SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS
Synonyms means that words that have the SAME meaning.
Antonyms means that words that have the OPPOSITE meaning.
Almost all the competitive tests will have these items. It is to test your vocabulary range in English. You may have done similar tests in your school too. However, there is always a possibility of testing your vocabulary in a given context. In other words, your ability to use words appropriately will be tested. If a word is given in a passage, you should have the ability to identify its use in a meaning. Isolated words can be different from context based words. Look at the following examples:
1) He found a chair to sit and rest.
2) He was denied the chair in spite of his achievements.
3) Though he was requested to chair the meeting, he politely declined the offer.
In sentence 1, the meaning is: "a piece of furniture"
In sentence 2, the meaning is: "the position of headship, top position etc."
In sentence 3, the meaning is: "to preside over"
We can also learn words singly and for this test, that level may be adequate. But in language proficiency testing, anything or everything can be tested.
Model questions
Directions (Q.No. 1 - 3): Select the words which have almost the SAME meaning to the words given.
1. principal
a) chief b) important
c) outstanding d) distinguished
2. hoard
a) save b) stock
c) pile d) add
3. ultimate
a) final b) true
c) single d) real
Directions (Q.No. 4 - 6): Find words that have almost the OPPOSITE meaning to the given word.
4. immature
a) experienced b) old
c) cautious d) thoughtful
5. stiff
a) sympathetic b) supple
c) soft d) humble
6. avoid
a) greet b) fight
c) face d) like
Answers:
1) a; 2) b; 3) a; 4) a; 5) b; 6) a.
SPELLINGS
In the following tests some of the words that are frequently given in competitive tests are given. Try to learn them. Simultaneously, learn their meanings too. It will help you.
Find the word that is spelt wrongly, in the following set of words.
1. (a) hilarous (b) abstinence
(c) abrasive (d) absence
2. (a) cereal (b) vacum
(c) ceremony (d) ceramic
3. (a) damage (b) dainty
(c) virtuel (d) dairy
4. (a) lier (b) hammer
(c) slimmer (d) drummer
5. (a) vilify (b) rabit
(c) hillock (d) mileage
6. (a) awkword (b) humane
(c) virtuous (d) calendar
7. (a) vivacious (b) rustic
(c) annul (d) twelth
8. (a) awkward (b) millionair
(c) memorable (d) pacify
9. (a) Eskimos (b) stable
(c) pityable (d) miserly
10. (a) eradicate (b) exuberant
(c) stallion (d) magnificient
11. (a) animation (b) suspision
(c) vaporization (d) erosion
12. (a) animosity (b) advercity
(c) opportunity (d) velocity
13. (a) mangoes (b) flamingos
(c) geckoes (d) Eskimoes
14. (a) wretched (b) wrestle
(c) wreath (d) wreckless
15. (a) awkward (b) viceous
(c) wicked (d) majestic
Answers: 1) a; 2) b; 3) c; 4) a; 5) b; 6) a; 7) d; 8) b; 9) c; 10) d;
11) b; 12) b; 13) d; 14) d; 15) b.
Some more spellings....
Here are some more words that have tricky spellings. These are words which are difficult to spell even for native speakers - Americans and the English. In India we follow in our text books, newspapers, office correspondence British spellings. In software industry, American English is more common.
1. (a) leasure (b) leisure
(c) liesure (d) leasure
2. (a) maintainance
(b) mentainance
(c) maintenance (d) maintinance
3. (a) restuarant (b) restaurant
(c) restaurent (d) restarent
4. (a) sargeant (b) sergeant
(c) saurgent (d) sargent
5. (a) acomodate (b) accomodate
(c) accammodate
(d) accommodate
6. (a) inagurate (b) inaugurate
(c) inaugurete (d) inagarate
7. (a) beleive (b) belive
(c) believe (d) beleeve
8. (a) garanty (b) garenty
(c) guarantee (d) guarentee
9. (a) manouver (b) manoeuvre
(c) manoeuver (d) manover
10. (a) supercede (b) supersede
(c) superceed (d) superseed
11. (a) conscientious
(b) conccienscious
(c) consentious
(d) consciontious
12. (a) heirachy (b) hairarchy
(c) hierarchy (d) hiearky
13. (a) questionaire (b) questionnair
(c) questionnaire (d) questioneer
14. (a) colectable (b) collectible
(c) collactable (d) collectble
15. (a) personel (b) parsonnel
(c) persannel (d) personnel
16. (a) privlage (b) privilage
(c) privilege (d) privlege
17. (a) indispensabl
(b) indispenseble
(c) indespensable
(d) indispensible
18. (a) embarass (b) embarrass
(c) embracces (d) embrass
19. (a) emature (b) amature
(c) imature (d) amateur
20. (a) schidule (b) schedule
(c) shedule (d) skedule
Answers:
1) b 2) c 3) b 4) d 5) d 6) b 7) c 8) d 9) c 10) b 11) a 12) c 13) c 14) b 15) d 16) c 17) d 18) b 19) d 20) b.
