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Vocabulary: words starting with self-
SELF, meaning "on one's own", has several "grammatical natures": it can be an adjective, a noun, or a pronoun.
SELF is also "an affix", which means it can be a PREFIX (placed before a word) or a SUFFIX (placed behind it). Here, we'll concentrate on SELF as a prefix, which means it's going to be used to form different words - verbs, adjectives or nouns- being placed before them.
Among the words formed in such a way, some are said to be "almost transparent": to self-correct; to self-educate; a self-made man; a self-hating person; self-defence; self-government, etc.
I) The NOUNS introduced by SELF- xxxxx : refer to actions that one does by oneself or to oneself.
| Self-assurance | = self-confidence/ self-reliance |
| Self-criticism | = self-judgement/ self-censuring |
| Self-defence | = self-protecting |
| Self-determination | = self-government |
| Self-employment | = earning one's living directly |
| Self-esteem | = self-confidence |
| Self-examination | = self-study/ introspection |
| Self-government | = self-control/ self-determination |
| Self-image | = self-concept/ ego |
| Self-justification | = self-excuses/ self-explanation |
| Self-love | = narcisism/ self-appreciation |
| Self-narrative | = auto-biography/ self-reported |
| Self-obsession | = self-conscious |
| Self-punishment | = self-mortification |
Develop self-confidence ... Self-destruction... Self-defence (GB)/ self-defense (US)
Although verbs are, as we can see, at the origin of the words starting with self- , they're also transformed in order to build adjectives. Understanding and building them prove to have the same difficulties as for the verbal adjectives in -ed or in -ing that we have already seen: test
II) The ADJECTIVES starting with self: also indicate that the action has been or will be done without anyone's assistance, "alone".
Let's remember that the adjectives ending with -ing have an active meaning (the subject is acting) whereas those ending with -ed have a passive meaning (the action is endured by the subject ).
| Self-sealing | = self-sticking/ self-closing |
| Self-denying | = self-sacrificing/ moderate/ unselfish |
| Self-deprecating | = self-deriding/ mocking/ self-sacrificing |
| Self-defeating | = backfiring/ counterproductive |
| Self-testing | = self-assessing/ checking/ verifying |
| Self-supporting | = providing/ subsidizing/ self-financing |
| Self-catering | = Making meals and providing services for a group |
| Self-aggrandizing | = Magnifying/ Exaggerating |
| Self-driving | = Renting a car and driving it yourself |
| Self-governing | = Self-determining/ self-controlling |
A self-catering home ... self-punishing... Self-aggrandizing
| Self-inflicted | = self-imposed |
| Self-addressed | = Stamped addressed envelope/ SAE |
| Self-employed | = independent/ unaffiliated |
| Self-taught | = autodidactical/ self-educated |
| Self-appointed | = self-assumed authority/ self-declared |
| Self-assured | = confident/ overconfident |
| Self-conceited | = boastful/ bombastic/ egotistic |
| Self-made | = self-reliant/ audacious/ confident |
| Self-motivated | = assured/ resolute |
| Self-obsessed | = egocentric/ egomaniac/ egoistical/ narcissist |
| Self-opinionated | = stubborn/ unbending/ headstrong |
| Self-composed | = composed/ calm/self-made |
I know there are many compound words, but you don't have to learn them all... Instead, you should look at the way they're built, make sure you understand these constructions and then try to make them up as much as you want. You'll have a lot of time to do it.
To face the test, you'll simply have to make a choice among the given words. You won't have any problem.
Good luck to all of you 
... and of course, THE FORCE IS WITH YOU. 
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