Vocabulary I: Word Relations, Spelling and One-Word Substitutes

What to remember

• Synonyms have nearly the same meaning; antonyms have opposite meanings; homophones sound alike but differ in spelling and meaning; homonyms are spelt or sound the same but differ in meaning; a hypernym is the general word, and a hyponym is its specific member.
• British and American spellings follow patterns (colour/color, centre/center, organise/organize, travelling/traveling). Learn the pattern, not each word.
• One-word substitutes replace a long phrase by a single exact word (for example, "a person who loves books" = bibliophile).

Synonyms

Synonyms are words with the same or very close meanings. No two words mean exactly the same, so choose by context and tone.

• Synonyms can differ in strength: "angry", "furious", "enraged".
• Teaching tip: group words by theme, use them in short sentences, and show the shade of meaning with examples.

Antonyms

Antonyms are words of opposite meaning. There are gradable pairs (hot and cold, with levels in between), complementary pairs (alive and dead, no middle) and relational pairs (teacher and student, buy and sell).

• Prefixes make many antonyms: un- (happy/unhappy), in-/im-/il-/ir- (possible/impossible, legal/illegal, regular/irregular), dis- (agree/disagree), non-, mis-, a-/an- (moral/amoral).
• Not every word takes the same prefix; learn each one in use.

Homophones

Homophones sound the same but have different spelling and meaning.

• Do not confuse homophones with homographs (same spelling, different sound and meaning, such as "lead" the metal and "lead" to guide).

Homonyms

Homonyms are words that are spelt the same and sound the same but have different meanings. In wider use the word also covers homophones and homographs.

• Polysemy: one word with several related meanings (the "foot" of a person, a hill, a bed). In a homonym the meanings are unrelated.

Hypernyms and hyponyms

A hypernym (superordinate) is a general category word. A hyponym is a specific member of it. Words that share the same hypernym are co-hyponyms.

• The relation is "is a kind of": a rose is a kind of flower.
• Meronymy is a part-whole relation: wheel is a part of a car. A wheel is not a kind of car, so it is not a hyponym.
• Teaching tip: draw word trees and ask learners to sort words into categories.

Spelling: British and American

• Both -ise and -ize are correct in British English (Oxford spelling uses -ize); American English uses -ize. Some words, such as "advertise", "exercise" and "surprise", end in -ise everywhere.
• "Practise" (verb) and "practice" (noun) differ in British English; American English uses "practice" for both.
• In British English "licence" is the noun and "license" is the verb.

One-word substitutes

• Many substitutes use Greek and Latin roots: phil (love), phobia (fear), cide (killing), -ology (study), omni (all).

Exam traps

• Stationary (not moving) and stationery (paper, pens) are different. Remember: "e" in stationery is for envelope.
• Principal (head or main) and principle (rule or belief) are often swapped.
• Complement (completes) and compliment (praise); council (a body) and counsel (advice).
• Homophones differ in spelling; homonyms are the same in both. Read the question carefully.
• Hypernym is the general word; hyponym is the specific word. "Flower" is the hypernym of "rose".
• Misanthrope hates people; philanthropist loves people; misogynist hates women.
• Atheist does not believe in God; agnostic says God's existence cannot be known.
• Fratricide kills a brother, patricide a father, matricide a mother, regicide a king.

One-liners

• 1. "Benevolent" and "malevolent" are antonyms.
• 2. "Brake" (stopping device) and "break" (to split) are homophones.
• 3. "Bank" (of a river) and "bank" (for money) are homonyms.
• 4. "Vehicle" is the hypernym of "car" and "bus".
• 5. "Colour" is the British spelling; "color" is American.
• 6. "Centre" is British; "center" is American.
• 7. "Cheque" is British; "check" is American for the bank order.
• 8. "Bibliophile" means a lover of books.
• 9. "Polyglot" means one who knows many languages.
• 10. "Omniscient" means all-knowing.
• 11. "Somnambulist" is a sleepwalker.
• 12. "Zenith" and "nadir" are antonyms meaning the highest point and the lowest point.

Practice questions

1. Choose the synonym of 'abundant'.

   1. scarce
   2. tiny
   3. plentiful
   4. costly
   Answer

   C. plentiful

   Abundant means available in large quantity.