Previous Questions
Directions (Q.No.1 - 4): Choose the closest meaning of the given words:
1. agony:
a) collect b) care
c) mad d) pain
2. govern:
a) amplify b) rule
c) catch d) sable
3. obstacle:
a) penalty b) revenge
c) crime d) barrier
4. magnitude:
a) attitude b) logic
c) size d) progress
Directions (Q.No. 4 - 8): Choose the word that has almost opposite meaning of the given words:
5. brave:
a) worse b) timid
c) destroy d) clean
6. domestic:
a) foreign b) problem
c) comfort d) fear
7. guilty:
a) punishment b) enemy
c) ignore d) innocent
8. voluntary:
a) powerful b) gentle
c) compulsory d) poor
Directions (Q.No. 9 - 11): Find the correct SPELLING of the word from among the given variants.
9. a) presumption b) pressumption
c) prejumption d) presumpsion
10. a) tetotlar b) teetotaler
c) teetotlar d) tetoller
11. a) repercassion b) repercasson c) repercussion d) repercussion
KEY:
1) d; 2) b; 3) d; 4) c; 5) b; 6) a;
7) c; 8) c; 9) a; 10) b; 11) c.
Practice Test -1
Directions (Q.No. 1 - 10): Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with suitable prepositions.
1. I am not familiar ___ this part of the city.
(a) of (b) to (c) for (d) with
2. He was angry __ her behaviour.
(a) at (b) with (c) on (d) about
3. Some people are suspicious ___ everyone.
(a) about (b) of (c) with (d) to
4. We ordered ___ several copies of that grammar book.
(a) for (b) to (c) with (d) none
5. Priyanka Gandhi resembles ___ her father.
(a) with (b) to (c) for (d) none
6. He alighted ____ the train quickly as she has to catch another train.
(a) from (b) with
(c) into (d) none
7. The demands of RTC staff were looked ___ by the management.
(a) for (b) at (c) into (d) after
8. He slowly got ___ the misery and resumed his routine work.
(a) into (b) for (c) over (d) with
9. The CM congratulated Sania Mirza ___ her achievement.
(a) on (b) to (c) for (d) with
10. Mahesh took ___ the new job in Noida very happily.
(a) into (b) to
(c) after (d) up
Key:
1) d; 2)a; 3) b; 4) d; 5) d;
6) a; 7) c; 8) c; 9) a; 10) d.
* But we should say "Her name is familiar to all the people in Telugu states and T Nadu."
* "We are all angry with him for his conduct at the party."
Also we should not use any preposition after "beckon". Eg. "The customer beckon to the waiter."
Practice Test -2
Exercise on phrasal words
1. Some people came to look ___ the house, but I don't think they'll buy it.
(a) over (b) for
(c) out (d) upon
2. Could you look ____ her complaint and make sure that everything's OK.
(a) after (b) up
(c) into (d) out
3. "Look _____ that fan's going to fall over!"
(a) over (b) through
(c) out (d) up
4. I had to look ____ my sister's child while she was in hospital.
(a) into (b) up
(c) after (d) for
5. If you don't know a word, better look it ___ in a dictionary.
(a) after (b) up
(c) into (d) over
6. The minister promised to look _____ the complaints and find out what has gone wrong.
(a) after (b) for
(c) up (d) into
7. Resources have really began to look ____ since a new MD has taken over and we hope a surplus situation this year.
(a) down (b) up (c) down (d) for
8. Ever since he is graduated, he is looking ____ a job.
(a) after (b) by (c) to (d) for
9. While Abdul Kalam was the President, people, especially the youth looked ____ him.
(a) upon (b) after (c) for (d) up
10. After the Board exams, the children are looking forward _____ the holiday promised by their parents.
(a) to (b) for
(c) into (d) through
Key:
1) a; 2) c; 3) c; 4) c; 5) b;
6) d; 7) b; 8) d; 9) a; 10) a.
