Foundation words free for everyone
11+ vocabulary: the words that come up, made simple
Word lists by level and theme, each word with a meaning written for children, similar and opposite words and an example sentence. Free quizzes in the 11+ question styles, printables, and practical ways to build vocabulary at home.
- 2,973 words
- 687 free Foundation words
- 4 levels · 24 themes
Word of the day
neat, well arranged, or behaving calmly and sensibly
The children walked to the hall in an orderly line for assembly.
Similar: calm, neat, organised · Opposite: chaotic, disorderly
Try it at dinner: can everyone use today's word in a sentence?
The daily vocabulary workout
About five minutes a day: a few new words and quick reviews of words your child has met, brought back just as they're about to forget them.
- Free account: the Foundation workout
- Premium: every level, every question type
Word lists by level
Start where your child is comfortable. Foundation is free; for the other levels, the first words of each list are free to look at.
Foundation
FreeYear 4
Everyday words used well: the solid base every 11+ child needs before the harder lists.
687 words
Core
PremiumYear 5
Richer words for stories and reading, the bulk of what 11+ synonym and antonym questions test.
954 words
Advanced
Premium11+ exam standard
The words that separate strong scores in GL and CEM papers: precise, less common, often with tricky look-alikes.
836 words
Stretch
PremiumTop grammar & independent schools
Challenging words for the most selective grammar and independent school papers and scholarship exams.
496 words
How GL tests vocabulary
GL Assessment, the most common 11+ test, checks vocabulary in its English and Verbal Reasoning papers in five main ways. Other 11+ tests use similar questions.
Closest meaning (synonyms)
Pick the word that means the same, or nearly the same, as the word in capitals.
RAPID
- slow
- quick (answer)
- calm
- loud
Opposite meaning (antonyms)
Pick the word most opposite in meaning. A synonym is often there as a trap.
RELUCTANT
- unwilling
- eager (answer)
- tired
- nervous
Odd one out
Three words go together in meaning. Find the one that doesn't belong.
Which doesn't belong?
- huge
- vast
- tiny (answer)
- enormous
Word in context
Work out what a word means from the sentence around it.
The path was so narrow we walked in single file. Narrow means…
- long
- thin (answer)
- muddy
- steep
Missing word (cloze)
Choose the word that best completes the sentence, so it makes sense and sounds right.
The ___ explorer pressed on through the storm.
- timid
- determined (answer)
- sleepy
- careless
Try all five
Ten free questions in these styles, marked straight away. No account needed.
Start a free quiz
Word lists by theme
Words grouped by meaning, which is how they're easiest to learn and how odd-one-out questions group them.
- Feelings & moodsHappy, sad, scared, cross and everything in between.263 words
- Character & personalityWords that describe what someone is like: brave, sly, generous, stubborn.384 words
- Movement & actionWays of walking, running, climbing, grabbing and doing.60 words
- Speaking & soundsHow people say things, and the noises the world makes.139 words
- Looks & appearanceWays of looking, and how people and things look.66 words
- Size & amountHuge, tiny, plenty, scarce: how big and how much.92 words
- Light & colourBright, gloomy, gleaming, vivid: light, dark and colour.20 words
- Time & changeOld and new, before and after, and words for things changing.108 words
- Weather & natureSkies, seasons, landscapes and the natural world.54 words
- Animals & living thingsCreatures, habitats and how living things behave.26 words
- Places & buildingsTowns, homes, ruins, landscapes and where things are.50 words
- Home & everyday thingsObjects, clothes and words from daily life.44 words
- Thinking & knowingWondering, deciding, remembering and understanding.251 words
- Good & badWords for judging things: excellent, dreadful, worthy, flawed.137 words
- Speed & strengthFast, slow, mighty and feeble: speed, power and energy.32 words
- Friendship & conflictGetting on, falling out, arguing and making up.142 words
- Food & the sensesTaste, smell, touch and eating words.39 words
- Body & healthThe body, illness, getting better and staying well.46 words
- Science & spaceWords from science lessons, inventions and the universe.46 words
- Adventure & dangerQuests, peril, escapes and daring deeds.80 words
- Stories & imaginationMagic, myths, mysteries and the language of stories.94 words
- School & learningWords for studying, explaining and getting things right.119 words
- Rules, power & societyKings, laws, leaders, fairness and how groups are run.159 words
- Work & moneyJobs, trade, wealth, saving and spending.74 words
Word families: prefixes, suffixes and roots
Learn one part and you can work out dozens of words. When your child meets a new word, ask: is there a part I already know?
