Lesson 1: Closest in Meaning

16 (advance battle retreat) (stumble rethink withdraw)

17 (solitary miscellaneous expected) (various gathered connected)

18 (strengthen muscles weaken) (rebuild regret fortify)

19 (return poach mischievous) (steal generous beg)

20 (obvious oblivious vain) (harmonious ignorant attentive)

21 (patient urgent decisive) (crucial criticise despair)

22 (tepid scolding burn) (cold kettle lukewarm)

23 (uninformed equal unanimous) (vote alone united)

24 (wrench share toolbox) (lift pull carry)

25 (bustling claustrophobic uninhabited) (deserted loud hot)

26 (strong frail old) (lift feeble helpless)

27 (insignificant write trace) (detect ignore monitor)

28 (promote surpass fail) (lessen survive exceed)

29 (peel shake enthusiasm) (negativity zest motivated)

30 (melancholy jolly active) (spirited loud quiet)

BILLY’S PUZZLE PAGE

Synonyms crossword

Can you work out the missing words to complete this crossword from the clues provided?

Across

5. A synonym for BLOCK

7. A synonym for CONSUME

8. A synonym for BRIGHT

9. A synonym for YOUNG

10. A synonym for SUDDEN

14. A synonym for TORMENT

16. A synonym for WORRY

17. A synonym for TILT

18. A synonym for WIDE

Down

1. A synonym for HUG

2. A synonym for STYLE

3. A synonym for BAN

4. A synonym for BRAVERY

6. A synonym for VICTORIOUS

11. A synonym for REMIND

12. A synonym for PROBLEM

13. A synonym for HATE

15. A synonym for THROW

In this question type, you have to find the pair of words that are opposite in meaning –otherwise known as antonyms.

Let’s look at an example.

Choose two words, one word from each group, which are the most opposite in meaning. (nonsense gift absence) (presence absent missing)

Technique

1. Read through all of the words in both sets of brackets. Even if you spot the pair of words immediately, continue to check the other words to make sure that you have found two words that are opposites.

2. If you cannot spot the opposites straight away, you will need to work through all of the words in turn until a pair can be found. To do this, select the first word in the first bracket and compare it to each word in the second bracket. Are they opposites?

nonsense and presence nonsense and absent nonsense and missing gift and presence gift and absent gift and missing absence and presence absence and absent absence and missing

3. If the first word from the first bracket is not opposite to any of the words in the second, then it is not a part of the answer. You must now pair the second word from the first bracket with each of the words in the second bracket. Are any of these opposites?

4. If you have still not found the pair of antonyms or opposites, try the final word in the first bracket with each word in the second bracket. One of these must be the opposite.

The two words that are opposite in meaning are absence and presence.