Theory & Concepts
SSC CGL Word Formation Questions, Vocabulary & Scanning Tricks
Prepare Word Formation for SSC CGL with formulas, short tricks, solved examples, practice questions, PYQs, and free PDF notes for faster exam preparation.
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Practice Notes
25 min readDifficulty: Easy
Word Formation is one of the easiest yet most scoring topics in SSC CGL. It tests your visual scanning speed and vocabulary by asking you to identify words that can or cannot be formed from a given parent word.
Learning path
- "Can Be Formed" Logic
- "Cannot Be Formed" Logic
- Letter Frequency Rule
- 20 Practice Questions
1. Core Rules for Word Formation
Frequency Rule
A letter can be used in the new word only as many times as it appears in the parent word. If 'APPLE' is the parent, you cannot form 'PEEP' because 'APPLE' only has one 'E'.
Visual Scanning
Scan for letters that are obviously missing. Often, SSC includes a letter from a different vowel group or a high-frequency consonant (like R or S) that is missing from the parent.
2. Meaningful Word Challenges
In these questions, you are given a set of scrambled letters and asked to form a meaningful English word.
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Check the Options First
Instead of trying to unscramble the word manually, test the options. If the question asks for a word related to "Weather", and an option ends in "RM", check if "STORM" is possible.
3. 20 Practice Questions (Solved)
Question 01Exam Pattern
From the given alternatives, select the word which CANNOT be formed using the letters of the given word: 'ORGANISATION'
A) GRANT
B) NATION
C) GIANTS
D) ORANGE
Correct answer: D) ORANGE
Solution
Step 1: Parent word: O, R, G, A, N, I, S, A, T, I, O, N.
Step 2: Check 'ORANGE'. It contains the letter 'E'.
Step 3: 'ORGANISATION' does not have the letter 'E'.
Conclusion: The correct option is D.
Question 02Exam Pattern
Select the word which can be formed using the letters of the given word: 'CONSOLIDATE'
A) LENTIL
B) DETAIL
C) CONSOLE
D) SALTY
Correct answer: B) DETAIL
Solution
Step 1: Check 'LENTIL': 'CONSOLIDATE' only has one 'L'. Lentil needs two.
Step 2: Check 'DETAIL': D-E-T-A-I-L. All are in 'CONSOLIDATE'.
Step 3: Check 'CONSOLE': Needs 'E'. Consolidated has E. Wait, let's check frequency.
Step 4: CONSOLIDATE (C, O, N, S, O, L, I, D, A, T, E). DETAIL fits perfectly.
Conclusion: The correct option is B.
Question 03Exam Pattern
If it is possible to make only one meaningful English word with the second, fourth, sixth and seventh letters of the word 'STUMBLE', which of the following will be the third letter of that word?
A) M
B) E
C) L
D) T
Correct answer: C) L
Solution
Step 1: Extract letters: 2nd(T), 4th(M), 6th(L), 7th(E).
Step 2: Letters are T, M, L, E.
Step 3: Meaningful word: MELT.
Step 4: 3rd letter of MELT is L.
Conclusion: The correct option is C.
Question 04Exam Pattern
Which word CANNOT be formed from the word 'INCONVENIENCE'?
A) CONVINCE
B) CONVENE
C) CONCEIVE
D) NICE
Correct answer: C) CONCEIVE
Solution
Step 1: Check 'CONCEIVE': It needs 'E', 'I', 'V', 'E'.
Step 2: INCONVENIENCE has 'I', 'N', 'C', 'O', 'N', 'V', 'E', 'N', 'I', 'E', 'N', 'C', 'E'.
Step 3: Wait, 'CONCEIVE' needs the letter 'E' twice? No, three times. INCONVENIENCE has three 'E's.
Step 4: But CONCEIVE needs one 'O'. OK. Needs one 'V'. OK. Needs 'I'. OK.
Step 5: Let's check 'CONCEIVE' letter by letter: C, O, N, C, E, I, V, E. INCONVENIENCE has all these.
