Active and passive voice: rules for every tense
How the verb changes in each tense, pronoun changes, modals and imperative sentences, with SSC examples.
Study notes
Synonyms: strategy and 40 high-frequency word pairs
How to choose the closest meaning, avoid look-alike traps and use context, with a list of 40 common SSC synonym pairs.
Mock Matrix · mockmatrix.in/
What the question asks
You choose the word most similar in meaning to the given word. The word may be given alone or inside a sentence. Options often include an antonym (to catch careless readers) and a word that looks or sounds similar but means something else.
Strategy
- Define the word in simple words first, before reading options. This stops the options from confusing you.
- Watch for look-alikes. “Dearth” (shortage) is not “death”; “eminent” (famous) is not “imminent” (about to happen); “elicit” (draw out) is not “illicit” (illegal).
- Check the tone and part of speech. A positive adjective needs a positive adjective.
- Use context. Many words have more than one meaning. In a sentence, choose the meaning that fits that sentence. “Grave” can mean a burial place or serious.
- Use word roots when you do not know the word: bene- (good), mal- (bad), omni- (all), -phobia (fear), chron- (time).
40 high-frequency pairs
| Word | Synonym | Word | Synonym |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abandon | Desert | Abate | Lessen |
| Abhor | Detest | Adversity | Misfortune |
| Alleviate | Relieve | Ambiguous | Unclear |
| Amiable | Friendly | Apathy | Indifference |
| Audacious | Daring | Benign | Kindly |
| Brevity | Conciseness | Candid | Frank |
| Curtail | Reduce | Dearth | Scarcity |
| Eminent | Distinguished | Enormous | Huge |
| Eradicate | Root out | Exonerate | Acquit |
| Frugal | Thrifty | Hamper | Hinder |
| Haughty | Arrogant | Impeccable | Flawless |
| Inevitable | Unavoidable | Jeopardy | Danger |
| Lethargic | Sluggish | Meticulous | Thorough |
| Mitigate | Ease | Obsolete | Outdated |
| Opulent | Wealthy | Ostentatious | Showy |
| Placid | Calm | Pragmatic | Practical |
| Rebuke | Reprimand | Remorse | Regret |
| Sagacious | Wise | Tedious | Tiresome |
| Tranquil | Peaceful | Ubiquitous | Omnipresent |
| Vigilant | Watchful | Zeal | Enthusiasm |
Tip: Revise with flashcards in both directions: see “frugal”, say “thrifty”; then see “thrifty”, say “frugal”. SSC sometimes gives the common word and asks for the difficult one.
Elimination method
If you are unsure, remove options in this order: first the antonym (it is often obvious), then the look-alike, then any option with a different part of speech. You are usually left with one or two choices, and context settles the rest.
Building your list
Keep a notebook of every new word you meet in mock tests. Write it with a short meaning, one synonym, one antonym and a sentence of your own. Revisit the list weekly. Words seen in previous papers are repeated often, so solving past SSC papers is the best source of new words.
Solved examples
- Choose the synonym of CANDID: (a) frank (b) secretive (c) rude (d) shy
Answer: (a) frank. “Secretive” is the opposite. - Choose the synonym of DEARTH: (a) excess (b) scarcity (c) death (d) cost
Answer: (b) scarcity. “Death” is a look-alike trap and “excess” is the antonym. - The new rules will curtail our freedom. Synonym of “curtail”: (a) expand (b) reduce (c) protect (d) define
Answer: (b) reduce. Curtail means to cut short or limit.
Put this into practiceTake a free mock — rank, cutoff gap and coach report in minutes.
Start a free mock