Pick the word most nearly opposite in meaning. Simple to explain, brutal in practice — because the wrong options are built to look almost right. Every question comes with a written explanation of the trap.
Two options are usually opposites of the stem. Only one matches its strength and register. Read all four before committing.
Under time pressure a familiar word that means the same reads as correct. Say "opposite of…" out loud in your head before scanning.
When the stem is unfamiliar, the prefix and root usually give you the direction — enough to eliminate two options and guess well.
Straight from the bank — one per difficulty tier. Reveal the answer to see the explanation you'd get in a real session.
Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to ABUNDANT.
B — Scarce. Abundant means existing in large quantity, so its opposite is a shortage. Plentiful (A) is a synonym, planted first because it's the fastest word to recognise. Sufficient (D) is the sharpest decoy: it sits below abundant on the scale but still means "enough" — less is not opposite.
Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to CANDID.
C — Evasive. Candid means openly and directly truthful, so the true opposite is actively avoiding directness. Reserved (B) is the trap most students take: a reserved person is quiet, but not necessarily untruthful — quietness opposes talkativeness, not candour. Frank (A) is a synonym.
Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to EPHEMERAL.
B — Enduring. Ephemeral means lasting a very short time — the opposite axis is duration, so enduring is correct. Frequent (C) swaps the axis to how often something happens, which is the classic advanced-tier misdirection. If the stem is unfamiliar, the root hemera ("day") points you to time.
Antonyms reward volume more than any other English subtopic — the vocabulary either surfaces or it doesn't.
Run 25 questions with no clock and read every explanation, including for the ones you got right. The decoy pattern is what you're learning, not the word list.
Switch to a timed session at exam pace. Antonyms are where you bank the time you'll spend on reading passages later in the section.
Once you're above 80%, add antonyms to a custom mock alongside synonyms and analogies — the three share a vocabulary base and reinforce each other.
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