Vocabulary and Word Meaning
The Vocabulary and Word Meaning domain tests how well you can work out what a word means from the sentence around it and from word parts, rather than from memory alone. NGSA items ask for synonyms, antonyms, the meaning of a word in context, the effect of prefixes and suffixes, and the meanings of common idioms. The best method is to cover the options, read the sentence, and predict a meaning before choosing.
Use context clues
- Definition clue: 'The doctor was diligent-she checked every chart twice.' Diligent means careful and hard-working.
- Contrast clue: 'Unlike his talkative brother, Devon was taciturn.' The contrast signals that taciturn means quiet.
- Example clue: 'Citrus fruits such as oranges, limes, and grapefruit are rich in vitamin C.' The examples tell you what citrus means.
- Inference clue: 'The hikers were famished; they had eaten nothing since dawn.' Famished means extremely hungry.
Work with word parts
- Prefixes change meaning: un- and dis- mean not; re- means again; pre- means before; mis- means wrongly; sub- means under; inter- means between.
- Suffixes change the job of the word: -ful means full of; -less means without; -ness and -ment form nouns; -able means capable of; -tion forms nouns.
- Common roots help: port means carry, scrib/script means write, spect means look, bio means life, graph means write.
Shades of meaning and relationships
- Synonyms are close in meaning but may differ in strength or tone. 'Slim' is neutral; 'skinny' can be critical.
- Antonyms are opposites.
- Analogies test relationships: synonym, antonym, part to whole, cause to effect, worker to tool.
- Idioms are fixed phrases: 'break the ice' means start a conversation; 'once in a blue moon' means very rarely.
Worked example
Sentence: 'The arid desert offered no shade and cracked the soil into dust.' What does arid mean? Reasoning: desert, no shade, and cracked soil all point to extreme dryness. Arid means very dry, not simply hot. Answer: extremely dry.
Traps that cost marks
- Choosing a familiar meaning that does not fit the sentence.
- Confusing homophones such as affect and effect, or stationary and stationery.
- Reading an idiom literally.
- Ignoring a negative prefix and choosing the opposite meaning.
- Picking a synonym with the wrong tone, such as 'stingy' for 'thrifty'.
Always test your chosen word by putting it back into the sentence and checking that the sentence still makes sense.