Prefixes (32)Added to the start of a word to change its meaning.
- un-Foundation
not, or the opposite of
unhappy, unkind, unlock, unwrap
16 words in our lists
- dis-Foundation
not, or the opposite of
disagree, disappear, dishonest, disobey
10 words in our lists
- re-Foundation
again or back
rebuild, reread, return, recycle
9 words in our lists
- pre-Foundation
before
preview, preheat, prehistoric
6 words in our lists
- mis-Foundation
wrongly or badly
misspell, misbehave, mislead
1 words in our lists
- in-Core
not
incorrect, invisible, inactive
27 words in our lists
- im-Core
not (before b, m or p)
impossible, impatient, imperfect
9 words in our lists
- il-Advanced
not (before l)
illegal, illegible, illogical
- ir-Advanced
not (before r)
irregular, irresponsible, irrelevant
5 words in our lists
- sub-Core
under or below
submarine, subway, submerge
7 words in our lists
- super-Core
above or greater than
superhero, supersonic, supernatural
3 words in our lists
- inter-Core
between
international, interval, interact
6 words in our lists
- anti-Core
against
antiseptic, anticlockwise, antisocial
2 words in our lists
- auto-Core
self
autobiography, autograph, automatic
1 words in our lists
- semi-Core
half
semicircle, semifinal, semicolon
- over-Core
too much
overcrowded, overcooked, oversleep
- bi-Foundation
two
bicycle, binoculars, bilingual
- tri-Foundation
three
tricycle, triangle, tripod
- tele-Advanced
far away
telescope, television, telepathy
- trans-Advanced
across
transport, transatlantic, translate
4 words in our lists
- circum-Advanced
around
circumference, circumnavigate
- multi-Advanced
many
multicoloured, multicultural, multistorey
- micro-Advanced
very small
microscope, microchip, microorganism
- mono-Advanced
one
monorail, monologue, monotone
3 words in our lists
- post-Advanced
after
postpone, postscript
- ex-Advanced
out of
exit, export, exhale, extract
8 words in our lists
- extra-Stretch
outside or beyond
extraordinary, extraterrestrial, extracurricular
2 words in our lists
- bene-Stretch
good or well
benefit, benevolent, benefactor
3 words in our lists
- mal-Stretch
bad or badly
malfunction, malnourished, malicious
6 words in our lists
- omni-Stretch
all
omnivore, omnipotent
1 words in our lists
- syn-Stretch
together
synchronise, synthesis
- ultra-Stretch
beyond
ultraviolet, ultrasound
Suffixes (22)Added to the end of a word, often changing what kind of word it is.
- -fulFoundation
full of
hopeful, careful, fearful
23 words in our lists
- -lessFoundation
without
fearless, hopeless, careless
5 words in our lists
- -nessFoundation
the state of being
kindness, darkness, happiness
4 words in our lists
- -lyFoundation
in a way that is (makes an adverb)
quickly, silently, cautiously
19 words in our lists
- -erFoundation
a person or thing that does
teacher, explorer
6 words in our lists
- -mentCore
the act or result of
enjoyment, amazement, punishment
4 words in our lists
- -ableCore
can be, or able to be
comfortable, reliable, breakable
24 words in our lists
- -ibleAdvanced
can be, or able to be
visible, incredible, legible
15 words in our lists
- -ousCore
full of, or having
famous, dangerous, courageous
120 words in our lists
- -iveCore
tending to, or doing
active, creative, destructive
36 words in our lists
- -tionCore
the act or state of (makes a noun)
invention, celebration, hesitation
33 words in our lists
- -sionCore
the act or state of (makes a noun)
explosion, confusion, decision
14 words in our lists
- -istAdvanced
a person who does or studies
artist, scientist, novelist
8 words in our lists
- -ologyAdvanced
the study of
biology, geology, zoology
1 words in our lists
- -ifyAdvanced
to make or become
simplify, terrify, magnify
4 words in our lists
- -iseAdvanced
to make or become (UK spelling)
realise, organise, criticise
4 words in our lists
- -ityAdvanced
the state or quality of
curiosity, generosity, hostility
44 words in our lists
- -anceAdvanced
the state or action of
reluctance, endurance
11 words in our lists
- -enceAdvanced
the state or action of
patience, confidence, obedience
16 words in our lists
- -antAdvanced
a person who, or being
servant, reluctant, defiant
19 words in our lists
- -entAdvanced
being, or doing
silent, obedient, persistent
45 words in our lists
- -icAdvanced
to do with
heroic, athletic, historic
37 words in our lists
Roots (20)The core of a word, often from Latin or Greek, shared by a whole family of words.
