Reading: comprehension

Words that mean the same

Match a word to another word with a similar meaning.

Some words look and sound completely different but mean nearly the same thing. Street and road are a pair like that.

Remember

Words that mean nearly the same are called synonyms.

Why they are useful

They let you say the same thing in a fresh way. Instead of big you can write huge, or enormous, or giant.

Watch out

An opposite is not a synonym. Sad is the other way round from happy, so it is never a match for it.

Worked example

Which word means the same as 'shut' — open, closed or red?

  1. Think about what you do when you shut a door.

    A synonym has to mean the very same action.

Try it together

Let us find three synonyms.

Each answer is one word, and one of the two offered is always the wrong way round.

    1.Is 'talk' or 'listen' the same as 'speak'? Write one word.

    Have a go

    Which word means the same as 'sad'?

    Ready to practise?

    Eight questions on what you have just read. Nothing is timed, and you can play as many times as you like.

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