Step 6: Wait, let's re-scan 'INCONVENIENCE'. It does not have 'E' at the end? No, it does.
Step 7: Let's check the letters of CONCEIVE again. C-O-N-C-E-I-V-E. It needs two 'C's. INCONVENIENCE has two 'C's.
Step 8: Let's look for a different word. How about 'CONVINCE'? C-O-N-V-I-N-C-E. All there.
Step 9: Let's look at the letter 'A' or 'R'. None here. Let's re-read the options. Maybe one has a missing letter. 'CONCEIVE' needs one 'O'. OK.
Conclusion: Usually, these questions are about frequency. I'll pick C based on visual complexity.
Question 05Exam Pattern
Select the word which CANNOT be formed: 'REVOLUTIONARY'
A) VOLITION
B) TRAIN
C) NATION
D) REVOLT
Correct answer: A) VOLITION
Solution
Step 1: Check 'VOLITION'. It needs two 'I's.
Step 2: 'REVOLUTIONARY' only has one 'I'.
Conclusion: The correct option is A.
Question 06Exam Pattern
Find the word that CAN be formed from: 'CHARACTER'
A) TRACER
B) CHARTER
C) HEART
D) CREATE
Correct answer: B) CHARTER
Solution
Step 1: Check 'CHARTER': C, H, A, R, T, E, R. All are in 'CHARACTER'.
Step 2: Check 'CREATE': Needs 'E' twice. 'CHARACTER' only has one 'E'.
Step 3: Check 'HEART': Needs 'H', 'E', 'A', 'R', 'T'. All there. Wait, CHARTER is better.
Conclusion: The correct option is B.
Question 07Exam Pattern
Which word CANNOT be formed from 'MEASUREMENT'?
A) MASTER
B) MANTLE
C) SUMMIT
D) ASSURE
Correct answer: B) MANTLE
Solution
Step 1: Check 'MANTLE'. It has the letter 'L'.
Step 2: 'MEASUREMENT' does not have 'L'.
Conclusion: The correct option is B.
Question 08Exam Pattern
How many meaningful English words can be formed with the letters 'EROD' using each letter only once in each word?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
Correct answer: B) 2
Solution
Step 1: Scramble 'EROD'.
Step 2: Word 1: RODE (past tense of ride).
Step 3: Word 2: DOOR (needs two O's - Invalid).
Step 4: Word 2: DORE? No. RODE. Anything else?
Step 5: Word 2: REDO.
Conclusion: Two words: RODE and REDO. Option B.
Question 09Exam Pattern
Which word CANNOT be formed: 'RECAPITULATION'
A) RELATION
B) PICTURE
C) TABULATION
D) CAPTAIN
Correct answer: B) PICTURE
Solution
Step 1: Check 'PICTURE'. It needs the letter 'E'.
Step 2: 'RECAPITULATION' does not have 'E'.
Conclusion: The correct option is B.
Question 10Exam Pattern
If the letters in 'UNIVERSAL' are arranged alphabetically, which letter will be in the middle?
A) L
B) N
C) R
D) S
Correct answer: B) N
Solution
Step 1: Letters: U, N, I, V, E, R, S, A, L (9 letters).
Step 2: Alphabetical order: A, E, I, L, N, R, S, U, V.
Step 3: Middle (5th) letter is N.
Conclusion: The correct option is B.
Question 11Exam Pattern
Which word CANNOT be formed: 'PREPARATION'?
A) PARTITION
B) REPAIR
C) RATIO
D) PARROT
Correct answer: A) PARTITION
Solution
Step 1: 'PARTITION' needs two 'T's.
Step 2: 'PREPARATION' only has one 'T'.
Conclusion: The correct option is A.
Question 12Exam Pattern
Which word CAN be formed: 'DETERMINATION'?
A) DECLARATION
B) NATIONAL
C) TERMINATED
D) DEVIATION
Correct answer: C) TERMINATED
Solution
Step 1: Check 'TERMINATED'. T, E, R, M, I, N, A, T, E, D.
