🎯 Learning outcomes
- Use synonyms, antonyms, homophones and compound words
- Work out the meanings of new words from context and word parts
- Use a dictionary to find meanings and spellings
Before you start: Basic vocabulary and opposites.
📖 Explanation
Synonyms have similar meanings (big–large, happy–glad); antonyms have opposite meanings (brave–cowardly). Homophones sound alike but differ in spelling and meaning (sea–see, there–their). Compound words join two words (rain + coat = raincoat).
Context clues help with new words: 'The arid land had no water for months' suggests arid means very dry. Word parts help too: 'un-' means not, '-less' means without.
A dictionary lists words in alphabetical order with meanings, pronunciation and parts of speech. Guide words at the top of each page show the first and last words on that page.
In the newspaper headline 'Monsoon arrives early, farmers jubilant', the context tells us 'jubilant' means very happy.
✗ Synonyms can always replace each other exactly
✓ Synonyms differ slightly: 'house' and 'home' are not always the same.
🧪 Try this activity
Play 'word ladder': start with 'happy' and give synonyms in turn (glad, cheerful, joyful) without repeating.
✍️ Question bank with answers
Tap an option to check multiple-choice answers. Open “Answer” or “Marking points” for the others.
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A synonym of 'quick' is
Answer
B. fast
Quick and fast mean the same.
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Choose the correct homophone: 'I ___ the sea.'
Answer
D. see
'See' means to look.
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Which is a compound word?
Answer
C. sunflower
Sun + flower.
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Write an antonym of 'ancient'.
Answer
modern
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Which word comes first in a dictionary: mango or marble?
Answer
mango
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Use 'their' and 'there' in two sentences.
Marking points
- A sentence with 'their' showing possession
- A sentence with 'there' showing place
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Read: 'The exhausted farmer rested under the banyan after ploughing all day.' Find the meaning of 'exhausted' using context and explain your clues.
Marking points
- Very tired
- Clues: rested, after ploughing all day
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You do not know the word 'nocturnal'. How can you find its meaning?
Answer
- Use a dictionary or context
- It means active at night
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Draw a word web for 'beautiful' with four synonyms.
Answer
Four synonyms such as pretty, lovely, gorgeous, attractive
🎲 Practice more
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