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formative

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | Copyright

for·ma·tive / ˈfôrmətiv/ • adj. serving to form something, esp. having a profound and lasting influence on a person's development: his formative years. ∎ of or relating to a person's development: a formative assessment. ∎ Linguistics denoting or relating to any of the smallest meaningful units that are used to form words in a language, typically combining forms and inflections. • n. Linguistics a formative element. DERIVATIVES: for·ma·tive·ly adv.

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FORMATIVE

Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language | 1998 | | Copyright

FORMATIVE.
1. In PHILOLOGY, a derivational AFFIX, especially one that determines part of speech or WORD class: -ness in darkness, forming a noun from an adjective.

2. In structural LINGUISTICS, a word-forming element: the prefix un- and suffix -ly in unkindly.

3. In generative GRAMMAR, a minimal unit of syntax: in The dancers performed gracefully, the formatives (joined by plus signs) are the + dance + er + s perform + ed grace + full + ly. Compare BASE, MORPHEME.

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TOM McARTHUR. "FORMATIVE." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

TOM McARTHUR. "FORMATIVE." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-FORMATIVE.html

TOM McARTHUR. "FORMATIVE." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-FORMATIVE.html

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	Formative feedback and the mindful teaching of mathematics. Magazine article from: Australian Senior Mathematics Journal; 1/1/2007
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