SSAT & ISEE Prep 2023 - Princeton Review 2023

SSAT verbal
The SSAT

INTRODUCTION

The Verbal section on the Middle and Upper Level SSAT consists of:

· 30 synonym questions (questions 1 to 30)

· 30 analogy questions (questions 31 to 60)

Elementary Level

You will have 20 minutes to do 15 synonyms and 15 analogies.

That’s 60 questions—but you have only 30 minutes! Should you try to spend 30 seconds on each question to get them all done? NO!

You Mean I Don’t Have to Answer All the Questions?

Yep. You’ll actually improve your score by answering fewer questions, as long as you’re still using all of the allotted time.

“Allotted Time”?

If you can’t define allotted, make a flashcard for it! Look in Chapter 1 for ideas on how to use flashcards to learn new words.

Remember, each test level is designed for students in multiple grade levels. There will be vocabulary in some of these questions that is aimed at students older than you, and almost no one in your grade will get those questions right. On the SSAT score report, you will be compared only with students in your own grade. The younger you are in your test level, the fewer questions you are expected to complete. Fifth graders are expected to do the least number of questions on the Middle Level test. Eighth graders are expected to do the least number of questions on the Upper Level test.

Why rush through the questions you can get right to get to the really tough ones that almost nobody gets? That approach only ensures that you will make hasty, careless errors. Work slowly on the questions that have vocabulary that you know to make sure you get them right. Then try the ones that have some advanced words in them.

Which Questions Should I Answer?

The questions are arranged in a rough order of difficulty—the more complex synonyms tend to come toward the end of the synonym section, and the advanced analogies tend to come at the end of the analogy section. However, everyone is different, and some questions are harder for certain people than they are for others. You know some words that your friends don’t, and vice versa.

You get as many points for a question you find easy as you do for one you find more complicated. So here’s the plan: do all the questions that you find easy first. Easy questions will be those for which you know the definitions of all the words involved. Then go back through and do the questions with words that sound familiar, even if you are not sure of their dictionary definitions—these are words you sort of know. As you work through these questions, you’ll probably be concentrating mostly on the beginning and middle of each section, but don’t be afraid to glance ahead—there may be some words you know toward the end. Remember to skip a number on the answer sheet when you skip a question.

Bubble Practice

If you’re taking a paper-based test, whenever you do a practice test, use the sample answer sheet so you get used to skipping around when you’re filling in bubbles.

Knowing your own vocabulary is the key to quickly deciding if you can answer a question easily.

Know Yourself

Categorize the words you see in SSAT questions into:

· words you know

· words you sort of know

· words you really don’t know

Be honest with yourself when it comes to deciding whether you know a word or not so you can tell which of the techniques you learn in this book works best for each question you tackle. Keep your idea of the word’s meaning flexible because the test writers sometimes use the words in ways that you and I do not! (They claim to use dictionary definitions.)

The easiest way to get a verbal question right is by making sure all the words in it fall into the first category—words you know. The best way to do this is by learning new vocabulary every day. Check out the Vocabulary chapter (Chapter 1) for the best ways to do this.

You can raise your verbal score moderately just by using the techniques we teach in this chapter. But if you want to see a substantial rise, you need to build up your vocabulary too.

Eliminate Choices

With math questions, there’s always a correct answer; the other answers are simply wrong. With verbal questions, however, things are not that simple. Words are much more slippery than numbers. So verbal questions have best answers, not correct ones. The other answers aren’t necessarily wrong, but the people who score the SSAT think they’re not as good as the best ones. This means that your goal is to eliminate worse choices in the Verbal and Reading sections.

Cross Out the Bad Ones

Even when none of the answers look particularly right, you can usually eliminate at least one.

Get used to looking for worse answers. There are many more of them than there are best answers, so worse answers are easier to find! Use your tools to make sure you don’t spend excess time looking at worse answers: if you’re working in a test booklet, cross them out; if you’re taking an online test with the strikeout feature, use it! No matter which other techniques you use to answer a question, eliminate wrong answers first instead of trying to magically pick out the best answer right away.

One thing to remember for the Verbal section: you should not eliminate choices that contain words you don’t know. If you don’t know what a word means, it could be the right answer.

What If I Can’t Narrow It Down to One Answer?

Should you guess? Yes. If you can eliminate even one choice, you should guess from the remaining choices. Can’t eliminate anything? Leave it blank.

Where Do I Start?

In the Verbal section, do analogies first—they’re easier to get right when you don’t know all the words in the question. For an online test, use the navigation pane or Review screen to jump to Question 31 to start.

Tackle the section in the following order:

· Analogies with words you know (yes, jump right over the first 30 questions!)

· Analogies with words you sort of know

· Synonyms with words you know

· Synonyms with words you sort of know

· Analogies with words you really don’t know (you’ll be able to eliminate some answers — keep reading to see how!)

There is no need to ever try to attempt synonyms with words that you really don’t know. You will rarely be able to eliminate choices in a synonym question for which you do not know the stem word.

REVIEW—THE VERBAL PLAN

Pacing and Verbal Strategy

When I start the Verbal section, with which question number do I start?

What’s the order in which I answer questions in the Verbal section?

How many choices must I have eliminated to guess productively?

Can I eliminate choices that contain words I don’t know?

If you have trouble answering any of the questions above, reread this chapter!

