11+ Antonyms
Antonym questions are the mirror of synonyms: find the opposite, and beware options that are merely different rather than opposite.
An antonym is a word that means the opposite, such as "ancient" and "modern". The exam will offer tempting wrong answers that are unrelated or only loosely connected.
Define the target word in your head, then look specifically for its opposite, not just a different word. The substitution trick still helps: the correct answer should reverse the meaning of a sentence.
Watch for synonym traps — an option that means the same as the target is deliberately included to catch rushed readers.
Worked examples
Q. Choose the antonym of GENEROUS: kind, mean, giving, warm.
"Generous" means giving freely, so its opposite is "mean".
Q. Choose the antonym of EXPAND: grow, stretch, shrink, widen.
"Expand" means to get bigger, so the opposite is "shrink".
Common mistakes
- Selecting a synonym instead of an opposite.
- Choosing an unrelated word because it "feels" different.
- Ignoring shades of meaning between close options.
FAQs
Why are antonyms harder than synonyms for some children?+
Because the wrong options often include a synonym of the target word, which is tempting if the child reads "same meaning" instead of "opposite".
See exactly where your child stands — free.
Take the 15-minute diagnostic for an instant age-standardised score and a clear plan. No card, no sign-up.