Vocabulary and Lexical Range
What this section tests
Vocabulary items assess word meaning in context, collocation, word formation (prefixes, suffixes, roots), synonyms and antonyms, and register (formal vs. informal).
Concepts to master
- Collocation: natural word partnerships. We say make a decision, take a risk, heavy rain, strong coffee. Wrong partners sound foreign even when each word is correct.
- Affixation: un-, dis-, in-, -less, -ful, -ment, -ity change meaning or part of speech. Care → careless → carelessness.
- Context clues: definitions, examples, contrasts, and cause-effect signals in the sentence reveal an unknown word's meaning.
- Register: purchase (formal) vs. buy (neutral); kids (informal) vs. children (neutral).
Traps to watch
- Near-synonyms with different collocations or connotations: economic vs. economical; sensible vs. sensitive.
- False friends and look-alike pairs: affect/effect, advice/advise, principal/principle.
- Options that are grammatically possible but semantically odd in the sentence.
Rule of thumb
Read the whole sentence and ask what part of speech the gap needs. Then test the strongest candidate for both meaning and collocation. If two options seem synonymous, the difference is usually collocation, register, or connotation - pick the one that partners naturally with the surrounding words.