When You Are Done

Don’t forget to check your answers in Chapter 9, this page.

Knowing My Vocabulary

Look at each of the following words and decide if it’s a word that you know, sort of know, or really don’t know. If you know it, write down its definition.

insecticide (noun)

trifle (verb)

repugnant (adjective)

mollify (verb)

camouflage (verb, noun)

historic (adjective)

Use a dictionary to check the ones you thought you knew or sort of knew. Make flashcards for the ones you didn’t know, the ones you sort of knew, and any that you thought you knew but for which you actually had the wrong definition.

ANALOGIES

What Is an Analogy?

An analogy, on the SSAT, asks you to:

1.decide how two words are related

2.choose another set of words that has the same relationship

It looks like this:

A is to B as

(A) C is to D

(B) E is to F

(D) I is to J

(E) K is to L

The letters A through L stand for words. We will call any words that are in the question part of the analogy (the A and B) the stem words. To figure out the relationship, ignore the “A is to B as C is to D” sentence that they’ve given you. It doesn’t tell you what you need to know. If you’re taking a paper-based test, you can even cross out “is to” and “as.”

Next use the techniques that we describe on the next few pages depending on the words in the question. Get your pencil ready because you need to try these strategies out as we go along.

When You Know the Words

Make a Sentence

Here’s an analogy for which you’ll know all the words.

Kitten is to cat as

(A) bull is to cow

(B) snake is to frog

(D) puppy is to dog

(E) spider is to fly

You want to be sure you get a question like this one right because it’s worth just as much as an advanced one. Here’s how to be sure you don’t make a careless mistake.

Picture what the first two words (“A” and “B”) mean and how those two words are related.

Make a sentence to describe what you see. (We sometimes call this a “definitional” sentence.) A good sentence will do two things:

· Define one of the words using the other one.

· Stay short and simple.

A kitten ______________ cat. (Make a sentence.)

Shop Around

Check every choice in a verbal question to be sure you’re picking the best answer there.

Now look at the choices and eliminate any that cannot have the same relationship as the one you’ve got in your sentence.

(A) bull is to cow

(B) snake is to frog

(D) puppy is to dog

(E) spider is to fly

If your sentence was something like “A kitten is a young cat,” you can eliminate all but (D). After all, a bull is not a young cow; a snake is not a young frog; a squirrel is not a young raccoon; and a spider is not a young fly. If you had a sentence that did not work, think about how you would define a kitten. Stay away from sentences that use the word you, as in “You see kittens with female cats.” Also avoid sentences like “A kitten is a cat.” These sentences don’t give you a definition or description of one of the words. Get specific. Yes, a kitten is a cat, but what else do you know about it?

As you go through the choices, cross out the choices as you eliminate them. In the kitten analogy, you probably knew that (D) was a good fit for your sentence, but don’t stop there! Always check all the answers. On the SSAT, often a so-so answer will appear before the best answer in the choices, and you don’t want to get sidetracked by it. Try all the answers so you can be sure to score points on all the analogies you find easy.

In making your sentence, you can start with either of the first two words. Try to start your sentence by defining the first word, but if that doesn’t work, start by defining the second word.

Rev It Up

Use the most specific, descriptive words you can when you make a sentence. You want the sentence to define one of the words.

House is to tent as (Ignore “is to” and “as.” Picture a house and a tent.)

A house ________ tent.

(Can you make a definitional sentence? Not really.)

A tent ________ house.

(Make a sentence. Now eliminate choices.)

Draw an arrow in your test booklet or on your scratch paper to remind yourself that you started with the second word instead of the first, as we have here. If you reverse the words in your sentence, you need to reverse them when you’re trying out the choices, too. If you have a sentence like, “A tent is a temporary house,” then you can eliminate all but (E).

Write your sentence above the question, between the two words or jot it down on your scratch paper. You can use just the first letter of each stem word. It’s a good idea to do this as you start practicing analogies, and most students find it helpful to write out their sentences all the time. If you have a tendency to change your sentence as you go through the answers, you should always write it down.

Make Another Sentence

Why would you ever need to change your sentence? Let’s see.

Motor is to car as (Cross out. Picture them. Write a sentence. Eliminate.)

(A) knob is to door

(B) shovel is to earth

(D) sail is to boat

(E) pond is to ocean

If at First You Don’t Succeed…

Then try the other word! You can start your sentence with the first word (A) or the second word (B).

Did you get it down to one? If not, make your sentence more specific. You may have said “A car has a motor,” in which case you can eliminate only (B) and (E). The best words to use are active verbs and descriptive adjectives. What does a motor do for a car? Make a more specific sentence. (Remember to draw an arrow if you start with the word car.)

A motor makes a car move. You could also say that a car is powered by a motor. Either sentence will help you eliminate all but (D). When your sentence eliminates some, but not all, of the choices, make it more specific.

If you have trouble picturing the relationship or making a more specific sentence, ask yourself questions that will help you get at how the two words are related.

Below are some questions to ask yourself that will help you make sentences. (“A” and “B” are the first two words in the analogy. Remember, you can start with either one.) Refer back to these questions if you get stuck when trying to make a sentence.

· What does A/B do?

· What does A/B mean?

· How does A/B work?

· What does A/B look like?

· How is A/B used?

· Where is A/B found?

· How do A and B compare?

· How are A and B associated?

Help!