2. Choose the synonym of 'frugal'.

   1. careless
   2. generous
   3. wasteful
   4. thrifty
   Answer

   D. thrifty

   Frugal means careful with money.

3. Choose the synonym of 'obstinate'.

   1. gentle
   2. stubborn
   3. timid
   4. flexible
   Answer

   B. stubborn

   Obstinate means refusing to change one's mind.

4. Choose the synonym of 'eminent'.

   1. distinguished
   2. hidden
   3. weak
   4. ordinary
   Answer

   A. distinguished

   Eminent means famous and respected.

5. Choose the synonym of 'conceal'.

   1. expose
   2. hide
   3. declare
   4. reveal
   Answer

   B. hide

   Conceal means to keep out of sight.

6. Choose the synonym of 'diligent'.

   1. industrious
   2. dull
   3. lazy
   4. reckless
   Answer

   A. industrious

   Diligent means hardworking and careful.

7. Choose the antonym of 'benevolent'.

   1. generous
   2. kind
   3. charitable
   4. malevolent
   Answer

   D. malevolent

   Benevolent means wishing good; malevolent means wishing harm.

8. Choose the antonym of 'arrogant'.

   1. haughty
   2. proud
   3. humble
   4. vain
   Answer

   C. humble

   Arrogant means over-proud; humble means modest.

9. Choose the antonym of 'barren'.

   1. empty
   2. bare
   3. fertile
   4. dry
   Answer

   C. fertile

   Barren land produces nothing; fertile land is productive.

10. Choose the antonym of 'transparent'.

    1. glassy
    2. opaque
    3. thin
    4. clear
    Answer

    B. opaque

    Opaque means not allowing light to pass through.

11. Choose the antonym of 'zenith'.

    1. summit
    2. apex
    3. peak
    4. nadir
    Answer

    D. nadir

    Zenith is the highest point; nadir is the lowest point.

12. Choose the antonym of 'voluntary'.

    1. compulsory
    2. willing
    3. optional
    4. free
    Answer

    A. compulsory

    Voluntary means done by choice; compulsory means forced.

13. Choose the antonym of 'expand'.

    1. stretch
    2. spread
    3. contract
    4. grow
    Answer

    C. contract

    Expand means to grow bigger; contract means to become smaller.

14. Which word is a homophone of 'principal'?

    1. principle
    2. prince
    3. principal's
    4. princely
    Answer

    A. principle

    Principal (head) and principle (rule) sound alike.

15. Which word is a homophone of 'stationary'?

    1. station
    2. stationer
    3. stationed
    4. stationery
    Answer

    D. stationery

    Stationary means not moving; stationery means writing materials.

16. Which pair are homophones?

    1. hear - listen
    2. brake - break
    3. stop - halt
    4. bake - cook
    Answer

    B. brake - break

    Brake and break sound the same but differ in spelling and meaning.

17. Choose the correct word: 'The ____ was fixed for the meeting.' (cite / site / sight)

    1. sight
    2. cite
    3. sit
    4. site
    Answer

    D. site

    Site means a place.

18. Choose the correct word: 'I do not know ____ it will rain today.' (weather / whether)

    1. wheather
    2. wether
    3. whether
    4. weather
    Answer

    C. whether

    Whether introduces a doubt; weather means climate.

19. In 'He sat on the bank of the river' and 'She went to the bank to deposit money', the word 'bank' is an example of a

    1. homonym
    2. antonym
    3. hypernym
    4. synonym
    Answer

    A. homonym

    The same spelling and sound carry different, unrelated meanings.

20. A homophone is a word that

    1. has the opposite meaning
    2. sounds like another but has a different spelling and meaning
    3. is spelt the same with the same sound
    4. is a general term for a group
    Answer

    B. sounds like another but has a different spelling and meaning

    Homophones share sound only.

21. Which word is the hypernym of 'rose', 'lotus' and 'jasmine'?

    1. garden
    2. petal
    3. fragrance
    4. flower
    Answer

    D. flower

    Flower is the general class of which they are kinds.

22. In the pair 'furniture - chair', 'chair' is a

    1. hyponym
    2. hypernym
    3. antonym
    4. homophone
    Answer

    A. hyponym

    A chair is a specific kind of furniture.

