Vocabulary: Synonyms, Antonyms, Word Formation, Idioms and Phrases
What the vocabulary section tests
Vocabulary is tested through synonyms, antonyms, word formation, idioms and phrases, and choosing the right word in context. The aim is precision: a near-synonym may carry the wrong tone or collocation.
Core rules
- Synonym: match part of speech and register. 'House' and 'home' overlap, but 'home' carries belonging.
- Antonym: form it with a prefix when possible (possible/impossible, legal/illegal, appear/disappear) and check spelling.
- Word formation: noun to adjective (danger → dangerous), verb to noun (arrive → arrival), adjective to adverb (quick → quickly); watch silent changes (happy → happiness).
- Idiom: learn the whole phrase and its fixed meaning; do not translate literally. 'To let the cat out of the bag' means to reveal a secret.
- Context: read the whole sentence before choosing; a word may be correct in meaning but wrong in collocation.
Worked example
Choose the synonym of 'reluctant' in 'She was reluctant to speak.' Options: unwilling, eager, unable, ready. Answer: unwilling. Reasoning: 'reluctant' means hesitant or disinclined; 'unable' changes the meaning to capacity, and 'eager' and 'ready' are opposites.
Traps
- Choosing a synonym that fits the dictionary but not the sentence.
- Adding the wrong prefix ('unpossible').
- Changing the part of speech when forming a word.
- Reading an idiom word by word.