These questions will help you come up with a sentence that defines one of the words in an analogy. Refer to them as much as you need to, until you are asking yourself these questions automatically.

PRACTICE DRILL 1—MAKING SENTENCES

Try making a sentence for each of these analogies for which you know both words. Use the questions above to guide you if you have trouble. Avoid using “A is B” or “A is the opposite of B.” Instead, try using “has” or “lacks,” or you can use “with” or “without.” Use active verbs. Check your sentences in Chapter 9 before you move on to the next practice set.

1.Chapter is to book as _______ is a section of a __________

2.Scale is to weight as

3.Striped is to lines as

4.Anger is to rage as

5.Rehearsal is to performance as

6.Mechanic is to car as

7.Traitor is to country as

8.Aggravate is to problem as

9.Trout is to fish as

10.General is to army as

11.Law is to crime as

12.Buckle is to belt as

13.Truculent is to fight as

14.Cure is to illness as

15.Toxic is to poison as

16.Mountain is to pinnacle as

17.Perilous is to safety as

18.Humanitarian is to philanthropy as

19.Notorious is to reputation as

20.Miser is to generosity as

When You Are Done

Don’t forget to check your answers in Chapter 9, this page.

PRACTICE DRILL 2—BASIC ANALOGY TECHNIQUES

For each analogy that has words you know:

· Make a sentence.

· Try out your sentence on the choices.

· Eliminate the choices that don’t fit.

· If you need to, make your sentence more specific and eliminate again.

· If there are words you don’t know or just sort of know in a question, skip it.

· If there are words you don’t know or just sort of know in a choice, do not eliminate it. Just narrow your choices down as far as you can.

· As always, look up the words you can’t define and write them down on flashcards.

Don’t forget to time yourself! When you are done, check your answers in Chapter 9.

1.Chapter is to book as

(A) glass is to water

(B) lamp is to light

(D) stew is to meat

(E) elevator is to building

2.Refrigerator is to cool as

(A) warm is to radiator

(B) appliance is to house

(D) furnace is to heat

(E) couch is to furniture

3.Fish is to fin as

(A) fruit is to stem

(B) bird is to wing

(D) cod is to school

(E) dog is to tail

4.Driver is to car as

(A) pilot is to airplane

(B) police officer is to highway

(D) baker is to cake

(E) carpenter is to house

5.Clock is to time as

(A) air is to humidity

(B) pressure is to barometer

(D) cool is to ice

(E) thermometer is to temperature

6.Envelope is to letter as

(A) suitcase is to clothes

(B) pen is to paper

(D) table is to wood

(E) frame is to picture

7.Librarian is to library as

(A) curator is to museum

(B) studio is to artist

(D) garage is to workshop

(E) vegetable is to garden

8.Pen is to write as

(A) pencil is to point

(B) actor is to perform

(D) desk is to sit

(E) ink is to stain

9.Hurricane is to breeze as

(A) storm is to tempest

(B) fire is to flame

(D) cloud is to sunlight

(E) temperature is to weather

10.Circle is to ball as

(A) square is to cube

(B) pyramid is to triangle

(D) side is to rectangle

(E) hexagon is to polygon

11.Egg is to shell as

(A) orange is to fruit

(B) sapling is to tree

(D) banana is to peel

(E) bird is to seed

12.Cup is to quart as

(A) week is to time

(B) minute is to hour

(D) coin is to dollar

(E) spoon is to measure

13.Coach is to team as

(A) captain is to platoon

(B) singer is to chorus

(D) teacher is to homework

(E) king is to queen

14.Bat is to mammal as

(A) boar is to hog

(B) porpoise is to shark

(D) whale is to fish

(E) reptile is to lizard

15.Famished is to hungry as

(A) clean is to dirty

(B) destitute is to poor

(D) misdirected is to lost

(E) worried is to scared

16.Sterilize is to germ as

(A) cut is to surgeon

(B) sneeze is to dust

(D) inject is to virus

(E) rinse is to mouth

17.Director is to actors as

(A) ink is to writers

(B) music is to dancers

(D) conductor is to musicians

(E) script is to playwrights

18.Applicant is to hire as

(A) judge is to jury

(B) candidate is to elect

(D) student is to study

(E) writer is to research

19.Stale is to bread as

(A) American is to cheese

(B) rancid is to meat

(D) dry is to rice

(E) pulpy is to juice

20.Prejudice is to unbiased as

(A) demand is to adamant

(B) nimble is to active

(D) care is to concerned

(E) agenda is to occupied

When You Are Done

Don’t forget to check your answers in Chapter 9, this page.

When You Know Only One of the Words

Working Backward

If you know only one of the words, go straight to the choices. Make a sentence with each choice. Keep your sentence as definitional as possible. If your sentence uses can or might or could, or if you find yourself really reaching to try to make up a sentence, then the relationship is not a strong definitional one and that answer is probably not right. Eliminate it. Each time you can create a good sentence with a choice, you should then try the sentence with the stem words. If you don’t know a word in a choice, do not eliminate it.

Pick the best or most likely relationship for cygnet and swan. Which relationship is most like a definition?

Cross out (C), because we couldn’t make a sentence at all. Choices (B) and (E) are not great because snakes and spiders eat other things, too, and their definitions are not based on what they eat. Eliminate them. Now look at (A) and (D). Try their sentences on the stem words. Could something lay a swan? Probably not! Could something be a young swan? Sure, there could be a word that means baby swan. Sure enough, cygnet is exactly that.

