Advanced vocabulary allows precise expression: laconic (using few words), obstinate (stubborn), auspicious (promising), ominous (threatening) and mutually exclusive (unable to be true at the same time).
Context and connotation guide meaning. “The dark clouds were an ominous sign” uses ominous for something threatening; “an auspicious start” is the opposite.
Use new words with care. Choose them because they are the most precise option, not to impress. A precise word can replace a whole phrase.
Worked example
Read: “He was laconic by nature, answering most questions with a nod.” What does laconic mean?
- He answers with a nod rather than words.
- So he uses very few words.
Answer:using very few words
Key words
- precise
- exact
- connotation
- associated feelings of a word
- antonym
- a word with the opposite meaning
Practise this
New questions every time.
Common Core-referenced: L.11-12.4a, L.11-12.6