23. Which of these is NOT a hyponym of 'vehicle'?

    1. truck
    2. wheel
    3. bicycle
    4. bus
    Answer

    B. wheel

    A wheel is a part of a vehicle (meronym), not a kind of vehicle.

24. Which word is the hypernym of 'Telugu', 'Hindi' and 'English'?

    1. alphabet
    2. grammar
    3. language
    4. script
    Answer

    C. language

    These are specific languages.

25. Choose the American spelling.

    1. colour
    2. colore
    3. colur
    4. color
    Answer

    D. color

    British -our becomes American -or.

26. Choose the British spelling.

    1. centre
    2. center
    3. sentre
    4. centr
    Answer

    A. centre

    British -re is American -er.

27. Which spelling is typically American?

    1. travelng
    2. traveling
    3. travelling
    4. travelling's
    Answer

    B. traveling

    British English doubles the l in 'travelling'.

28. American spelling of 'cheque' (bank order) is

    1. checque
    2. chek
    3. check
    4. cheq
    Answer

    C. check

    British 'cheque' is American 'check'.

29. Which of the following is the British spelling?

    1. program
    2. programme
    3. programm
    4. progrum
    Answer

    B. programme

    'Programme' is the British form; 'program' is American (except in computing).

30. American spelling of 'defence' is

    1. deffence
    2. defanse
    3. defence
    4. defense
    Answer

    D. defense

    British -ce is American -se in this word.

31. One word for 'a person who loves books':

    1. bibliophile
    2. bibliographer
    3. librarian
    4. bookworm only
    Answer

    A. bibliophile

    Biblio means book; phile means lover.

32. One word for 'one who knows many languages':

    1. linguist only
    2. monoglot
    3. grammarian
    4. polyglot
    Answer

    D. polyglot

    A polyglot speaks several languages.

33. One word for 'a person who walks in sleep':

    1. hypnotist
    2. sleeper
    3. somnambulist
    4. insomniac
    Answer

    C. somnambulist

    A somnambulist is a sleepwalker.

34. One word for 'one who hates mankind':

    1. philanthropist
    2. misanthrope
    3. misogynist
    4. pessimist
    Answer

    B. misanthrope

    Misanthrope hates people in general.

35. One word for 'killing of a king':

    1. regicide
    2. suicide
    3. fratricide
    4. patricide
    Answer

    A. regicide

    Regi- relates to a king.

36. One word for 'a place where bees are kept':

    1. aquarium
    2. aviary
    3. apiary
    4. nursery
    Answer

    C. apiary

    An apiary is a place with beehives.

37. One word for 'fear of closed spaces':

    1. claustrophobia
    2. acrophobia
    3. hydrophobia
    4. agoraphobia
    Answer

    A. claustrophobia

    Claustrophobia is fear of confined spaces.

38. One word for 'that which cannot be heard':

    1. illegible
    2. incredible
    3. invisible
    4. inaudible
    Answer

    D. inaudible

    Inaudible means not able to be heard.

39. One word for 'one who knows everything':

    1. omnipotent
    2. omniscient
    3. omnipresent
    4. omnivorous
    Answer

    B. omniscient

    Omniscient means all-knowing.

40. Statements: 1. 'Colour' is the American spelling. 2. 'Center' is the American spelling. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    Colour is British; center is American.

41. Statements: 1. Homophones sound the same but differ in spelling. 2. 'Principal' and 'principle' are homophones. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both statements are correct.

42. Statements: 1. A hyponym is a general term. 2. A hypernym is a general term. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    The hypernym is the general term; the hyponym is specific.

43. Statements: 1. 'Atheist' means one who does not believe in God. 2. 'Philanthropist' means one who hates mankind. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    A philanthropist loves mankind.

44. Statements: 1. Hot and cold are gradable antonyms. 2. Alive and dead are complementary antonyms. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both pairs are classified correctly.

45. Which pair is a correct match of one-word substitute and meaning?

    1. patricide - killing of a king
    2. regicide - killing of a father
    3. matricide - killing of a sister
    4. fratricide - killing of a brother
    Answer

    D. fratricide - killing of a brother

    Fratri- means brother; patri- father; regi- king; matri- mother.