In order to excel in the 11 Plus, children need to have a wide vocabulary to draw on. Good vocabulary knowledge will help in all aspects of the English exam (reading, writing, verbal reasoning) as well as in the interviews.
Comprehending the reading part of the exam requires knowledge of what the individual words mean and what they mean within the context of the particular comprehension. Using interesting words in the writing part of the exam will help them stand out from other students’ that use simplistic vocabulary. Spotting spelling and patterns of meanings between words will help students to answer verbal reasoning questions. It is also important to communicate clearly in interviews and drawing on a wide vocabulary will help students convey their thoughts and ideas in a coherent way.
A guide to using our 11 Plus word list:
- Identify and practice the meaning and spelling of unknown words.
- Practise little and often, with a focus on a few words each day.
- Learn the spelling. Various spelling strategies include:
- Look, cover and write the word.
- Orally spell the word.
- Spell the word as many times as possible within 30 seconds.
- Understand the meaning of the word. This can be done by:
- Ask what a particular word means on a consistent basis.
- Ask whether they can think of any synonyms for a particular word.
- Say a specific word in a sentence (this will demonstrate whether they can apply their knowledge of the word meaning in practice).
Further ways to develop your child’s vocabulary for the 11 Plus exam:
- Identify and practice the meanings and spellings of all words on the word list.
- Read every day as this will provide students with multiple opportunities to encounter words repeatedly and in different contexts.
- Play games where children encounter vocabulary, such as Boggle and Scrabble.
- Listen to audiobooks as this will further expose students to a wide vocabulary.
- Review synonyms and antonyms for words the student is learning
11 Plus Vocabulary List
develop category embarrass curiosity according attached appreciate bargain communicate accompany aggressive competition accommodate amateur cemetery correspond disastrous controversy criticise convenience conscience conscious coy vehicle bruise ample arduous average cease coarse coax conceited | forty foreign yacht occupy occur muscle leisure identity individual especially language existence explanation frequently immediate opportunity exaggerate interfere government hindrance environment caution fertile flamboyant feign harass mischief lightning twilight tyrant trivial interrupt |
suggest stomach symbol system twelfth variety soldier shoulder persuade physical profession programme restaurant recognise community temperature sacrifice privilege prejudice sincere sincerely committee recommend pronunciation parliament charred clemency conventional | ceiling refer reference referee transfer transference transferral deceive conceive receive perceive protein caffeine confidential obedient obedience adoration applicable tolerable tolerably toleration changeable forcible legible dependable depot derelict dismal |
achieve ancient apparent available embarrass environment familiar guarantee pronunciation queue relevant secretary famine feign fertile fragment lofty | oath oppress puncture perplex perilous queer quell robust rural sow subdued submissive turbulent volatile weary yield |
Tutors for the 11 Plus and Pre-tests
Each year Keystone supports many students preparing for the 11 Plus. The 11 Plus tutors we represent are experienced in the intricacies of the 11 Plus exams and how they differ between schools' assessments. We would normally recommend that preparation begins around 12 – 18 months before the exams.
For more details on how Keystone can help with 11 Plus preparation, book a free consultation.