These questions test your ability to understand the similarities and differences in the meaning of words . The can come in multiple formats such as:

Which of the following words is most similar in meaning to insane?

(a) forgetful (b) asylum (c) disturbing (d) demented

or in boxes such as this:

To help solve these types of questions more easily, you need to have a solid vocabulary. A great way to build up your vocabulary is to read books, newspapers and magazines.

When you come across a word you don't know, write it down on a piece of paper and look it up later in the dictionary. It is also useful to know the basic parts of speech. In some of these types of questions, you can start to eliminate the wrong answers by looking at what part of speech they are.

Remember these 4 key parts of speech: nouns, adjectives, possessive adjectives and verbs.

There are some helpful strategies that can assist in solving these types of questions:

Basic process of elimination

Start by crossing out the solution options that you believe to be incorrect.

Out of the remaining options, choose the one that you think is most similar, opposite or the odd one out.

Process of elimination by looking at the** part of speech**

If you don't know what any of the words mean in a question, you can eliminate some of the incorrect answers by looking at what parts of speech they are.

For instance, let's look at the below question.

Which of the following words is most similar in meaning to create?

(a) think (b) make (c) painting (d) blossom

First of all, create is a verb. So we are looking for another verb.

Think is a verb, but it does not have a similar meaning to create, so we can eliminate it. Make is a verb which _does _have a similar meaning to create. Painting can be a verb or a noun, but as a verb, it doesn't have a similar meaning to create.

Blossom can also be a verb or a noun, but as a verb, it doesn't have a similar meaning to create. So the correct answer is (b) make. This is a verb that is most similar in meaning to create.

Let's look at another example:

All of the words in the box below are alike in some way.

Which of the following options could also be in the box?

(a) purchasers (b) public (c) community (d) protesters

Look at the words in the box and work out why they are alike. In this example, they are alike because they all refer to people in interaction with business . The main reason why such words are in the box is that they have a „relationship‟. You need to establish what the relationship is in order to answer the question.

Out of the options given, choose one word that could accurately represent the box.

Since the only word that could accurately represent the box is Purchasers, the correct answer is (a). A common mistake with these questions include grouping the words in the box as alike for the wrong reason.

In the previous example, theoretically all of the words do refer to people, and are alike in this way. However, they are also alike for a more specific reason in that they all refer to people who are interacting in some way with business, in terms of buying or using goods or services.

Make sure you understand the meanings of the words in the box and work out why exactly they are alike. When you've worked out the reason, use this same reason to select the word that would also fit in the box or would not fit in the box.

The video will go through the below four examples:

All of the words in the box below are alike in some way.

annoy rile ruffle vex

Which of the following options could also be in the box?

A: irk B: appease C: mollify D: burden E: grieve

All of the words in the box below are alike in some way.

murky shadowy dim overcast

Which of the following options could not go in the box?

A: cloudy B: dull C: foggy D: darkened E: trouble

Which of the following is not similar in meaning to amusement:

A : delight B : entertainment C : ball D : perform E : pleasure

Which of the following words is most similar in meaning to workmanship:

A : design B : artistry C : skill D : tools E : craftsman

Key Rules to remember:

• Mainly 5 different variations, however all are testing word knowledge.

  • Words in the box and what could or could not go in the box
  • Similar in meaning / opposite in meaning
  • Odd word out

• Approaches:

  • Look at similarities/differences in answer in isolation
  • Look at the parts of speech
  • What meaning do you understand / don't understand?
  • What are their endings, how do the words start?

Now it's time to do your assignment.

1. Download the assignment question here.
2. Print it out or if you want to do it electronically, save it.
3. Complete the questions to it.
4. Then check the solutions on the video below.
5. If you want the written answers (instead of the video), you can download them here.

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