IBSAT key terms

A word that carries the same or a very similar meaning as another word in a given context, such as 'brief' for 'short'. Synonym questions test whether you can match meaning across register and usage.

A word with the opposite meaning to another word, such as 'scarce' for 'abundant'. Antonym items often hinge on a single contrasting idea, so check the exact sense being tested.

A pair-based question asking you to identify the relationship between two words, then pick the pair with the same relationship. Common links include cause-effect, part-whole, degree, and function.

A fixed expression whose meaning cannot be worked out from its individual words, such as 'to bite the bullet'. Idiom questions test recognition of established usage rather than literal interpretation.

A verb combined with a particle or preposition that creates a new meaning, such as 'put off' meaning postpone. The particle often changes meaning completely, so learn each combination as a unit.

The habitual pairing of words that native users expect together, such as 'heavy rain' rather than 'strong rain'. Collocation errors make sentences sound unnatural even when grammar is correct.

The level of formality appropriate to a situation, ranging from casual speech to formal writing. A word can be correct in meaning yet wrong in register, so match tone to the surrounding text.

The emotional or evaluative shade a word carries beyond its literal meaning, such as the difference between 'thrifty' and 'stingy'. Connotation questions ask which option fits the tone of the sentence.

The direct, dictionary meaning of a word, stripped of emotional colouring. Distinguishing denotation from connotation helps when two options are close in sense but differ in tone.

A word that shares spelling or pronunciation with another but has a different meaning, such as 'bank' of a river and 'bank' for money. Context decides which sense is intended.

A meaningful unit attached to the front of a word that alters its sense, such as 'mis-' in 'misinterpret'. Recognising common prefixes helps you infer the meaning of unfamiliar words.

A meaningful unit added to the end of a word, often changing its grammatical class, such as '-ness' turning adjectives into nouns. Suffixes signal whether a blank needs a noun, verb, or adjective.

The rule that a verb must match its subject in number and person, as in 'the list of items is long'. Intervening phrases and collective nouns are frequent traps in error-spotting questions.

The use of matching grammatical forms for items in a list or comparison, such as 'reading, writing, and speaking'. Faulty parallelism is a common error in sentence correction items.

A word, phrase, or clause that describes another element in the sentence. A misplaced or dangling modifier attaches to the wrong word and distorts the intended meaning.

The central point a passage develops as a whole, broader than any single detail. Main-idea questions ask what the author most wants the reader to take away.

A sentence, usually early in a paragraph, that announces the paragraph's controlling idea. Locating topic sentences speeds up mapping a passage's structure.

A conclusion drawn from evidence in the passage rather than stated outright. Valid inferences must be supported by the text, not merely plausible in real life.

The author's attitude towards the subject, conveyed through word choice and emphasis, such as critical, neutral, or enthusiastic. Tone questions require evidence from the passage, not personal reaction.

The reason the writer produced the passage, such as to persuade, inform, compare, or criticise. Identifying purpose helps eliminate options that describe content but miss intent.

A connector such as 'however', 'therefore', or 'moreover' that signals how ideas relate. Transition words reveal contrast, cause, or addition, and often mark where an argument turns.

Information surrounding an unfamiliar word that hints at its meaning, including definitions, examples, contrasts, and cause-effect statements. Using context clues beats guessing from word shape alone.

A comparison of two quantities by division, expressed as a fraction or with a colon, such as 3:5. Ratios scale proportionally, so multiply or divide both parts by the same number.

An equation stating that two ratios are equal, used to solve for an unknown quantity. Setting up the proportion with matching units on each side prevents most errors.

A fraction expressed out of one hundred, allowing easy comparison across different bases. Successive percentage changes do not simply add; apply each change to the new value.

The sum of a set of values divided by the number of values, also called the arithmetic mean. If you know the average and the count, you can recover the total.

A mean in which each value contributes in proportion to an assigned weight rather than equally. Used for mixture and combined-group problems where subgroup sizes differ.

Interest calculated only on the original principal for each period, given by principal times rate times time. It grows linearly, unlike compound interest which grows on accumulated interest.

Interest charged on both the principal and previously accumulated interest, so the amount grows geometrically. The formula is principal times one plus the periodic rate raised to the number of periods.

An arrangement of items in which order matters, such as the number of ways to rank finishers. The count of arrangements of all n distinct items is n factorial.

A selection of items in which order does not matter, such as choosing a committee from a group. Choosing r items from n gives n factorial divided by r factorial times (n minus r) factorial.

The likelihood of an event, computed as favourable outcomes divided by total equally likely outcomes. Probabilities range from zero to one, and complementary events sum to one.

The portion of a job completed per unit of time by a person or machine. When workers combine, add their rates; the reciprocal of the total rate gives the time to finish.

A question type asking whether the given statements supply enough information to answer, not for the numeric answer itself. Decide sufficiency for each statement alone, then for both together.

Information that alone guarantees a unique answer to the question asked. Distinguish it from merely helpful data that narrows possibilities without fixing a single value.

Reading values, trends, and comparisons from tables, bar charts, line graphs, or pie charts. Check units, scales, and whether figures are absolute numbers or percentages before computing.

The difference between a new and an old value divided by the old value, expressed as a percentage. Always divide by the original base, not the new figure, to avoid overstating growth.