The Verbal section of the SSAT can seem daunting, but with the right preparation and strategies, you’ll be ready to tackle it head-on. In this chapter, we’ll break down the key components of the SSAT Verbal section, explore the different types of questions you’ll encounter, and provide practice questions with detailed, step-by-step solutions to help you master this part of the exam.
Table of Contents
Overview of the SSAT Verbal Section
The SSAT Verbal section is designed to test your vocabulary, ability to understand word relationships, and overall verbal reasoning skills. This section has two primary types of questions:
Synonyms (30 questions)
Analogies (30 questions)
You’ll have 30 minutes to complete the Verbal section, which means you need to manage your time wisely. That’s about one minute per question, leaving you very little room for error or hesitation.
Synonyms: Understanding the Basics
Synonyms questions ask you to identify the word that has the closest meaning to the given word. This is primarily a vocabulary test, so building a strong vocabulary is crucial for success in this section.
Strategy for Synonyms:
Contextual Guessing: Even if you don’t know the exact definition of the word, try to infer its meaning based on root words, prefixes, or suffixes.
Eliminate Wrong Choices: Narrow down your options by eliminating words that clearly don’t match the meaning of the given word.
Watch for Trap Words: The test might include words that are similar in connotation but don’t mean the same thing. Be careful to choose the word that best matches the specific meaning.
Practice Synonym Question:
Word:Apprehensive
Choices: a) Confident b) Doubtful c) Fearful d) Indifferent
Step-by-Step Breakdown:
Understand the Word:Apprehensive means to be anxious or fearful about something that might happen. If you already know this, you’re in good shape.
Eliminate Obvious Wrong Answers:
a) Confident is the opposite of apprehensive, so eliminate that right away.
d) Indifferent means having no particular interest or concern, so it’s not related to anxiety or fear. Eliminate it.
Narrow It Down: Now you’re left with:
b) Doubtful: This could be close, but doubtful refers more to uncertainty than fear.
c) Fearful: This directly connects to anxiety and fear, which matches the definition of apprehensive.
Correct Answer: c) Fearful
Tip: A good way to study for synonyms is to read regularly and expose yourself to new vocabulary. Make flashcards or use apps like Quizlet to build and reinforce your word knowledge.
Analogies: Understanding Relationships
The analogies section of the SSAT is designed to test how well you understand the relationship between two words. Each analogy will present a pair of related words, followed by five answer choices that contain other word pairs. Your job is to find the pair of words that have the same relationship as the original pair.
Types of Analogy Relationships:
Part to Whole – Example: Petal is to Flower.
Synonyms/Antonyms – Example: Happy is to Joyful.
Function – Example: Scissors are to Cut.
Cause and Effect – Example: Fire is to Burn.
Strategy for Analogies:
Create a Sentence: When you see the original pair of words, create a sentence that clearly defines the relationship between them. Then, see which answer choice fits that same sentence structure.
Check Each Answer Pair: Even if you think you’ve found the right answer, double-check all of the options to ensure you haven’t overlooked a better match.
Practice Analogy Question:
Pair:Battery is to Flashlight as a) Engine is to car b) Heart is to body c) Oxygen is to lungs d) Lock is to key e) Keyboard is to computer
Step-by-Step Breakdown:
Create a Sentence: The relationship is “A battery powers a flashlight.” Now look for a similar relationship in the answer choices.
Analyze the Answer Choices:
a) Engine powers a car. This looks like a potential match, so keep it.
b) Heart powers the body (similar function, but a bit metaphorical and not a direct mechanical relationship like the original).
c) Oxygen powers the lungs (again, not a mechanical relationship).
d) A lock doesn’t power a key, so eliminate this.
e) A keyboard doesn’t power a computer (it’s a tool used by the computer).
Choose the Best Answer: The best analogy is a) Engine powers a car, which matches the mechanical power relationship of Battery powers a Flashlight.
