

Pattern 5: The + noun + of + object

Example
The modernization of the factory improved output.
The legalization of the drug caused debate.
The optimization of the website increased traffic.

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10. Common Errors and How to Avoid Them

Error 1: Mixing American and British Spelling

Inconsistent	Consistent American	Consistent British
organize and organisation	organize / organization	organise / organisation

Error 2: Using the Wrong Suffix

Incorrect	Correct
They want to modernation the office.	They want to modernize the office.
The modernize of the office took time.	The modernization of the office took time.

Error 3: Forgetting the -ation Ending for Nouns

Incorrect	Correct
The globalize of the economy is rapid.	The globalization of the economy is rapid.
The legalize of the drug was debated.	The legalization of the drug was debated.

Error 4: Using Base Word Instead of Verb

Incorrect	Correct
We need to maximum our profits.	We need to maximize our profits.
They want to final the report.	They want to finalize the report.

Error 5: Using Verb Where Noun Is Needed

Incorrect	Correct
The minimize of costs is important.	The minimization of costs is important.
The optimize of the process saved time.	The optimization of the process saved time.

Error 6: Incorrect Stress in Pronunciation

Many -ize and -ization words have stress on the syllable before the suffix.

Word	Stress
finalize	FI-nal-ize
globalization	glo-ba-li-ZA-tion
visualize	VI-su-a-lize
optimization	op-ti-mi-ZA-tion

Error 7: Overusing -ize in Informal Speech

While these words are useful, in very casual conversation, simpler verbs may sound more natural. Use them appropriately.

Error 8: Not Learning the Full Word Family

Learn the base, verb, and noun together to maximize your vocabulary.

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11. Special Tips for Learners

Tip 1: Learn Word Families in Threes

Always learn the base word, the -ize verb, and the -ization noun together.

Tip 2: Pay Attention to Spelling

• American: organize, organization
• British: organise, organisation

Be consistent.

Tip 3: Practice with the Resource

Download the free resource with hundreds of these word families.

Tip 4: Write Sentences Immediately

After learning a new word family, write three sentences—one for each form.

Tip 5: Use These Words in Academic Writing

These suffixes are especially common in formal essays, reports, and presentations.

Tip 6: Focus on Common Words First

Start with high-frequency words like organize, finalize, maximize, minimize.

Tip 7: Listen for Stress Patterns

Practice pronunciation with stress on the correct syllable.

Tip 8: Don’t Overuse

Use these words to add variety, but avoid making your writing too heavy.

Tip 9: Create Your Own Examples

Personalize: “I want to optimize my English learning.”

Tip 10: Review Regularly

Use flashcards with base word, verb, noun.

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12. Tips for Competitive Exams: IELTS, TOEFL, GRE

IELTS

Skill	How It Helps	Strategy
Writing Task 2	Use -ize/-ization words to show academic vocabulary.	Replace simple verbs with “maximize,” “minimize,” “prioritize.”
Speaking Part 3	Discussing abstract topics	Use “globalization,” “modernization,” “urbanization.”
Reading	Recognizing word families	Break down unfamiliar words using suffixes.

TOEFL

Skill	How It Helps	Strategy
Writing	Academic tone	Use -ization nouns to sound formal.
Speaking	Integrated tasks	Paraphrase using verb and noun forms.
Listening	Lectures with academic terms	Identify -ize/-ization forms.

GRE

Skill	How It Helps	Strategy
Analytical Writing	Precise vocabulary	Use “optimize,” “standardize,” “democratize.”
Text Completion	Word formation	Know how suffixes change meaning.

Exam Rules

• Use consistent spelling (American or British).
• Choose the correct form: verb for action, noun for concept.
• In essays, formal vocabulary improves lexical resource.
• Don’t force -ize words; use them only where natural.
• Practice pronouncing stress correctly for listening and speaking.

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13. Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete each sentence with the correct form (verb or noun) of the word in brackets.

1. The company wants to ______ its profits. (maximize / maximization)
2. The ______ of the new policy took months. (implementation / implement)
3. We need to ______ our resources. (optimize / optimization)
4. The ______ of trade has increased. (globalization / globalize)
5. She ______ the speech for the ceremony. (memorized / memorization)
6. The ______ of the drug was controversial. (legalization / legalize)
7. They plan to ______ the website. (monetize / monetization)
8. The ______ of the patient took two days. (hospitalization / hospitalize)
9. We must ______ the situation. (normalize / normalization)
10. ______ your goals before the interview. (Visualize / Visualization)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice Questions

Choose the correct word.