Try Working Backward with these analogies.

Kinesiology is to motion as

(A) numerology is to progress

(B) navigation is to ocean

(D) criminology is to perversion

(E) psychology is to mind

Only (B) and (E) allow you to make strong sentences. Navigation is how you get around on the ocean. Psychology is the study of the mind. So try those sentences: Could kinesiology be how you get around on the motion? No. Could kinesiology be the study of human motion? Yep. We got it down to (E).

Apiary is to bees as

(A) stable is to horses

(A) jar is to honey

(D) dirt is to ants

(E) leash is to dog

Eliminate (B), (D), and (E) because the word relationships are not strong. A stable is a place where horses are kept. A florist is someone who works with flowers. Now, do you think that an apiary is a place where bees are kept? Possibly. Do you think an apiary is someone who works with bees? Also possible. Take a guess between (A) and (C). Look up apiary and make a flashcard for it.

PRACTICE DRILL 3—WORKING BACKWARD

We’ve hidden one of the words in the stem pair, so you can’t know it. But you’ll still be able to take a good guess at the answer. Work backward.

· Make sentences with the choices.

· Eliminate the sentences that don’t show a strong, definitional relationship.

· Try out each definitional sentence on the stem words.

· If it helps, say “something” when you have to insert the unknown word.

· Does it seem possible that the unknown word has that definition? If not, eliminate it.

· Don’t eliminate any choices that contain words you don’t know.

· Get as far as you can, and then guess.

1.Island is to ??????? as

(A) castle is to moat

(B) star is to galaxy

(D) bay is to peninsula

(E) earth is to hemisphere

2.??????? is to king as

(A) legality is to lawyer

(B) monarchy is to sovereign

(D) feudalism is to farmer

(E) duplicity is to thief

3.??????? is to enthusiasm as

(A) crowded is to solitude

(B) submissive is to defiance

(D) cautious is to admiration

(E) shy is to withdrawn

4.??????? is to jury as

(A) eradicate is to problem

(B) quarantine is to patient

(D) liquidate is to opponent

(E) evacuate is to city

5.??????? is to shape as

(A) amorous is to trust

(B) temporal is to patience

(D) bland is to zest

(E) classical is to harmony

When You Are Done

Don’t forget to check your answers in Chapter 9, this page.

When You Sort of Know the Words

Use “Side of the Fence”

If you can’t make a definitional sentence because you’re not sure what the words mean, but you’ve got some idea from having seen the words before, determine whether the words are on the same side of the fence or different sides. That is, are they similar enough to be grouped together, or are they different enough that you’d say they’re on different sides of a fence? If they are similar in meaning, write “S” next to the pair. If their meanings are more like opposites, write “D.” So cat and kitten would get an “S,” while enter and exit would get a “D.”

Because the answer pair has to have the same relationship as that of the stem words, you can eliminate any answers that don’t match. If your words are similar, you can eliminate any answers that are different. If your words are different, you can eliminate any answers that are similar.

PRACTICE DRILL 4—JUDGING “SIDE OF THE FENCE”

Mark the following pairs of words as “S” (similar) or “D” (different).

1.healthy is to ailing

2.limitless is to end

3.rapture is to happiness

4.humane is to brutality

5.obscure is to sight

6.incendiary is to flame

7.apathetic is to passion

8.boast is to vain

9.tactful is to diplomacy

10.innocent is to guile

11.miser is to greedy

12.frivolous is to serious

When You Are Done

Don’t forget to check your answers in Chapter 9, this page.

Now we can try a whole analogy.

Lurid is to horror as

(A) comical is to amusement

(B) illegal is to law

(D) ghastly is to serenity

(E) humane is to treatment

Don’t try to make a sentence—just decide if lurid and horror are similar or different. Then make the same decision for all the choices. You should wind up with a question that looks as follows:

Now you can guess from just two answers—you’ve increased your odds considerably! Remember to mark up your test booklet or use your scratch paper as you eliminate, and guess even if you’ve eliminated only one choice. If you’re not sure of the definition of lurid, or any other word on this page, make a flashcard for it!

PRACTICE DRILL 5—USING “SIDE OF THE FENCE”

In these analogies, we’ve taken out the stem words but told you whether they’re similar or different. Eliminate the answers that you know are definitely wrong because you’ve written a letter next to them that doesn’t match the letter next to the stem words. Remember, you can’t eliminate answers that contain words you don’t know!

1.(SIMILAR WORDS)

(A) miserly is to greed

(B) gentle is to harm

(D) objective is to opinion

(E) fanciful is to theory

2.(SIMILAR WORDS)

(A) athletic is to shapely

(B) darkened is to light

(D) brave is to cowardly

(E) normal is to unusual

3.(DIFFERENT WORDS)

(A) refurbish is to worn

(B) repaint is to beautiful

(D) revive is to tired

(E) cultivate is to fertile

4.(SIMILAR WORDS)

(A) humid is to moisture

(B) displeased is to anger

(D) pointless is to relevance

(E) guilty is to neutral

5.(DIFFERENT WORDS)

(A) flourish is to revive

(B) wilt is to deaden

(D) heal is to injure

(E) discuss is to debate

6.(DIFFERENT WORDS)

(A) modify is to vary

(B) mutter is to speak

(D) rectify is to fix

(E) verify is to discover

7.(DIFFERENT WORDS)

(A) charitable is to selfish

(B) favorable is to despised

(D) predictable is to ordinary

(E) verbose is to tacit

8.(SIMILAR WORDS)

(A) anticipate is to hope

(B) alleviate is to lessen

(D) disseminate is to gather

(E) elucidate is to muddle

9.(SIMILAR WORDS)

(A) slander is to libel

(B) avenge is to forgive

(D) quibble is to argue

(E) satiate is to fill

10.(SIMILAR WORDS)

(A) supreme is to zenith

(B) infallible is to certain

(D) listless is to energetic

(E) pessimistic is to negative

When You Are Done

Don’t forget to check your answers in Chapter 9, this page.