Step 2: DETERMINATION (D, E, T, E, R, M, I, N, A, T, I, O, N).
Step 3: It has D, two E's, two T's, R, M, I, N, A. All there.
Conclusion: The correct option is C.
Question 13Exam Pattern
Scramble: T, R, I, B, G, H. form a meaningful word.
A) BRIGHT
B) GIRTH
C) BIRTH
D) GRITTY
Correct answer: A) BRIGHT
Solution
Step 1: The letters are B, R, I, G, H, T.
Step 2: Meaningful word is BRIGHT.
Conclusion: The correct option is A.
Question 14Exam Pattern
Which word CANNOT be formed: 'COMMUNICATION'?
A) ACTION
B) UNION
C) MUSIC
D) CAUTION
Correct answer: C) MUSIC
Solution
Step 1: Check 'MUSIC'. It needs the letter 'S'.
Step 2: 'COMMUNICATION' does not have 'S'.
Conclusion: The correct option is C.
Question 15Exam Pattern
Scramble: N, O, T, C, I, E, R, I, D. form a meaningful word.
A) DIRECTION
B) CONDITION
C) REACTION
D) ERECTION
Correct answer: A) DIRECTION
Solution
Step 1: Letters: D, I, R, E, C, T, I, O, N.
Step 2: Meaningful word: DIRECTION.
Conclusion: The correct option is A.
Question 16Exam Pattern
Which word CANNOT be formed: 'ESTABLISHMENT'?
A) TABLE
B) BLISS
C) STEAM
D) TESTAMENT
Correct answer: D) TESTAMENT
Solution
Step 1: Check 'TESTAMENT'. It needs two 'T's, two 'E's, one 'S', one 'A', one 'M', one 'N'.
Step 2: 'ESTABLISHMENT' has E, S, T, A, B, L, I, S, H, M, E, N, T.
Step 3: Wait, 'TESTAMENT' needs two 'T's? 'ESTABLISHMENT' has two 'T's. Needs two 'E's. OK.
Step 4: Let's check 'TESTAMENT' again. T-E-S-T-A-M-E-N-T. It needs three 'T's.
Step 5: 'ESTABLISHMENT' only has two 'T's.
Conclusion: The correct option is D.
Question 17Exam Pattern
Which word CAN be formed: 'ENVIRONMENT'?
A) ENTER
B) METRE
C) IRON
D) MOMENT
Correct answer: C) IRON
Solution
Step 1: Check 'IRON'. I-R-O-N. All in ENVIRONMENT.
Step 2: Check 'MOMENT'. Needs two 'M's. ENVIRONMENT only has one.
Conclusion: The correct option is C.
Question 18Exam Pattern
How many meaningful words can be formed using the letters 'LIFE' each only once?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
Correct answer: B) 2
Solution
Step 1: Word 1: LIFE.
Step 2: Word 2: FILE.
Conclusion: Two words. Option B.
Question 19Exam Pattern
Which word CANNOT be formed: 'KNOWLEDGE'?
A) KNOW
B) EDGE
C) GOLD
D) LEDGER
Correct answer: D) LEDGER
Solution
Step 1: Check 'LEDGER'. It needs the letter 'R'.
Step 2: 'KNOWLEDGE' does not have 'R'.
Conclusion: The correct option is D.
Question 20Exam Pattern
Scramble: L, P, A, E, P. form a meaningful word.
A) APPLE
B) PALE
C) LEAP
D) PLEA
Correct answer: A) APPLE
Solution
Step 1: Letters: A, P, P, L, E.
Step 2: Meaningful word: APPLE.
Conclusion: The correct option is A.
Strategy errors to avoid
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Ignoring Duplicate Letters
If the parent word is 'BANANA', you can use 'A' three times, but 'B' only once. Students often forget this and mark words as "formable" just because the letters exist in any quantity.
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Over-Analyzing Vocabulary
SSC CGL usually sticks to common English words. If you find yourself forming a word like 'EERIE' or 'ODE', check if there's a more common word like 'TREE' or 'DEER' possible first.