NYSTCE English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Practice Test

What is studied in morphology?

1. The production of sounds in speech

2. How morphemes are combined to form words

3. The patterns of speech sounds

4. The structure of phrases and sentences

The correct answer is: How morphemes are combined to form words

Morphology focuses on the study of morphemes, which are the smallest units of meaning in a language. This area of linguistics examines how these morphemes can be combined, altered, and used to form words. Understanding morphology is essential for analyzing the structure of words, including roots, prefixes, and suffixes, as well as how they contribute to overall meaning in language. By studying how morphemes come together, learners gain insight into word formation processes and the rules that govern them. This knowledge is crucial for language acquisition, particularly for English language learners, as it helps them decode and construct words more effectively. The other options focus on different aspects of linguistics. The production of sounds pertains to phonetics and phonology, while the patterns of speech sounds relate to how these sounds are organized and function in speech. The structure of phrases and sentences is addressed in syntax, which deals with how words combine to create meaningful phrases and sentences. Each of these areas is important, but they do not fall under the domain of morphology.