Work Backwards

You can use this technique for words you just sort of know, in addition to using it on analogies where you just know one of the words. Try it on this one. Patent is a word many people sort of know.

Patent is to inventor as

(A) advertisement is to merchant

(B) money is to consumer

(D) copyright is to author

(E) novelty is to journalist

Choices (C) and (E) should be crossed out for sure—the words are not strongly related. You’ve made sentences with the other choices. Which sentence works best with patent and inventor? Choice (D).

When You Really Don’t Know Either of the Words

If you have never seen the stem words before, you’re better off skipping the question. If you have time to go back to the ones you’ve skipped, then try this next strategy.

Work Backward as Much as You Can

Go straight to the choices, and make sentences with them. Now, you can’t try the sentences with the stem words because you don’t know the stem words, right? So just look at the sentences you have. Which ones are not likely to be correct? The ones that are not like definitions. Eliminate those choices—the ones in which the words are not related in such a way that you need one to define the other.

Look at these possible choices and decide if they’re definitional or if you should eliminate them on a question for which you do not know the stem words. Write a sentence for the answers you’d keep.

PRACTICE DRILL 6—WORKING BACKWARD AS MUCH AS YOU CAN

1.tooth is to chewing

2.hammer is to wood

3.archipelago is to islands

4.engine is to smoke

5.angry is to violence

6.jest is to humorous

7.wind is to season

Remember that you’re not trying to answer all the questions. There are bound to be words on the test that you do not know.

When You Are Done

Don’t forget to check your answers in Chapter 9, this page.

Review—The Analogies Plan

If I Know the Words

If I know the words, then I:

A sentence is good if it ______ and ______.

If my sentence eliminates some, but not all, choices, I can:

A specific, definitional sentence uses words that are:

Some questions that can help me make a sentence are:

If I know the words but can’t make a sentence, then I ask myself:

And finally, if none of these questions works with A and B (the first two words in the analogy), then I ask myself:

If I Know One of the Words

If I know one of the words, then I:

which means that I:

and then I:

If I Sort of Know the Words

If I sort of know the words, then I:

I can also:

If I Don’t Know the Words

If I don’t know the words, I:

If I have time left, then I go back and:

If you have trouble with any of the questions above, go back and reread the appropriate part of this chapter.

When You Are Done

Don’t forget to check your answers in Chapter 9, this page.

PRACTICE DRILL 7—ALL ANALOGIES TECHNIQUES

The following questions ask you to find relationships between words. For each question, select the answer choice that best completes the meaning of the sentence.

Elementary Level

Stop after question 13.