- portAdvanced
carry
transport, portable, export
- spectAdvanced
look
inspect, spectator, spectacle
1 words in our lists
- dictAdvanced
say
predict, contradict, dictionary
4 words in our lists
- ruptAdvanced
break
erupt, interrupt, disrupt
1 words in our lists
- structAdvanced
build
construct, destruction, structure
1 words in our lists
- scribAdvanced
write
scribble, describe, inscription
2 words in our lists
- visAdvanced
see
visible, vision, visual
1 words in our lists
- audAdvanced
hear
audience, audible, audition
2 words in our lists
- jectStretch
throw
reject, project, eject
1 words in our lists
- mitStretch
send
transmit, admit, submit
6 words in our lists
- verStretch
true
verify, verdict, veracity
3 words in our lists
- credStretch
believe
credible, incredible, credulous
4 words in our lists
- chronStretch
time
chronological, synchronise, chronicle
1 words in our lists
- graphAdvanced
write or draw
autograph, paragraph, photograph
2 words in our lists
- phonAdvanced
sound
telephone, microphone, symphony
3 words in our lists
- geoAdvanced
earth
geography, geology
- bioAdvanced
life
biology, biography, biodegradable
- aquaAdvanced
water
aquarium, aquatic
- terrStretch
land or earth
territory, terrain, subterranean
1 words in our lists
- magnStretch
great
magnify, magnificent, magnitude
2 words in our lists
How to build vocabulary at home
No flashcard marathons needed. These habits make the biggest difference, a few minutes at a time.
Read widely, and read aloud
Stories, non-fiction, newspapers and comics all count. Reading aloud to your child, even at 10, lets them hear words they wouldn't pick up on their own.
Guess from the context first
When a new word appears, ask what it might mean from the sentence before looking it up. That's exactly the skill word-in-context questions test.
Spot word families
Knowing that un- means not, -less means without and spect means look unlocks hundreds of words. Use the explorer below.
Little and often
Five new words a day, reviewed a few days later, beats fifty in one sitting. Short daily practice is what makes words stick.
Use new words in sentences
Ask your child to use a new word in their own sentence, at dinner or in the car. Saying and writing a word is how it moves from 'seen' to 'known'.
Play with synonyms
Swap a dull word for a better one: 'said' becomes whispered, muttered, declared. It builds vocabulary and makes their writing richer too.
More free help with words
- Synonyms and antonyms explainedThe big idea, worked examples and the common mistake, with a free worksheet.
- Words in context explainedHow to work out a word's meaning from the sentence around it.
- Prefixes explainedHow un-, dis-, re- and friends change a word's meaning.
- Suffixes explainedWord endings like -ful, -less and -tion, and what they do.
- Root words explainedSpot the root and you can often guess the meaning.
- Words with more than one meaningBat, light, fair: words 11+ papers love to test.
- Closest meaning worksheetA printable Verbal Reasoning sheet with answers.
- Opposite meaning worksheetPrintable antonym practice, easy to hard.
- Free Verbal Reasoning questionsTen fresh questions each time, with explanations.
- 11+ reading listWell-loved books for ages 8 to 11: the best vocabulary builder of all.
- 11+ key words for parentsThe terms used in 11+ lessons, from antonym to quotient.
- All 11+ topics explainedOver 100 topics in plain words, with videos.
Questions parents ask
- How many words does my child need to know for the 11+?
- There's no official list. GL and other 11+ papers draw on the wide vocabulary of a keen Year 6 reader. Most children do well by getting secure with everyday words first (our Foundation level), then building towards the richer words that come up in synonym, antonym and comprehension questions.
- What is the best way to learn 11+ vocabulary?
- Reading widely, talking about new words, and short daily practice that brings words back a few days later. Lists help, but a word only sticks once your child has met it in a sentence and used it themselves.
- Is the vocabulary hub free?
- The Foundation level is free for everyone: every word, the quizzes, and (with a free account) the printable word lists and a Foundation daily workout. Core, Advanced and Stretch words, and the full daily workout, come with Premium; you can preview the first words of each level for free.
- How does GL test vocabulary?
- Mostly through closest-meaning (synonym) and opposite (antonym) questions, odd one out, choosing the missing word in a sentence, and working out a word's meaning in a comprehension passage.