Synonyms and Antonyms: TN Board 12th English Vocabulary PYQs
Welcome to Omtex Classes! In the TN Board 12th English public exam, the first 6 questions (3 Synonyms and 3 Antonyms) are purely based on contextual vocabulary from your prose lessons. Mastering these guarantees a solid start to your paper. Below is the ultimate cheat sheet and a collection of 20 highly repeated Past Year Questions (PYQs) to help you score 6/6, along with an interactive Self-Test!
🔥 Exam Tip & The Advanced Contextual Vocabulary Cheat Sheet:
- Context is King: TN Board rarely asks direct dictionary meanings. Read the entire sentence. A word like 'tender' can mean 'gentle' in one lesson and 'to offer' in another.
- Identify the Parts of Speech: If the underlined word is an Adjective, the answer will always be an Adjective. Match the grammatical form!
- Elimination Method: For Antonyms, examiners often include 2 synonyms and 1 irrelevant word in the options. Find the synonyms first, eliminate them, and the remaining word is likely your antonym.
- Prefix Traps: Watch out for words that look like antonyms but aren't (e.g., valuable and invaluable both mean precious).
- Prose Focus: 90% of the questions come from standard prose vocabulary (e.g., Two Gentlemen of Verona, In Celebration of Being Alive, The Summit).
Top 20 Board Exam Questions: Synonyms & Antonyms
Part A: Choose the appropriate SYNONYMS for the underlined words (1-10)
- Question: He had a quiet, artless smile.
Answer: innocent / guileless - Question: Nicola and Jacopo's demeanour was serious.
Answer: appearance / behaviour - Question: We saw them in the vestibule of the hospital.
Answer: lobby / entrance - Question: Dr. Barnard experienced profound shock.
Answer: deep / intense - Question: The boy was in absolute agony.
Answer: severe pain / suffering - Question: Tea is a mild stimulation.
Answer: excitement / encouragement - Question: Hillary scrambled up the rocks.
Answer: climbed quickly - Question: The mechanic was totally blind.
Answer: sightless - Question: They were optimistic about the outcome.
Answer: positive / hopeful - Question: The fragile glass shattered.
Answer: easily broken / delicate
Part B: Choose the appropriate ANTONYMS for the underlined words (11-20)
- Question: The boys were very cautious.
Answer: reckless / careless - Question: There was a scarcity of food in the village.
Answer: abundance / plenty - Question: His behavior was completely artificial.
Answer: natural / genuine - Question: He is an amateur photographer.
Answer: professional - Question: We tried to persuade him to stay.
Answer: dissuade / discourage - Question: The philosopher's thoughts were profound.
Answer: superficial / shallow - Question: He was criticized for being arrogant.
Answer: humble / modest - Question: The doctor gave an optimistic prognosis.
Answer: pessimistic / negative - Question: She bought a genuine diamond necklace.
Answer: fake / spurious - Question: They argued over trivial matters.
Answer: important / significant
📝 Test Yourself: Contextual Vocabulary Challenge!
Have you mastered your prose vocabulary? Try solving these 5 tricky 12th board-level questions. Click on "Show Answer" to check your accuracy!
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Question: Choose the appropriate Synonym: The summit was protected by a giant cornice.
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Answer: an overhanging mass of snow/ice.
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Question: Choose the appropriate Antonym: The children were frivolous during the solemn ceremony.
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Answer: serious / solemn.
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Question: Choose the appropriate Synonym: He faced the adversity with courage.
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Answer: hardship / misfortune.
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Question: Choose the appropriate Antonym: His explanations were completely vague.
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Answer: clear / precise.
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Question: Choose the appropriate Synonym: The lawyer made a persuasive argument.
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Answer: convincing.
The ultimate trick to scoring full marks in Synonyms and Antonyms is memorizing the glossary at the end of each prose lesson and always checking if the question asks for a similar meaning (synonym) or opposite meaning (antonym). Bookmark this page, practice thoroughly, and secure your 6 marks in the TN Board English Exam!