Tips And Tricks And Shortcuts To Solve Synonyms

Tip #1: Understanding the Context:

Knowing what the sentence or passage is about is important to understand its underlying connotation. These connotation can be positive or negative. Hence, once you understand the context it becomes easy for you to guess the right answer.

For example:

• They were building the mall to expand capitalism but it affected adversely on the common people who lost their shops.Here, the you need to give a synonym for adverse. First understand the connotation. It is negative here because it said that because of the building many shops were torn down. So the synonym cannot be something positive. Let’s see the options:
  • favorable
  • unfortunateSo knowing that the connotation is negative, our answer should be unfortunate. Favorable is a positive word.

Tip #2: Read the options thoroughly

You may think that the first option you see is the answer but it may not be the scene always. Sometimes what you think is wrong goes on to be the right one. Hence, it is always recommended to go through all the options, read them, substitute them in the sentence. re read the context and then choose the right one. This helps in eliminating wrong options and reaching to the right one.

Tip #3: Breakdown the words

Sometimes big words confuse us and we neglect them at one go. The best way to deal with these words is to break them down systematically and then try to grab their meaning. This is always helpful when you come across a confusing word and you start scratching your head.

For Example: UNIMAGINABLE. How to break this word?

• Un – negative prefix.
• Imagine– to think or dream
• able – a suffix that talks about a capacity of doing something

Hence we come to know that if Imagine means to think or dream then UNIMAGINABLE would mean the opposite of it. that means “the ability to not think or dream about something”

Tip #4: Start Reading More

Developing the habit of reading newspaper, journals, articles, books or anything informative will give you an insight into newer words and open a world of your own dictionary for you. This will help you build a better vocabulary and if you read and understand them through a context it’ll take a long time for you to get those words erased from your memory. So start reading.

Want to learn new words? Here’s a list of Most Important Words for Synonyms and Antonyms for you to read and crack the questions!

Tip #5: Do Not Let Go of the Context

In English vocabulary there are several word that have variety of synonyms but are quite different in meaning. These words, if used to interchangeably can change the context of the sentence or the passage. So, keep in mind that while selecting a word you do not change the meaning of the question given to you.

For Example – OPULENT

This mansion is the source of all their OPULENCE.

• Wealth
• Pretention

Here, both the words can be confused as synonyms of opulence but only one suits the context of the sentence. The answer would be WEALTH since the word Prentention will change the context here. So the sentence would be, This mansion is the source of al their Wealth.

Tip #6: Know what are Homophones and Homographs

Homophones – words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meaning.

Example –

• Dual and Duel
• Ball and Bawl
• Right and Rite
• Break and Brake

Homographs – words that have more than one meaning.

Example:

• Orange and orange
• Lean and lean
• Skip and Skip
• Close and close

These words can easily confuse you and may even play with your mind when you attempt the questions. Make sure that you don’t misplace the words and mark the wrong options. Be careful.

Tip #7: Keep Practicing

Practice is the key to high scores and better understanding of the grammar. Verbal ability section requires lot of practice since there is no fixed formula to solve them. If you keep practicing the grammar sticks with you and you easily spot the right words and sentences given as options. Hence, practicing to score and improve your English skills is the right way to prepare for your exams.