Correct Answer: a) Engine is to car
Building a Strong Vocabulary for the SSAT
Vocabulary is the key to success in the Verbal section. While you can’t memorize every word in the English language, you can take steps to rapidly expand your vocabulary in a short period of time. Here are some tips for building your vocabulary efficiently:
1. Learn Word Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes
By understanding the meaning of common word roots, prefixes, and suffixes, you can often make educated guesses about the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Common Roots: bene (good) → benefit, benevolent cred (believe) → credible, incredible dict (speak) → predict, dictator
2. Read Regularly
One of the best ways to improve your vocabulary is by reading books, articles, and other forms of literature regularly. Try to read a variety of genres to expose yourself to a wide range of words.
3. Use Vocabulary Apps
There are several apps that are specifically designed to help students prepare for vocabulary-heavy sections of standardized tests. Consider using apps like Magoosh Vocabulary Builder or Quizlet to test yourself.
4. Make Flashcards
Old school, but effective. Make a set of flashcards for the words you encounter during your SSAT preparation. On one side, write the word, and on the other side, write the definition and a sentence using the word.
Time Management Tips for the Verbal Section
Since you only have 30 minutes to answer 60 questions, time management is crucial. Here are some tips to make sure you finish the section on time without sacrificing accuracy:
Pace Yourself: You should aim to complete about 2 questions per minute. Don’t spend too much time on any one question.
Skip and Return: If a question is taking too long, skip it and come back later. It’s better to answer all the questions you know first.
Guessing Strategy: Remember, there’s no penalty for wrong answers on the SSAT, so if you’re unsure, make an educated guess. Eliminate any obviously wrong answers to increase your chances.
SSAT Verbal Section: More Practice Questions with Step-by-Step Solutions
In this section, we’ll dive deeper into the two key question types in the Verbal section: Synonyms and Analogies. Each practice question will come with a detailed breakdown to help you better understand how to approach it on test day.
Synonyms Practice Questions
For each synonym question, your task is to find the word closest in meaning to the given word.
1. Word: Revere
a) Ignore b) Respect c) Detest d) Forget
Solution:
Revere means to feel deep respect or admiration for something.
a) Ignore means to pay no attention, which is the opposite of respect. Eliminate this.
c) Detest means to hate, which is also the opposite. Eliminate this.
d) Forget is unrelated to admiration or respect, so this can be eliminated as well.
Correct Answer: b) Respect
2. Word: Benevolent
a) Hostile b) Generous c) Mysterious d) Greedy
Solution:
Benevolent means showing kindness or goodwill.
a) Hostile means unfriendly or aggressive, which is the opposite. Eliminate this.
c) Mysterious refers to something puzzling or hard to understand, unrelated to kindness.
d) Greedy means wanting more than one’s share, which is again the opposite.
Correct Answer: b) Generous
3. Word: Obscure
a) Clear b) Hidden c) Bright d) Famous
Solution:
Obscure means not clearly understood or easily seen.
a) Clear is the opposite of obscure.
c) Bright refers to light or intelligence, not related to the concept of being hidden.
d) Famous is well-known, the opposite of obscure.
Correct Answer: b) Hidden
4. Word: Ponder
a) Rush b) Contemplate c) Sleep d) Celebrate
Solution:
Ponder means to think deeply about something.
a) Rush is the opposite of deep thinking, which requires time. Eliminate this.
c) Sleep is unrelated to thinking.
d) Celebrate involves joy or festivities, not deep thought.
Correct Answer: b) Contemplate
5. Word: Relinquish
a) Maintain b) Surrender c) Acquire d) Challenge
Solution:
Relinquish means to give up or let go.
a) Maintain means to keep, the opposite.
c) Acquire means to gain, also the opposite of letting go.
d) Challenge means to dispute or question, unrelated.
Correct Answer: b) Surrender
6. Word: Candid
a) Deceptive b) Honest c) Silent d) Reserved
Solution:
Candid means open and honest.
a) Deceptive means misleading, the opposite of honest.
c) Silent refers to quietness, not openness.
d) Reserved refers to being shy or restrained, not honest.
Correct Answer: b) Honest
7. Word: Elicit
a) Suppress b) Trigger c) Hide d) Limit
Solution:
Elicit means to draw out or evoke a response.
a) Suppress means to prevent or restrain, the opposite of elicit.
c) Hide means to conceal, unrelated.
d) Limit refers to setting boundaries, also unrelated.
