Year 4 · free for everyone

Foundation vocabulary

Everyday words used well: the solid base every 11+ child needs before the harder lists. Each word has a meaning written for children, a similar word and an opposite. Every word on this list is free.

Quick quiz

Ten questions from the Foundation level in the 11+ styles: closest meaning, opposites, odd one out, words in context and missing words. Marked straight away, with explanations. No account needed.

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Printables

A word list (word, meaning, similar word and example) and a matching worksheet with answers. Free account needed: it takes a minute.

Word list (PDF) Matching worksheet (PDF)

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687 words

gift
noun
something you give to someone without asking for payment
Similar:
donation
gigantic
adj.
extremely big
Similar:
enormous
Opposite:
miniature
giggle
verb
to laugh in a light, silly way, often because you can't help it
Similar:
chuckle
glad
adj.
happy and pleased about something
Similar:
delighted
Opposite:
sad
glasses
noun
a pair of lenses in a frame that you wear to help you see clearly
Similar:
specs
glow
verb
to give out a soft, steady light or warmth without flames
Similar:
beam
gorgeous
adj.
very beautiful or lovely to look at
Similar:
beautiful
Opposite:
hideous
grab
verb
to take hold of something quickly and roughly
Similar:
clutch
Opposite:
drop
grammar
noun
the rules for how words are put together to make correct sentences
Similar:
language rules
great
adj.
very good, or very large in size or amount
Similar:
brilliant
Opposite:
awful
greedy
adj.
wanting much more food, money or things than you need
Similar:
gluttonous
Opposite:
generous
grin
verb
to smile widely, showing your teeth
Similar:
beam
Opposite:
frown
groan
verb
to make a long, low sound because you are in pain, unhappy or annoyed
Similar:
grumble
Opposite:
cheer
group
noun
a number of people or things that are together or belong together
Similar:
bunch
Opposite:
individual
growl
verb
to make a low, rough, angry sound in the throat, like an unhappy dog
Similar:
grumble
Opposite:
purr
grubby
adj.
dirty and grimy, especially from mud or sticky hands
Similar:
dirty
Opposite:
clean
guard
verb
to keep someone or something safe from harm
Similar:
protect
Opposite:
abandon
guess
verb
to give an answer when you are not sure if it is right
Similar:
estimate
Opposite:
know
guest
noun
a person who is invited to visit your home or to come to an event
Similar:
caller
Opposite:
host
guide
verb
to show someone the way or help them do something
Similar:
direct
Opposite:
mislead
hack
verb
to cut something roughly with hard, heavy strokes
Similar:
chop
halt
verb
to stop moving or make something stop
Similar:
stop
Opposite:
advance
hard
adj.
difficult to do or understand
Similar:
challenging
Opposite:
easy
harm
noun
hurt or damage done to someone or something
Similar:
damage
Opposite:
benefit
hate
verb
to dislike something or someone very strongly
Similar:
despise
Opposite:
adore
heap
noun
an untidy pile of things lying on top of each other
Similar:
mound
hear
verb
to notice sounds using your ears
Similar:
catch
heart
noun
the part inside your chest that pumps blood around your body
Similar:
ticker
heavy
adj.
weighing a lot and hard to lift or carry
Similar:
bulky
Opposite:
light
height
noun
how tall someone or something is, or how far it is above the ground
Similar:
altitude
Opposite:
depth
help
verb
to make things easier for someone by doing something useful for them
Similar:
aid
Opposite:
hinder
herd
noun
a large group of animals, such as cows or deer, that live and move together
Similar:
drove
higher
adj.
further up from the ground than something else
Similar:
greater
Opposite:
lower
hire
verb
to pay money to use something for a short time
Similar:
charter
Opposite:
buy
hiss
verb
to make a long 'sss' sound, like a snake or an angry cat
Similar:
fizz
history
noun
the study of things that happened in the past, especially to people and countries
Similar:
chronicle
Opposite:
future
hole
noun
an empty space or gap in something solid, such as the ground or a sock
Similar:
gap
honest
adj.
always telling the truth and never cheating or stealing
Similar:
sincere
Opposite:
deceitful
horrible
adj.
very unpleasant or nasty
Similar:
awful
Opposite:
lovely
hover
verb
to stay in one place in the air without moving away
Similar:
drift
howl
verb
to make a long, loud, wailing cry, like a wolf or strong wind
Similar:
bay
huge
adj.
very, very big in size or amount
Similar:
enormous
Opposite:
minute
hungry
adj.
wanting or needing food
Similar:
famished
Opposite:
full
hurry
verb
to move or do something quickly because there is not much time
Similar:
dash
Opposite:
dawdle
hurt
verb
to cause pain or injury to someone or something
Similar:
harm
Opposite:
heal
idea
noun
a thought or plan that comes into your mind
Similar:
notion
image
noun
a picture of something, such as a photograph or drawing
Similar:
illustration
imagine
verb
to make a picture or idea in your mind of something that is not really there
Similar:
dream
impossible
adj.
not able to happen or be done
Similar:
hopeless
Opposite:
achievable
include
verb
to make someone or something part of a group or whole
Similar:
contain
Opposite:
exclude
incomplete
adj.
not finished, or missing some parts
Similar:
missing
Opposite:
complete
incorrect
adj.
wrong or not true
Similar:
inaccurate
Opposite:
accurate
increase
verb
to become bigger in amount, number or size, or to make something bigger
Similar:
expand
Opposite:
decrease
inside
prep.
in or into the space within something
Similar:
in
Opposite:
outside
interest
noun
a feeling of wanting to know more about something or pay attention to it
Similar:
attention
Opposite:
boredom
interested
adj.
wanting to know or learn more about something
Similar:
curious
Opposite:
apathetic
iron
noun
a strong, hard grey metal used to make things like gates, tools and steel
Similar:
metal
island
noun
a piece of land with water all around it
Similar:
isle
Opposite:
mainland
isle
noun
an island, especially a small one
Similar:
island
jewel
noun
a precious stone that has been cut and polished
Similar:
gem
Opposite:
debris