OLSAT Level F key terms

A word whose meaning is opposite to another word's meaning, such as hot and cold. Antonym questions ask you to pick the answer choice that most nearly reverses the given word.

A word that means nearly the same as another word, such as begin and start. Synonym items test whether you can match a stimulus word to the closest equivalent among the choices.

A small difference in intensity or tone between words that are otherwise similar, such as warm versus hot. Questions may ask which word is closest in meaning or which does not belong.

The feeling or attitude a word carries beyond its literal meaning, such as the difference between thrifty and stingy. Recognizing connotation helps separate near-synonyms in answer choices.

The literal, dictionary meaning of a word, apart from any emotional association. Distinguishing denotation from connotation keeps you from choosing an answer based on tone alone.

A word that sounds or is spelled like another but has a different meaning, such as bare and bear. Homonym items test whether you can use context to select the correct word.

Information in the surrounding sentence that hints at a word's meaning. When a vocabulary item is embedded in a sentence, nearby words often narrow the possible answer choices.

A task in which one or more words are missing from a sentence and you choose the option that best fits both meaning and grammar. Both blanks must work together in two-blank items.

A word such as because, although, or therefore that signals the logical link between parts of a sentence. Connectives tell you whether the missing word should agree with or contrast the other clause.

A verbal reasoning task in which four or five words are given and you identify the one that does not belong with the others. The shared category among the remaining words is the key.

A group defined by a shared feature, such as tools, mammals, or vehicles. Naming the category of the majority of words quickly exposes the word that fails to fit.

The single item in a set that lacks the property shared by the rest. In classification items the odd one out is the answer, so test each word against a candidate rule.

A comparison stated as A is to B as C is to D, where the relationship between the first pair must be repeated for the second. The relationship, not the topic, determines the answer.

A short sentence you write to state the link between the first pair of an analogy, such as a puppy is a young dog. Applying the same sentence to the second pair reveals the correct completion.

The kind of link connecting an analogy pair, such as part to whole, cause to effect, worker to tool, or item to category. Identifying the type narrows the choices before you compare wording.

A relationship in which one item is a component of the other, such as wheel to car. The order matters: the first word must be the part and the second the whole, or vice versa consistently.

A relationship in which the first item contains the second, such as tree to branch. Reversing the order of a part-to-whole pair changes the analogy and usually signals a wrong answer.

A relationship in which one item produces the other, such as drought to famine. Check direction carefully, since effect-to-cause distractors often appear among the choices.

An analogy in which the first pair is linked by contrast, such as hot is to cold. The second pair must also be a contrast pair, not merely unrelated words.

Drawing a conclusion that must follow from the statements given, using only the information provided. Outside knowledge and real-world plausibility should not override the stated premises.

A statement given as true in a reasoning problem. Your task is to combine premises, not to question them, even when they conflict with what you know about the world.

A statement that necessarily follows from the premises, so that no situation satisfies the premises while contradicting it. Answers that are merely possible are not valid in this sense.

A conclusion drawn from evidence that makes it likely but not certain. Inference items ask for the best-supported statement rather than one that is guaranteed to be true.

An unstated idea that a passage or argument depends on. Questions may ask which assumption the reasoning requires, so look for the gap between evidence and conclusion.

The main point an argument is trying to establish, usually signaled by words such as therefore or thus. Distinguishing it from supporting statements is central to verbal reasoning items.

A sequence of figures or shapes that changes according to a rule, such as rotating, adding a side, or alternating shading. The task is to identify the rule and select the figure that continues it.

A steady change across a series, such as a shape gaining one side or a dot moving one step clockwise each time. Measuring the change between consecutive frames reveals the rule.

A pattern in which two features take turns, such as a shape alternating between filled and unfilled. Alternating rules often combine with a steady progression in the same series.

Turning a figure around a fixed point, often by a constant number of degrees at each step in a series. Track both the direction and the amount of turn to predict the next figure.

A mirror image of a figure across a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line. Reflection reverses orientation, which distinguishes it from rotation when comparing answer choices.

Any change applied to a figure, including rotation, reflection, translation, or resizing. Naming the transformation used between frames helps you apply the same one to the final frame.

In figural reasoning, a pair of figures linked by a transformation that must be repeated on a new figure. Identify exactly what changed, then apply that change to the target figure.

A figural item in which all but one figure share a visual property, such as symmetry, number of sides, or shading. The figure lacking the shared property is the answer.

A grid of figures arranged in rows and columns, with one cell missing. The rule usually runs across rows, down columns, or both, so check each direction before choosing.

A pictorial reasoning task in which a sheet is folded, holes are punched, and you predict the pattern when unfolded. Each fold doubles the number of holes and mirrors their positions.

The step in paper-folding items where holes are made through the folded paper. Work backward through each fold, reflecting the holes across the crease line as you unfold.

A property in which a figure can be folded or rotated to match itself. Symmetry lines and rotational symmetry are frequent rules in figural classification and series items.

The ability to mentally rotate, flip, and assemble shapes without physically moving them. It underlies paper-folding, cube, and figure-assembly items in pictorial reasoning.

A flat arrangement of six squares that folds into a cube. Items ask which cube could be made from the net, so track which faces end up adjacent and which end up opposite.