11+ Verbal Reasoning
Question Type 4 -Two words with a similar meaning. (Synonyms)
These 11+ Verbal Reasoning Books will help to improve your child's standards in a wide variety of Verbal Reasoning questions.
There are other question types that are similar to this question. Another question type asks you to select the OPPOSITE word; while yet another question type asks you to find a LINK or CONNECTION between words. You must make sure that you are focusing on answering the correct question type!!
In this question type you are asked to select two words, one from each group, that are closest to each other in meaning.
Look at this first example and then we can work our way through the question until we get the answer: -
Select two words, one from each group, that are closest to each other in meaning.
( close, door, hear ) ( open, near, here )
In total there are nine possible combinations of two words:-
(You should start with the first word in the left hand set of brackets.)
close - open
close - near
close - here
door - open
door - near
door - here
hear - open
hear - near
hear - here
In this example, as a learning exercise, we have included some of the common errors, with explanations, that children may make when answering this question type.
close - open
These words are opposite in meaning to each other. Children who are not focused on the question type may give this as their answer.
close - near
This actually is our answer because if something is “close” it is “near.”
However children may read “close” as in “close the door” and therefore not see the similarity to “near.”
close - here
door - open
Some children will choose these words because they see a link between “door” and the fact that you can “open” a door.
door - near
door - here
hear - open
hear - near
hear - here
These two words have a connection in that they sound the same and this may be the required answer in another question type.
The ability to answer this question type correctly requires the child to have a very good vocabulary and this can be developed by reading a variety of books/magazines/journals etc. Children with a good vocabulary can quickly discount some of the nine options offered in the simple example above.
THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR!!!!
Make sure that you are focused on the question type that is being tested.
Make sure that you are not making the errors outlined in our example. Avoid guessing the answer – though if you are completely stuck a guess is better than a blank answer space.
Teachers and children find this one of the more difficult verbal reasoning questions to answer. This is because it requires a good vocabulary to know and understand the words that are presented, and to able to recognise opposites etc.
There is not really any “trick” or “technique” that can be taught for this question type as it relies very strongly on the child having a good vocabulary.
NB When you are completing a Verbal Reasoning test in Multiple-Choice format the correct answer will always be one of the choices that you are given on your answer sheet. If your answer does not match one of the answers that you are given then your answer is wrong.