This week we have been concentrating on tactics for the synonyms and antonyms. Obviously our advice applies when the children are unfamiliar with the words!
We don’t think that the ‘missing letters’ style of synonyms and antonyms will appear in the actual test as this question type does not lend itself to the multiple-choice format of the CEM tests.
Synonyms:
We tell the children to dismiss words in the answer options which ‘looks’ too similar to the word:
finishing including concluding furnishing eluding deluding
If there are two homophones in the answer options, the answer is very likely to be found there:
achievement fact feet feat font fort
Similarly, if there are two words in the answer options that look very similar, the answer is very likely to be found there:
parade confession obsession succession possession procession
Obviously we continue to reinforce the tactic of guessing the option where you don’t know the meaning of one of the words in the answers, but do know the meaning of the word in the question, then take that option.
With antonyms
We believe it will be highly unlikely that glaringly obvious antonyms will appear. So no ‘appear’ ‘disappear’ etc. Instead watch out for words that look like they might be antonyms but aren’t:
income/outcome
canny/uncanny
This week’s homework is here: Week 34 Leap Homework
