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One of the secrets to scoring highly on the FSCE 11+ exam is using Tier 2 words — powerful, versatile words that make your writing sound mature and sophisticated. This lesson introduces 100 essential Tier 2 words that will transform your vocabulary.
Vocabulary researchers divide words into three tiers:
| Tier | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Basic, everyday words everyone knows | house, happy, run, dog, eat |
| Tier 2 | High-frequency words used across many subjects; important for academic success | reluctant, significant, analyze, demonstrate |
| Tier 3 | Specialist, subject-specific words | photosynthesis, parliament, isosceles |
Tier 2 words are the most important for the FSCE exam because they appear in all kinds of texts — stories, articles, arguments, reports — and using them in your own writing shows examiners that you have a strong, mature vocabulary.
graph TD
A["All English Vocabulary"] --> B["Tier 1: Basic Words<br/>happy, big, run<br/>Everyday conversation"]
A --> C["Tier 2: Academic Words<br/>reluctant, significant, demonstrate<br/>Reading & writing across subjects"]
A --> D["Tier 3: Specialist Words<br/>photosynthesis, algorithm<br/>Specific subjects only"]
style C fill:#4CAF50,color:#fff
| Word | Definition | Example Sentence | Synonym |
|---|---|---|---|
| reluctant | unwilling, hesitant | She was reluctant to speak in front of the class. | hesitant |
| ambitious | having a strong desire to succeed | The ambitious student aimed for the top grade. | driven |
| compassionate | showing sympathy and concern for others | The compassionate nurse comforted the patient. | caring |
| resilient | able to recover quickly from difficulties | After failing the test, the resilient boy tried again. | tough |
| meticulous | showing great attention to detail | Her meticulous handwriting was perfectly neat. | careful |
| defiant | openly refusing to obey | The defiant child refused to tidy his room. | rebellious |
| diligent | hardworking and careful | The diligent student always completed her homework on time. | industrious |
| courageous | brave, willing to face danger | The courageous firefighter entered the burning building. | brave |
| cunning | clever in a sly or tricky way | The cunning fox tricked the other animals. | crafty |
| obstinate | stubbornly refusing to change one's mind | The obstinate donkey would not cross the bridge. | stubborn |
| benevolent | kind and generous | The benevolent king gave food to the poor. | kind-hearted |
| arrogant | having an exaggerated sense of one's importance | The arrogant boy boasted about his test scores. | conceited |
| inquisitive | eager to learn or know things | The inquisitive child asked endless questions. | curious |
| gullible | easily tricked or deceived | The gullible girl believed every word of the story. | naive |
| tenacious | holding firmly, persistent | The tenacious climber refused to give up. | persistent |
| Word | Definition | Example Sentence | Synonym |
|---|---|---|---|
| desolate | empty, bleak, without people | The desolate landscape stretched for miles. | barren |
| picturesque | visually attractive, like a picture | The picturesque village had thatched cottages and a stream. | scenic |
| tranquil | calm, peaceful, quiet | The tranquil lake reflected the mountains. | serene |
| ominous | suggesting something bad is about to happen | Ominous dark clouds gathered overhead. | threatening |
| bustling | full of activity and energy | The bustling market was crowded with shoppers. | busy |
| dilapidated | in a state of ruin or disrepair | The dilapidated barn had a sagging roof and broken windows. | crumbling |
| pristine | in its original, unspoiled condition | The pristine beach had white sand and clear water. | untouched |
| labyrinthine | like a maze, confusing | The labyrinthine corridors of the old castle confused visitors. | maze-like |
| imposing | grand and impressive, sometimes intimidating | The imposing castle towered above the village. | grand |
| bleak | bare, cold, and unwelcoming | The bleak moor offered no shelter from the wind. | stark |
| Word | Definition | Example Sentence | Synonym |
|---|---|---|---|
| illuminate | to light up; to make clear | The candles illuminated the dark room. | light up |
| devastate | to destroy completely; to overwhelm with shock or grief | The earthquake devastated the city. | destroy |
| flourish | to grow or develop well; to thrive | The plants flourished in the warm sunshine. | thrive |
| diminish | to make or become smaller or less | The noise gradually diminished as night fell. | decrease |
| emerge | to come out from; to become visible | The sun emerged from behind the clouds. | appear |
| conceal | to hide; to keep secret | She tried to conceal her disappointment. | hide |
| pursue | to follow or chase; to continue an activity | The detective pursued the suspect through the streets. | chase |
| abandon | to leave completely; to give up | The crew abandoned the sinking ship. | desert |
| transform | to change completely in form or appearance | The caterpillar transformed into a butterfly. | change |
| endure | to suffer through; to last | The explorers endured freezing temperatures. | withstand |
| scrutinise | to examine closely and carefully | The teacher scrutinised the students' work. | inspect |
| provoke | to deliberately annoy or anger someone | His rude comments provoked an angry response. | irritate |
| contemplate | to think about something carefully for a long time | She contemplated the difficult decision for days. | consider |
| accumulate | to gather or collect over time | Dust had accumulated on the shelves. | gather |
| relinquish | to give up or let go of something | He relinquished his place at the front of the queue. | surrender |
| Word | Definition | Example Sentence | Synonym |
|---|---|---|---|
| significant | important, meaningful | The discovery was significant for science. | important |
| fundamental | forming the basic, essential foundation | Reading is a fundamental skill for all learning. | essential |
| controversial | causing disagreement or argument | The new school rule was controversial among parents. | debatable |
| compelling | very convincing or persuasive | She made a compelling argument for more break time. | persuasive |
| valid | reasonable, well-founded | His concerns about safety were perfectly valid. | justified |
| plausible | seeming reasonable or likely to be true | Her explanation was plausible but not proven. | believable |
| undeniable | impossible to deny or argue against | The evidence was undeniable. | indisputable |
| predominantly | mainly, for the most part | The audience was predominantly made up of children. | mostly |
| moreover | in addition, furthermore | The plan is expensive; moreover, it will take too long. | furthermore |
| nevertheless | in spite of that, however | It was raining; nevertheless, they continued the walk. | however |
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