1.Chocolate is to candy as

(A) fish is to mammal

(B) meat is to animal

(D) brick is to house

(E) fire is to forest

2.Pound is to weight as

(A) decibel is to sound

(B) inch is to foot

(D) fathom is to height

(E) length is to distance

3.Class is to student as

(A) cast is to actor

(B) teacher is to staff

(D) director is to play

(E) musician is to band

4.Composer is to symphony as

(A) mechanic is to auto

(B) major is to troops

(D) tycoon is to wealth

(E) writer is to paragraph

5.Link is to chain as

(A) obstacle is to course

(B) group is to member

(D) mural is to museum

(E) word is to sentence

6.Tadpole is to frog as

(A) bird is to worm

(B) cocoon is to shell

(D) grasshopper is to larvae

(E) caterpillar is to butterfly

7.Cuff is to wrist as

(A) string is to hood

(B) buckle is to waist

(D) vest is to body

(E) collar is to neck

8.Congregation is to worshippers as

(A) galaxy is to stars

(B) party is to politics

(D) job is to employers

(E) pottery is to shards

9.Tactile is to touch as

(A) delectable is to drink

(B) audible is to sound

(D) servile is to obey

(E) nutritious is to meal

10.Conviction is to opinion as

(A) report is to story

(B) reverence is to admiration

(D) appeal is to affectation

(E) ascend is to precipice

11.Caricature is to drawing as

(A) joke is to punch line

(B) watercolor is to painting

(D) star is to feature

(E) dynamite is to blast

12.Deceleration is to speed as

(A) adulation is to praise

(B) descent is to altitude

(D) hydration is to water

(E) fear is to hatred

13.Dull is to insipid as

(A) commonplace is to expecting

(B) seeing is to feeling

(D) diverting is to entertaining

(E) expected is to surprising

14.Voracious is to food as

(A) greedy is to money

(B) gluttonous is to obesity

(D) generosity is to object

(E) veracity is to truth

15.Adroit is to motion as

(A) bridled is to emotion

(B) unfettered is to restraint

(D) ubiquitous is to presence

(E) articulate is to speech

16.Anesthetic is to pain as

(A) lamp is to light

(B) mnemonic is to memory

(D) understanding is to comprehension

(E) muffler is to noise

17.Impeccable is to adequate as

(A) impressionable is to eager

(B) inexhaustible is to sufficient

(D) intangible is to popular

(E) impractical is to sensible

18.Symmetrical is to amorphous as

(A) metric is to moronic

(B) shapely is to muscled

(D) flowing is to lined

(E) external is to internal

19.Incessant is to intermittent as

(A) amazed is to awestruck

(B) horizontal is to inclined

(D) brazen is to timid

(E) eternal is to perpetual

20.Penicillin is to antibiotic as

(A) healthcare is to pharmacist

(B) medicine is to prescription

(D) mold is to bacteria

(E) antibacterial is to sanitization

21.Cobbler is to shoe as

(A) tanner is to horse

(B) blacksmith is to sword

(D) dentist is to floss

(E) nurse is to symptoms

22.Fortify is to protect as

(A) blitz is to attack

(B) evoke is to elicit

(D) recommend is to advocate

(E) invite is to accompany

23.Delinquent is to reprimand as

(A) thief is to steal

(B) virtuoso is to recognize

(D) jury is to deliberate

(E) tutor is to guide

24.Disinfect is to pristine as

(A) insult is to grateful

(B) swim is to upstream

(D) adore is to envious

(E) learn is to uncomplicated

25.Inconspicuous is to overlook as

(A) appealing is to scorn

(B) transparent is to investigate

(D) convoluted is to analyze

(E) grotesque is to offend

26.Student is to graduate as

(A) guru is to savant

(B) connoisseur is to amateur

(D) dilettante is to dabbler

(E) novice is to master

27.Appreciative is to gratitude as

(A) ashamed is to compunction

(B) amicable is to aloofness

(D) pity is to destitute

(E) meticulous is to adoration

28.Egg is to dozen as

(A) player is to crowd

(B) day is to week

(D) goose is to gaggle

(E) day is to month

29.Illogical is to reason as

(A) rude is to impertinence

(B) classified is to catalogue

(D) brazen is to plethora

(E) improvised is to spontaneity

30.Payment is to debt as

(A) relief is to hurricane

(B) cover-up is to crime

(D) recall is to defect

(E) blanket is to snow

When You Are Done

Don’t forget to check your answers in Chapter 9, this page.

SYNONYMS

What Is a Synonym?

On the SSAT, a synonym question asks you to choose a word that comes closest in meaning to the stem word (the word in capitals). Often the best answer won’t mean the exact same thing as the stem word, but it will be closer than any of the other choices.

As you did with analogies, you need to decide which vocabulary category the synonym stem word falls into for you, so you know which technique to use. First, try all the synonyms for which you know the stem word, and then go back and try the ones with stem words you sort of know.

When You Know the Stem Word

Write Down Your Own Definition

Come up with a simple definition—a word or a phrase. Write it on your scratch paper or next to the stem word. Then look at the answers, eliminate the ones that are farthest from your definition, and choose the closest one.

It’s very simple. Don’t let the test writers put words into your mouth. Make sure you’re armed with your own definition before you look at their choices. They often like to put in a word that is a close second to the best answer, and if you’ve got your own synonym ready, you’ll be able to make the distinction.

When you’re practicing on paper, cover the answers with your hand so you get used to ignoring them and coming up with your own definition. Eventually you may not have to write down your definitions, but you should start out that way.

As you compare the choices with your definition, cross out the ones that are definitely not right. Crossing out choices either with a strikeout tool on the screen or with your pencil on your scratch paper or in the test booklet is something you should always do—it saves you time because you don’t go back to choices you’ve already decided were not the best.

As always, don’t eliminate the words you don’t know.

Try this one. Write your definition of WITHER before you look at the choices.

WITHER: _______ (definition)

(A) play

(B) spoil

(D) wilt

(E) give freely

The stem word means shrivel or dry up. Which answer is closest? Choice (D). You may have been considering (B), but (D) is closer.

PRACTICE DRILL 8—WRITE YOUR OWN DEFINITION

Write your definition—just a word or two—for each of these stem words.

1.BIZARRE:

2.PREFACE:

3.GENEROUS:

4.MORAL (n):

5.ALTER:

6.REVOLVE:

7.HOPEFUL:

8.LINGER:

9.ASSIST:

10.CONSTRUCT:

11.STOOP:

12.CANDID:

13.TAUNT:

14.COARSE:

15.VAIN:

16.SERENE:

17.UTILIZE:

18.VIGOROUS:

19.PROLONG:

20.BENEFIT:

When You Are Done

Don’t forget to check your answers in Chapter 9, this page.

Write Another Definition

Why would you ever need to change your definition? Let’s see.

MANEUVER:

(A) avoidance

(B) deviation

(D) contrivance

(E) invent

Your definition may be something like move or control if you know the word from hearing it applied to cars. But that definition isn’t in the choices. The problem is that you’re thinking about maneuver as a verb. However, maneuver can also be a noun. It means a plan, scheme, or trick. Now go back and eliminate. The answer is (D).

The SSAT sometimes uses secondary definitions, which can be the same part of speech or a different part of speech from the primary definition. Just stay flexible in your definitions, and you’ll be fine.