Correct Answer: b) Trigger
8. Word: Conspicuous
a) Ordinary b) Hidden c) Noticeable d) Common
Solution:
Conspicuous means standing out, easily seen.
a) Ordinary means commonplace, the opposite of noticeable.
b) Hidden means concealed, the opposite of conspicuous.
d) Common means frequent or widespread, not related to being noticeable.
Correct Answer: c) Noticeable
9. Word: Imminent
a) Delayed b) Threatening c) Distant d) Approaching
Solution:
Imminent means about to happen.
a) Delayed is the opposite of imminent.
b) Threatening could be related but not necessarily “about to happen.”
c) Distant is the opposite of approaching.
Correct Answer: d) Approaching
10. Word: Impartial
a) Biased b) Fair c) Hasty d) Reckless
Solution:
Impartial means not taking sides, being neutral.
a) Biased means showing favoritism, the opposite of impartial.
c) Hasty refers to being quick, unrelated.
d) Reckless refers to carelessness, unrelated to neutrality.
Correct Answer: b) Fair
SSAT VERBAL Analogies Practice Questions
For each analogy question, find the pair of words that best matches the relationship between the given pair of words.
1. Dog is to Bark as
a) Cat is to Meow b) Bird is to Fly c) Fish is to Swim d) Cow is to Milk
Solution:
A dog makes the sound “bark,” so we are looking for a pair where the first animal makes a sound.
a) A cat makes the sound meow, which matches the relationship.
Correct Answer: a) Cat is to Meow
2. Sword is to Warrior as
a) Bow is to Archer b) Pen is to Paper c) Hat is to Head d) Book is to Librarian
Solution:
A sword is the tool used by a warrior.
a) A bow is the tool used by an archer, which matches.
Correct Answer: a) Bow is to Archer
3. Artist is to Canvas as
a) Chef is to Recipe b) Carpenter is to Wood c) Teacher is to Student d) Pilot is to Plane
Solution:
An artist works with a canvas to create something.
b) A carpenter works with wood, which parallels the relationship.
Correct Answer: b) Carpenter is to Wood
4. Hat is to Head as
a) Shoe is to Foot b) Shirt is to Neck c) Glove is to Hand d) Watch is to Wrist
Solution:
A hat is worn on the head.
a) A shoe is worn on the foot, which matches.
Correct Answer: a) Shoe is to Foot
5. Bird is to Egg as
a) Tree is to Leaf b) Kangaroo is to Pouch c) Fish is to Pond d) Butterfly is to Cocoon
Solution:
A bird lays an egg, and a butterfly comes from a cocoon, which creates the same life cycle relationship.
Correct Answer: d) Butterfly is to Cocoon
6. Boat is to Sail as
a) Car is to Wheel b) Plane is to Fly c) House is to Roof d) Ship is to Anchor
Solution:
A boat uses a sail for movement, and a car uses wheels for movement.
Correct Answer: a) Car is to Wheel
7. Farmer is to Tractor as
a) Doctor is to Stethoscope b) Chef is to Knife c) Artist is to Paint d) Pilot is to Airplane
Solution:
A farmer uses a tractor as their tool, and a pilot uses an airplane.
Correct Answer: d) Pilot is to Airplane
8. Candle is to Flame as
a) Lamp is to Electricity b) Wood is to Tree c) Star is to Light d) Car is to Gas
Solution:
A candle gives off a flame, and a star gives off light.
Correct Answer: c) Star is to Light
9. Teacher is to Teach as
a) Writer is to Read b) Singer is to Song c) Chef is to Cook d) Student is to Learn
Solution:
A teacher engages in the action of teaching, and a chef engages in the action of cooking.
Correct Answer: c) Chef is to Cook
Final Thoughts on the Verbal Section
The Verbal section of the SSAT can be tricky, but with regular practice and a solid strategy, you’ll be able to improve your verbal reasoning skills and boost your score. The key is consistent vocabulary building, understanding word relationships, and practicing with real SSAT-style questions.
If you’re looking for more practice on the 2025 Uper Level Verbal SSAT Section, take this practice test to benchmark your abilities!
In the next chapter, we’ll dive into the SSAT Quantitative (Math) section, where we’ll cover everything from basic arithmetic to complex algebra problems, with plenty of practice questions and step-by-step solutions. Let’s get those calculators ready!
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