The note
How schools teach it now
Synonyms are taught throughout KS2 English and used to improve writing. The 11+ strategy: take each word in the first group, think of its meaning, and look for a partner in the second group. Watch for opposites placed as traps.
5-minute kitchen-table activity
Read the back of a cereal box together and swap words for synonyms: tasty for delicious, crunchy for crispy. Keep a list on the fridge and add a new pair each day.
Worked example
Find two words, one from each group, that are closest in meaning: (big wet shout) (cold small large)
- Big: is there a word meaning the same? Large.
- Small is the opposite of big, so it's a trap.
- Wet and shout have no partner in the second group.
Answer: big and large
Common mistakes to watch for
- Choosing an opposite because it's linked to the word.
- Picking two words from the same group.
- Choosing words that go together (cold and wet) but don't mean the same.
Encouragement
- Try saying
- “Your word bank is growing every week. Let's add one more.”
- Rather than
- “You should know what that word means.”