PRACTICE DRILL 9—WRITE ANOTHER DEFINITION

Write down as many definitions as you can think of for the following words. Your definitions may be the same part of speech or different. If you have a hard time thinking of different meanings, look the word up.

1.POINT:

2.INDUSTRY:

3.FLAG:

4.FLUID:

5.CHAMPION:

6.TABLE:

7.SERVICE:

When You Are Done

Don’t forget to check your answers in Chapter 9, this page.

PRACTICE DRILL 10—BASIC SYNONYM TECHNIQUES

Try these synonyms.

· Use the definition for the stem word that you wrote down before.

· Look at the choices and eliminate the ones that are farthest from your definition.

1.BIZARRE:

(A) lonely

(B) unable

(D) found

(E) able

2.PREFACE:

(A) introduce

(B) state

(D) jumble

(E) make able

3.GENEROUS:

(A) skimpy

(B) faulty

(D) unusual

(E) cold

4.MORAL:

(A) imitation

(B) full

(D) upright

(E) sure

5.ALTER:

(A) sew

(B) make up

(D) total

(E) change

6.REVOLVE:

(A) push against

(B) go forward

(D) turn around

(E) move past

7.HOPEFUL:

(A) discouraging

(B) promising

(D) deceiving

(E) frustrating

8.LINGER:

(A) hurry

(B) abate

(D) attempt

(E) enter

9.ASSIST:

(A) work

(B) discourage

(D) hinder

(E) help

10.CONSTRUCT:

(A) build

(B) type

(D) engage

(E) enable

11.STOOP:

(A) raise

(B) elevate

(D) realize

(E) imagine

12.CANDID:

(A) picture

(B) honest

(D) unfocused

(E) rehearsed

13.TAUNT:

(A) delay

(B) stand

(D) horrify

(E) tease

14.COARSE:

(A) smooth

(B) crude

(D) furious

(E) emotional

15.VAIN:

(A) conceited

(B) beautiful

(D) unattractive

(E) helpless

16.SERENE:

(A) helpful

(B) normal

(D) disastrous

(E) floating

17.UTILIZE:

(A) pass on

(B) break down

(D) rely on

(E) make use of

18.VIGOROUS:

(A) slothful

(B) aimless

(D) glorious

(E) victorious

19.PROLONG:

(A) affirmative

(B) lengthen

(D) assert

(E) resolve

20.BENEFIT:

(A) cooperate

(B) struggle

(D) deny

(E) appeal

When You Are Done

Don’t forget to check your answers in Chapter 9, this page.

When You Sort of Know the Stem Word

Why Should You Attempt Synonyms Last? Why Are They More Complicated than Analogies?

Synonyms can be harder to beat than analogies because the SSAT gives you no context with which to figure out words that you sort of know. But that doesn’t mean you should try to answer only the synonyms you find easy. You can get the medium ones too! You just need to create your own context to figure out words you don’t know very well.

Keep in mind that your goal is to eliminate the worst answers, then make an educated guess. You’ll be able to do this for every synonym that you sort of know, and even if you just eliminate one choice, guess. You’ll gain points overall.

Make Your Own Context

You can create your own context for the word by figuring out how you’ve heard it used before. Think of the other words you’ve heard used with the stem word. Is there a certain phrase that comes to mind? What does that phrase mean?

If you still can’t come up with a definition for the stem word, just use the context in which you’ve heard the word to eliminate answers that wouldn’t fit at all in that same context.

How about this stem word:

ABOMINABLE

Where have you heard abominable? The Abominable Snowman, of course. Think about it—you know it’s a monster-like creature. Which choices can you eliminate?

You can throw out everything but (A) and (B). Now you can guess, with a much better shot at getting the answer right than guessing from five choices. Or you can think about where else you’ve heard the stem word. Have you ever heard something called an abomination? Was it something terrible or was it something enormous? Choice (B) is the answer.

Try this one. Where have you heard this stem word? Try the answers in that context.

SURROGATE:

(A) friendly

(B) requested

(D) numerous

(E) substitute

Have you heard the stem word in surrogate mother? If you have, you can definitely eliminate (B), (C), and (D), and (A) isn’t great either. A surrogate mother is a substitute mother.

Try one more.

ENDANGER:

(A) rescue

(B) frighten

(D) threaten

(E) isolate

Everyone’s associations are different, but you’ve probably heard of endangered species or endangered lives. Use either of those phrases to eliminate choices that can’t fit into it. Rescued species? Frightened species? Confused species? Threatened species? Isolated species? Choice (D) works best.

PRACTICE DRILL 11—MAKING YOUR OWN CONTEXT

Write down the phrase in which you’ve heard each word.

1.Common:

2.Competent:

3.Abridge :

4.Untimely:

5.Homogenize:

6.Delinquent:

7.Inalienable:

8.Paltry:

9.Auspicious:

10.Prodigal:

When You Are Done

Don’t forget to check your answers in Chapter 9, this page.

