The Synonyms topic plays a vital role in the English section of competitive exams like NDA, CDS, and AFCAT. Testing a candidate’s vocabulary, it focuses on their ability to recognize words with similar meanings. A good command of vocabulary is crucial to solve the questions from this topic effectively, as candidates are required to match a given word with its closest meaning from the options provided.
Why Synonyms are Important
- High-Scoring Section: Questions on synonyms are relatively straightforward, provided the candidate has a robust vocabulary. This topic offers a high-scoring opportunity for candidates aiming to improve their overall performance in the English section.
- Vocabulary Enhancement: Synonyms help in building a rich vocabulary, which not only improves performance in exams but also enhances communication skills. A wide vocabulary is crucial for understanding and interpreting passages, solving word substitution questions, and even improving essay writing in various competitive exams.
- Relevance Across Exams: Synonyms are a common feature in the NDA, CDS, and AFCAT exams. Questions from this topic regularly appear in the vocabulary section, making it essential for candidates to be well-prepared. The better a candidate’s vocabulary, the easier it becomes to tackle these questions confidently and quickly.
- Improved Comprehension Skills: Having a strong knowledge of synonyms aids in understanding complex reading comprehension passages. It enables candidates to infer the meaning of unfamiliar words based on their synonyms, making it easier to solve comprehension-related questions.
Key Concepts to Focus on for Synonyms
- Vocabulary Building: The foundation of mastering synonyms lies in expanding one’s vocabulary. Regular reading, especially of newspapers, novels, and editorials, helps in encountering and learning new words. Candidates should maintain a word list and consistently revise it to ensure they are familiar with as many words as possible.
- Contextual Meaning: Knowing the meaning of words in isolation is not enough. Candidates must understand the contextual meaning of words to match them with their closest synonym accurately. This is particularly important because words can have multiple meanings depending on the context.
- Word Usage: A strong understanding of how words are used in different contexts helps in identifying synonyms correctly. Practice sentences and passages help in refining word usage, ensuring candidates can identify the subtle differences between similar words.
Synonyms Class 3 – MCQ Session
In Synonyms Class 3, I conducted an MCQ session where candidates solved important questions from the Synonyms topic. These sessions are instrumental in improving students’ performance by providing real exam-like practice. By regularly solving MCQs, candidates get exposed to a wide variety of words and learn how to identify the closest meanings among multiple options.
Directions: Each item in this section consists of a sentence with an underlined word followed by four words/group of words. Select the option that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word and mark your response on the answer sheet accordingly.
Q) Weather conditions have been improving over the past few days.
(a) mending
(b) amending
(c) becoming better
(d) advancing
Ans. (c)
Q) The confusion on the interlocutor’s face was gratifying.
(a) Government officer
(b) Party worker
(c) dialogist
(d) revolutionary
Ans. (c)
Q) He spends his money foolishly.
(a) sensibly
(b) carefully
(c) amicably
(d) insensibly
Ans. (d)
Directions: Each of the following questions consists of a word which has four alternatives given below. Select the word nearest in meaning of that word.
Q) Intransigent
(a) Authoritative
(b) Impersonal
(c) Strenuous
(d) Unbending
Ans. (d)
Q) Liberalize
(a) Resist
(b) Diminish
(c) Function
(d) Malfunction
Ans. (b)
Q) Pragmatic
(a) Theoretical
(b) Suitable
(c) Realistic
(d) Productive
Ans. (c)
For more questions, check out NDA-CDS-AFCAT 1 2025 Exam English Live – Synonyms – Class 3
Tips for Solving Synonyms Questions
- Expand Your Vocabulary: Dedicate time each day to learning new words and their meanings. Use flashcards or word apps to reinforce retention.
- Understand Word Roots: Knowledge of word roots, prefixes, and suffixes helps in understanding the meaning of unfamiliar words, making it easier to identify their synonyms.
- Practice Regularly: Solve as many synonym-based questions as possible from previous year papers and practice books to improve speed and accuracy.
- Focus on Common Synonyms: Some words and their synonyms frequently appear in competitive exams. Compile a list of these common words and revise them regularly.
Conclusion
The Synonyms topic holds great importance in the English section of NDA, CDS, and AFCAT 1 2025 exams. A solid grasp of vocabulary is the key to solving these questions effectively. With regular practice and consistent vocabulary building, candidates can excel in this section. Through Synonyms Class 3, where an MCQ session was conducted, candidates had the opportunity to solve important questions and gain confidence in handling synonyms-related questions, boosting their preparation for the upcoming exams.
