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Welcome to the first lesson in your GL 11+ Vocabulary Builder course! In this lesson, you will learn about tier-two vocabulary — the powerful, versatile words that will help you shine in the 11+ exam and beyond.
Vocabulary experts divide English words into three tiers. Understanding these tiers helps you know which words to focus on learning.
| Tier | What it means | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Tier One | Everyday words that almost everyone knows | cat, run, big, happy, house |
| Tier Two | Academic words used across many subjects — not everyday chat, but not specialist jargon either | analyse, reluctant, consequence, significant, elaborate |
| Tier Three | Specialist words used in one particular subject | photosynthesis, isosceles, onomatopoeia |
Tier-two words are the ones that matter most for the 11+ exam. They appear in comprehension passages, in the questions themselves, and in the answer options. If you know these words well, you will understand questions more quickly and choose better answers.
Here is why you should focus on tier-two vocabulary:
They appear in exam questions. Questions might say "What does this passage suggest?" or "Which word is closest in meaning to reluctant?" If you do not know these words, you may misunderstand what the question is asking.
They help you understand texts. Comprehension passages in the 11+ use sophisticated language. Knowing tier-two words means you can read and understand these passages more easily.
They improve your writing. If the exam includes a writing section, using tier-two vocabulary makes your writing more impressive and precise.
They help across all subjects. Unlike tier-three words (which belong to one subject), tier-two words are useful in English, maths word problems, reasoning tests, and everyday life.
Study the table below carefully. For each word, read the definition and the example sentence. Try to picture the word being used.
| Word | Definition | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Abundant | Existing in large quantities; plentiful | The garden was abundant with wildflowers. |
| Apprehensive | Worried or anxious about something that might happen | She felt apprehensive about starting at a new school. |
| Cautious | Careful to avoid danger or mistakes | The cautious fox crept silently through the undergrowth. |
| Contemplate | To think about something carefully for a long time | He sat by the window to contemplate his next move. |
| Determined | Having made a firm decision and being resolved not to change it | The determined climber refused to give up. |
| Elaborate | Detailed and carefully prepared; or to explain in more detail | The palace had elaborate decorations on every wall. |
| Formidable | Inspiring fear or respect through being impressively powerful | The castle was a formidable sight, towering above the village. |
| Hesitant | Slow to act or speak because of uncertainty or reluctance | She was hesitant to answer, unsure of the correct response. |
| Inevitable | Certain to happen; unavoidable | After weeks without rain, a drought was inevitable. |
| Justify | To show or prove to be right or reasonable | Can you justify your answer with evidence from the text? |
| Keen | Eager; enthusiastic; or sharp (as in a keen blade) | The keen student always finished her homework early. |
| Lament | To express sadness or regret about something | The poet wrote a lament for the lost forests. |
| Meticulous | Showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise | Her meticulous notes helped her revise effectively. |
| Neglect | To fail to care for or pay attention to something | The abandoned house had been neglected for years. |
| Ominous | Giving the impression that something bad is going to happen | Dark, ominous clouds gathered on the horizon. |
| Persevere | To continue doing something despite difficulty or delay | If you persevere with your practice, you will improve. |
| Reluctant | Unwilling and hesitant | The reluctant hero was finally persuaded to join the quest. |
| Significant | Important; large enough to be noticed or have an effect | There was a significant improvement in her test scores. |
| Tedious | Too long, slow, or dull; tiresome and boring | Copying out the whole text was a tedious task. |
| Unanimous | Fully in agreement; with everyone sharing the same opinion | The decision to plant a school garden was unanimous. |
Learning new words can feel tricky, but these strategies will help:
Do not just memorise the definition — write your own sentence using the word. This helps your brain connect the word to a real situation.
Write the word on one side of a card and the definition and an example sentence on the other. Test yourself regularly.
Once you learn a new word, you will start noticing it everywhere — in books, newspapers, and even on television. This is called the frequency illusion, and it helps lock the word into your memory.
Words that are related are easier to learn together. For example, you might group words that describe feelings (apprehensive, hesitant, reluctant, keen) or words that describe effort (determined, persevere, meticulous).
If you already know "careful", it is easy to learn "cautious" and "meticulous" as related words with slightly different shades of meaning.
Here are ten more words that appear frequently in 11+ papers:
| Word | Definition | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Acquire | To gain or obtain something | She hoped to acquire new skills at the summer camp. |
| Bewildered | Confused and puzzled | The bewildered traveller could not find the right platform. |
| Conceal | To hide or keep secret | The spy tried to conceal the message inside her shoe. |
| Dispute | A disagreement or argument; or to question the truth of something | There was a dispute about who had scored the winning goal. |
| Endure | To suffer through something difficult without giving up | The explorers had to endure freezing temperatures. |
| Flourish | To grow or develop in a healthy way; to thrive | Plants flourish when they have enough sunlight and water. |
| Gesture | A movement of the hand or body to express an idea or feeling | With a quick gesture, she beckoned him to follow. |
| Hinder | To create difficulties for; to hold back | Heavy rain hindered the rescue efforts. |
| Impeccable | Without fault; flawless | The waiter's manners were impeccable. |
| Juvenile | Relating to young people; or childish and immature | The juvenile birds had not yet learned to fly. |
Match each word on the left to the correct definition on the right.
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| 1. Abundant | a. Certain to happen |
| 2. Contemplate | b. Unwilling and hesitant |
| 3. Formidable | c. Existing in large quantities |
| 4. Inevitable | d. To think about something carefully |
| 5. Reluctant | e. Inspiring fear or respect through being impressive |
Answers: 1-c, 2-d, 3-e, 4-a, 5-b
Choose the correct tier-two word to complete each sentence.
Answers: 1. determined, 2. ominous, 3. hesitant, 4. justify, 5. persevere
Write your own sentence for each of these words: meticulous, significant, apprehensive, elaborate, unanimous.
There is no single correct answer — the important thing is that your sentence shows you understand what the word means.
Top Tip: Keep a vocabulary notebook. Every time you come across a new tier-two word in your reading, write it down with its definition and an example sentence. Review your notebook regularly!