11 Plus vocabulary and spelling list

The importance of a rich vocabulary in the 11 Plus exam

The 11 Plus English exams  come in a variety of formats, depending on the local area and the school requirements. However, they will include sections on creative writing, spelling and comprehension. For writing and 11 Plus comprehension tasks, having a good understanding of 11 Plus vocabulary will help your child succeed. 

11 Plus spelling and vocabulary

The 11 Plus English exam requires your child to:

• Recognise errors

• Identify terms

11 Plus Vocabulary – Verbal Reasoning

The 11 Plus verbal reasoning section of the exam relies on a strong vocabulary that goes beyond the primary curriculum. Therefore, a good understanding of 11 Plus vocabulary is vital.

Verbal reasoning includes:

• Word problems

• Vocabulary knowledge of synonyms, antonyms and analogies 

11 Plus Vocabulary – Synonyms and Antonyms

In the exam, your child may need to write in a variety of styles including letters, diaries, essays, articles and continued texts. They will also need to analyse a variety of texts including poetry, play scripts, descriptive and narrative texts. Recognising lots of synonyms and antonyms will help them with both comprehension and being creative in their writing. 

• Synonym: A word that has the same meaning as another word of phrase.

• Antonym: A word that has an opposite meaning to another word.

How to enrich your child’s vocabulary

Enriching the vocabulary isn’t a one-off task, instead, it’s a continuous process. We’ve put together a simple guide that will help your child improve their 11 Plus vocabulary. See the guide below:

A lot of reading

Words tend to stick when you read them or hear them being used. So the primary thing to do when building your 11 Plus vocabulary is read, read, read (and when you’re not reading – listen to some audiobooks!)

Diverse reading material

Reading material should be as varied as possible. Mix fiction and non-fiction, try out different authors, genres, books from different cultures and definitely get acquainted with the classics. Diversity in the reading material helps to expand your vocabulary.

Download Explore Learning’s 11 Plus reading list

Download our 11 Plus reading list

The classics have the answers

11 Plus exams are often known for presenting children with words that are rarely used today but if you pick up a book by Arthur Conan Doyle you’ll probably find them all! 

Link reading to popular TV shows and films

Reading should be engaging and entertaining. You want to keep the love of reading alive so work to find books that pique your child’s interest. Sometimes finding a book related to something they’ve recently watched on TV or a film can be a good entry into it.

Create 11 Plus vocabulary cards

Vocabulary cards can be a great way to memorise new words and definitions. Encourage your child to create these cards, this will make it easier to refer back to any new words they came across.

Use a thesaurus 

Since many vocabulary questions are linked to identifying words of the same or opposite meaning it’s really good to look them up in a thesaurus and record some synonyms and antonyms alongside them.

Use your newly found words

Challenge yourself and your child to use new words as soon as possible. This will help your child memorise and familiarise themselves with new words faster.

Play 11 Plus vocabulary games

There are so many great word games you can play as a family such as Scrabble, Bobble and Bananagrams that keep your 11 Plus vocabulary acquisition fun. You might encourage your child to try daily word searches, crosswords and try out some vocabulary apps such as Word Cookies and Wordscapes.

Use 11 Plus vocabulary worksheets and practice papers

Practicing answering the types of English and vocabulary questions that may come up in the exam can help your child to become comfortable with the format, whilst getting familiar with new words along the way. 

Our free 11 Plus learning resources include practice questions and papers to get you started.

Synonyms

Antonyms

11 Plus at Explore Learning

There is more to 11 Plus exam preparation than just developing a rich and strong vocabulary. At Explore Learning we’ve developed a comprehensive curriculum tailored to the requirements of your local school entrance exams. Work with dedicated tutors to practise speed, hone accuracy and master exam techniques.