1. Which is the correct verb form?
   a) maximum
   b) maximize
   c) maximization
   d) maximumly
2. Which is the correct noun form?
   a) globalize
   b) global
   c) globalization
   d) globally
3. Which sentence is correct?
   a) They want to legal the drug.
   b) They want to legalize the drug.
   c) They want to legalization the drug.
   d) They want to legalizing the drug.
4. Which sentence is correct?
   a) The modernize of the city is fast.
   b) The modernization of the city is fast.
   c) The modern of the city is fast.
   d) The modernizing of the city is fast.
5. Which word means “to make global”?
   a) globalize
   b) globalization
   c) global
   d) globally
6. Which word is a noun?
   a) optimize
   b) optimization
   c) optimum
   d) optimally
7. Which spelling is American?
   a) organise
   b) organization
   c) organisation
   d) organise
8. Which suffix forms a noun?
   a) -ize
   b) -ise
   c) -ization
   d) -ful
9. Which sentence is correct?
   a) We need to minimize costs.
   b) We need to minimization costs.
   c) We need to minimum costs.
   d) We need to minimize costings.
10. Which word pair is correct?
    a) visual, visualize, visualization
    b) visual, visualise, visualisation (British)
    c) Both a and b are correct in their respective styles
    d) Neither

Exercise 3: Sentence Transformation / Error Correction

Rewrite each sentence correctly using the appropriate word form.

1. We need to maximum our income.
2. The legalize of the drug was debated.
3. They want to global the economy.
4. The modernize of the city changed it.
5. She wants to memory the poem.
6. The hospitalize of the patient took a week.
7. We should optimize our resources, not maximum them.
8. The western of the region was rapid.
9. He wants to normal the situation.
10. The criminalize of the action was unexpected.

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14. Answer Key with Explanations

Exercise 1 Answers

1. maximize
   Explanation: Verb needed after “to.”
2. implementation
   Explanation: Noun as subject.
3. optimize
   Explanation: Verb after “need to.”
4. globalization
   Explanation: Noun as subject.
5. memorized
   Explanation: Past tense verb.
6. legalization
   Explanation: Noun as subject.
7. monetize
   Explanation: Verb after “plan to.”
8. hospitalization
   Explanation: Noun as subject.
9. normalize
   Explanation: Verb after “must.”
10. Visualize
    Explanation: Imperative verb.

Exercise 2 Answers

1. b) maximize
   Explanation: Verb form.
2. c) globalization
   Explanation: Noun form.
3. b) They want to legalize the drug.
   Explanation: Verb needed.
4. b) The modernization of the city is fast.
   Explanation: Noun.
5. a) globalize
   Explanation: Verb.
6. b) optimization
   Explanation: Noun.
7. b) organization
   Explanation: American spelling.
8. c) -ization
   Explanation: Noun suffix.
9. a) We need to minimize costs.
   Explanation: Verb.
10. c) Both a and b are correct in their respective styles
    Explanation: American and British spellings.

Exercise 3 Answers

1. We need to maximize our income.
   Explanation: Verb.
2. The legalization of the drug was debated.
   Explanation: Noun.
3. They want to globalize the economy.
   Explanation: Verb.
4. The modernization of the city changed it.
   Explanation: Noun.
5. She wants to memorize the poem.
   Explanation: Verb.
6. The hospitalization of the patient took a week.
   Explanation: Noun.
7. We should optimize our resources, not maximize them.
   Explanation: Use “maximize” as verb.
8. The westernization of the region was rapid.
   Explanation: Noun.
9. He wants to normalize the situation.
   Explanation: Verb.
10. The criminalization of the action was unexpected.
    Explanation: Noun.

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15. Conclusion

The -ize/-ise and -ization/-isation suffixes are a powerful vocabulary hack. By adding these two suffixes to a base word, you can create a verb and a noun, instantly tripling your vocabulary.

Key points to remember:

• -ize/-ise forms verbs meaning “to make or cause something to be.”
• -ization/-isation forms nouns meaning “the act, process, or result.”
• Learn the word family together: base word, verb, noun.
• Be consistent with American or British spelling.
• Use these words in academic, business, and professional contexts.

With this one pattern, you can learn hundreds of new words. Practice with the exercises, download the free resource, and start using these words in your writing and speaking today. Your vocabulary will grow by leaps and bounds!

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Call to Action: Choose five base words from this lesson (or from the free resource) and write the word family: base word, verb, noun. Then write one sentence for each form. Practice saying the words aloud with correct stress. Finally, use at least two of the new verbs and two nouns in your next essay or email.