Lexis and structure: how to answer synonym, antonym and sentence-completion questions

"Lexis and structure" is the name WAEC, NECO and JAMB give to the vocabulary and grammar questions in the English Language paper. Lexis means vocabulary: the meanings of words and how they are used. Structure means grammar: how words combine into correct sentences. Together they make up a large share of the objective questions in every English paper.

Many candidates treat this section as pure memory: you either know the word or you don't. In reality, a good method can get you the right answer even when the word is unfamiliar.

Question type 1: Nearest in meaning (synonyms)

Format: Choose the option nearest in meaning to the underlined word.

The method

1. Read the whole sentence, not just the underlined word.
2. Predict a meaning in your own words before looking at the options.
3. Test each option by substituting it into the sentence. The correct one keeps the meaning of the sentence unchanged.
4. Eliminate options that change the meaning, even slightly.

Example

The villagers were apprehensive about the new road project.

A. excited B. worried C. ignorant D. hopeful

Prediction: the villagers had some feeling about a project, and "apprehensive" suggests fear or anxiety. Answer: B (worried).

Context changes meaning

Many words have more than one meaning, and the sentence decides which one applies:

• She cultivated a large maize farm. → grew, farmed
• He cultivated a friendship with the director. → developed, built

An option can be a correct meaning of the word and still be wrong for this sentence. That is one of the examiner's favourite traps.

Question type 2: Opposite in meaning (antonyms)

Format: Choose the option opposite in meaning to the underlined word.

The method

1. Work out the meaning of the underlined word in context.
2. Think of its opposite in that context.
3. Watch out for the synonym. Examiners almost always include a synonym among the options, because candidates working fast forget they are looking for the opposite.

Example

The chairman gave a lucid explanation of the new policy.

A. clear B. confusing C. brief D. detailed

Lucid means clear and easy to understand. Its opposite is B (confusing). Notice that A, the synonym, is sitting right there.

Tip: before you choose, glance back at the instruction and say to yourself "opposite".

Question type 3: Sentence completion

Format: Choose the option that best completes the sentence.

These questions test grammar and usage: tense, concord, prepositions, pronouns, word forms and collocations.

The method

1. Identify what is being tested. Is the gap a verb, a preposition, a pronoun or a noun? Are the options different tenses, or different words?
2. Apply the relevant rule.
3. Read the completed sentence to check it sounds right and makes sense.

Common areas

Tense consistency: By the time we arrived, the film ___. A. starts B. has started C. had started D. was starting Answer: C. The film started before we arrived, both in the past, so we use the past perfect.

Prepositions: She was accused ___ stealing the money. A. for B. with C. of D. on Answer: C. We say "accused of".

Some prepositions to learn: congratulate on, prefer to, different from, comply with, interested in, abide by, capable of, independent of.

Pronouns: Between you and ___, the plan will fail. A. I B. me C. myself D. mine Answer: B. After a preposition (between), use the object pronoun me.

Question tags: Nobody came to the party, ___? A. did he B. didn't they C. did they D. didn't he Answer: C. "Nobody" makes the statement negative, so the tag is positive, and we use "they" for nobody/everybody.

Question type 4: Interpretation of sentences and idioms

Format: Choose the option that best explains the information conveyed in the sentence.

Example

The manager told Emeka to put his house in order*.*

A. Emeka should clean his house. B. Emeka should organise his affairs properly. C. Emeka should sell his house. D. Emeka should repaint his house.

Answer: B. "Put your house in order" is an idiom meaning to organise your affairs. The literal interpretations (A, C and D) are traps.

Tip: if an option interprets an idiom literally, it is almost always wrong.

Building vocabulary that lasts

A good method gets you far, but a wider vocabulary makes every question easier.

Read every day. Newspapers, novels, magazines and well-written websites expose you to thousands of words in context. Twenty minutes a day for a few months changes your vocabulary significantly.

Keep a vocabulary notebook. For each new word, write:

• the word and its meaning,
• a synonym and an antonym,
• your own example sentence.

Learn word parts. Prefixes, suffixes and roots unlock unfamiliar words:

Review regularly. Look back over your notebook every week. Words you meet repeatedly become permanent.

Practise with explanations

The fastest way to improve in lexis and structure is to practise questions and, for every one you get wrong or guess, learn why the correct answer is right. Levia's English Language levels give an explanation for every answer, whether it's the meaning of a word in context, the grammar rule involved, or why a tempting option is a trap.