SEAG vocabulary practice
Vocabulary questions test whether a child can recognise a synonym, spot an antonym, or work out a word's meaning from how it is used in a sentence. These questions reward children who read widely, but they also improve quickly with focused practice. Below are three real-style questions with full worked answers.
Try three vocabulary questions
Which word means the same as "reluctant"?
A. Eager B. Unwilling C. Confident D. Careless
Answer: Unwilling. "Reluctant" describes someone who is hesitant or unwilling to do something. A quick way to check is trying each option in the original sentence and seeing which one keeps the same meaning.
Which word is the opposite of "generous"?
A. Kind B. Selfish C. Wealthy D. Cheerful
Answer: Selfish. "Generous" means willing to give freely, so its opposite is "selfish", meaning only thinking of oneself. Antonym questions are easiest when a child first defines the given word in their own words before scanning the options.
In the sentence "The detective examined the evidence closely", what does "examined" mean?
A. Ignored B. Looked at carefully C. Threw away D. Copied
Answer: Looked at carefully. "Examined" means inspected or looked at something in detail, which fits the context of a detective studying evidence. The word "closely" in the sentence is a useful clue pointing toward this meaning.
What tends to catch children out
The most common mistake is picking an option that is loosely related to the given word rather than one that actually matches its meaning or its opposite precisely. Encouraging your child to mentally substitute each option into the original sentence, one at a time, is a reliable way to avoid this.
Practise this topic, then sit a full mock
Transfera has original vocabulary questions across easy, medium and hard difficulty, each with a clear written explanation. Once your child is confident here, a full timed mock brings this topic together with the rest of the English paper.
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