What does morphology primarily study?

Morphology is a branch of linguistics that focuses specifically on the structure and formation of words. It examines how words are formed from smaller units called morphemes, which are the smallest meaningful components of language. This includes the analysis of how morphemes combine to create new words, as well as the grammatical aspects involved in word formation, such as inflection and derivation.

In contrast, the other options address different areas of linguistic study. The rules of sentence structure pertain to syntax, which involves how words are arranged to create sentences. The meaning of words in context relates to semantics, focusing on how meanings change based on situational and contextual factors. Finally, the pronunciation of phonemes is the domain of phonetics and phonology, which deals with the sounds of speech rather than word formation. Thus, focusing on word formation clearly identifies morphology as the correct answer.