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Common Entrance English: Synonyms and antonyms

Words with the same and opposite meanings. 20 original, exam-style questions with worked answers.

Read every question with its answer and working.

  1. Question 1 of 20

    Choose the word closest in meaning to “rapid”.

    Answer: D. quick. “Rapid” means fast, so “quick” is the closest.

  2. Question 2 of 20

    Choose the opposite of “generous”.

    Answer: C. selfish. A generous person gives freely. A selfish person does not.

  3. Question 3 of 20

    Choose the word closest in meaning to “begin”.

    Answer: B. start. “Begin” and “start” mean the same.

  4. Question 4 of 20

    Choose the opposite of “ancient”.

    Answer: A. modern. “Ancient” means very old. The opposite is “modern”.

  5. Question 5 of 20

    Choose the word closest in meaning to “enormous”.

    Answer: D. huge. “Enormous” means very big, like “huge”.

  6. Question 6 of 20

    Choose the word closest in meaning to “brave”.

    Answer: C. courageous. A brave person is courageous.

  7. Question 7 of 20

    Choose the opposite of “victory”.

    Answer: B. defeat. Winning is a victory. Losing is a defeat.

  8. Question 8 of 20

    Choose the word closest in meaning to “assist”.

    Answer: A. help. To assist someone is to help them.

  9. Question 9 of 20

    Choose the opposite of “scarce”.

    Answer: D. plentiful. Something scarce is hard to find. Something plentiful is easy to find.

  10. Question 10 of 20

    Choose the word closest in meaning to “weary”.

    Answer: C. tired. To be weary is to be very tired.

  11. Question 11 of 20

    Choose the opposite of “cheap”.

    Answer: B. expensive. A cheap thing costs little. An expensive thing costs a lot.

  12. Question 12 of 20

    Choose the word closest in meaning to “conceal”.

    Answer: A. hide. To conceal something is to hide it.

  13. Question 13 of 20

    Choose the opposite of “accept”.

    Answer: D. refuse. To accept is to take what is offered. To refuse is to say no.

  14. Question 14 of 20

    Choose the word closest in meaning to “honest”.

    Answer: C. truthful. An honest person tells the truth.

  15. Question 15 of 20

    Choose the word closest in meaning to “peculiar”.

    Answer: B. strange. “Peculiar” means odd or strange.

  16. Question 16 of 20

    Choose the opposite of “expand”.

    Answer: A. shrink. To expand is to get bigger. To shrink is to get smaller.

  17. Question 17 of 20

    Choose the word closest in meaning to “fragile”.

    Answer: D. delicate. Fragile things break easily, so they are delicate.

  18. Question 18 of 20

    Choose the opposite of “arrive”.

    Answer: C. depart. To arrive is to come to a place. To depart is to leave it.

  19. Question 19 of 20

    Choose the word closest in meaning to “reply”.

    Answer: B. answer. To reply to someone is to answer them.

  20. Question 20 of 20

    Choose the opposite of “bright” (as in a bright light).

    Answer: A. dim. A bright light is strong. A dim light is weak.

More English worksheets

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Common Entrance questions parents ask

What is the Common Entrance examination?

It is the entrance exam Primary 6 pupils take to move on to secondary school in Nigeria. The National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) is used for the Federal Unity Colleges, and many states and schools set their own. Papers, subjects and dates differ between exam bodies and from year to year, so always check your child’s exam for the current format.

Which areas do these worksheets cover?

Mathematics, English, quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning and general knowledge (basic science, social studies and civic education). Each area has worksheets of 20 questions with worked answers.

Are these the real past questions?

No. They are original, exam-style practice questions with worked answers, written to build the same skills. They are not copies of past papers.

How do Answers, Practice and Test yourself differ?

Answers shows every question with its answer and working. Practice shows if you are right straight after each question. Test yourself hides the answers until you have answered all 20, then shows your score and every answer.

What does “ready” mean?

Scoring 16 out of 20 (80%) or more in a test. Your best score is saved in this browser. It is a practice guide and not a prediction of an exam result.

Is Hour of Math linked to NECO or a state exam board?

No. Hour of Math is independent and is not affiliated with any examination body.