PRACTICE DRILL 12—USING YOUR OWN CONTEXT

1.COMMON:

(A) beautiful

(B) novel

(D) constant

(E) similar

2.COMPETENT:

(A) angry

(B) peaceful

(D) capable

(E) possible

3.ABRIDGE:

(A) complete

(B) span

(D) shorten

(E) retain

4.UNTIMELY:

(A) late

(B) punctual

(D) inappropriate

(E) continuous

5.HOMOGENIZE:

(A) make the same

(B) send away

(D) enfold

(E) purify quickly

6.DELINQUENT:

(A) underage

(B) negligent

(D) advanced

(E) independent

7.INALIENABLE:

(A) misplaced

(B) universal

(D) democratic

(E) changeable

8.PALTRY:

(A) meager

(B) colored

(D) abundant

(E) indistinguishable

9.AUSPICIOUS:

(A) supple

(B) minor

(D) favorable

(E) ominous

10.PRODIGAL:

(A) wasteful

(B) amusing

(D) lazy

(E) virtuous

When You Are Done

Don’t forget to check your answers in Chapter 9, this page.

Use Word Parts to Piece Together a Definition

Prefixes, roots, and suffixes can help you figure out what a word means. You should use this technique in addition to (not instead of) word association, because not all word parts retain their original meanings.

You may have never seen this stem word before, but if you’ve been working on your Vocabulary chapter, you know that the root pac or peac means “peace.” You can see the same root in Pacific, pacifier, and the word peace itself. So what’s the answer to this synonym?

PACIFIST:

(A) innocent person

(B) person opposed to war

(D) wanderer of lands

(E) journeyman

The answer is (B).

In the following stem word, we see cred, a word part that means “belief” or “faith.” You can see this word part in incredible, credit, and credibility. The answer is now simple.

CREDIBLE:

(A) obsolete

(B) believable

(D) mundane

(E) superficial

Choice (B) again. What are the word parts in the following stem word?

MONOTONOUS:

(A) lively

(B) educational

(D) repetitious

(E) helpful

Mono means “one.” Tone has to do with sound. If something keeps striking one sound, how would you describe it? Choice (D) is the answer.

The only way you’ll be able to use root words is if you know them. Get cracking on the Vocabulary chapter!

Words You Really Don’t Know

Don’t waste time on words you’ve never seen if you don’t know any of their word parts. Leave those questions blank, and save your time and energy for other questions that you’re more likely to get right!

PRACTICE DRILL 13—ALL SYNONYMS TECHNIQUES

Elementary Level

Stop after question 10.

Directions: Each of the following questions consists of one word followed by five words or phrases. You are to select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.

1.ATROCITY:

(A) hardship

(B) abomination

(D) utopia

(E) fortress

2.INDULGENT:

(A) spoiled

(B) dugout

(D) insolent

(E) overwhelming

3.REPROACH:

(A) reinvent

(B) replenish

(D) reinstate

(E) rebuke

4.SCANT:

(A) spare

(B) ample

(D) insufficient

(E) noticeable

5.ANNIHILATE:

(A) obliterate

(B) repair

(D) annotate

(E) undermine

6.AMENDMENT:

(A) law

(B) sanction

(D) correction

(E) meeting

7.EMULATE:

(A) imitate

(B) evaluate

(D) instigate

(E) forge

8.EPITOME:

(A) epicenter

(B) paradox

(D) embodiment

(E) paradigm

9.COUNTENANCE:

(A) self-importance

(B) appearance

(D) empathy

(E) disdain

10.COMMANDEER:

(A) sanction

(B) authorize

(D) instruction

(E) entertain

11.RESILIENT:

(A) rebounding

(B) affluent

(D) extravagant

(E) resounding

12.VAGRANT:

(A) transient

(B) fibrous

(D) varied

(E) allowed

13.EVICT:

(A) strain

(B) prosper

(D) eject

(E) remain

14.PROLIFERATE:

(A) perforate

(B) stem

(D) contract

(E) destroy

15.ADHERE:

(A) fracture

(B) hold off

(D) surround

(E) obey

16.DISCREPANCY:

(A) qualm

(B) unique

(D) disparity

(E) conspicuous

17.INCREDULOUS:

(A) complicated

(B) believable

(D) skeptical

(E) envious

18.INVOKE:

(A) rebuke

(B) invest

(D) innovate

(E) take away

19.OPULENT:

(A) indolent

(B) vocal

(D) luxurious

(E) ovular

20.ARSENAL:

(A) fire pit

(B) supply

(D) barracks

(E) commander

21.VIRTUOSO:

(A) realistic

(B) righteous

(D) master

(E) pious

22.SAGE:

(A) foolish

(B) herbal

(D) ancient

(E) insightful

23.VISTA:

(A) wisdom

(B) industrial

(D) view

(E) port

24.SURREPTITIOUS:

(A) secret

(B) understanding

(D) shocking

(E) unexpected

25.PERTURBATION:

(A) commotion

(B) excitement

(D) understanding

(E) jurisdiction

26.MERCURIAL:

(A) stern

(B) melancholy

(D) erratic

(E) cunning

27.ACQUIESCE:

(A) control

(B) acquire

(D) gratify

(E) consent

28.INSUBORDINATE:

(A) subdued

(B) obedient

(D) grateful

(E) suppressed

29.QUERULOUS:

(A) winsome

(B) whining

(D) arguing

(E) crafty

30.ENERVATE:

(A) drain

(B) unnerve

(D) energize

(E) provoke

When You Are Done

Don’t forget to check your answers in Chapter 9, this page.

SSAT & ISEE Prep 2023 - Princeton Review 2023

SSAT verbalThe SSAT

SSAT verbal
The SSAT