How to approach sentence equivalence questions
Looking for synonyms
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How to approach sentence equivalence questions
Looking for synonyms
Sentence Equivalence questions consist of a single-sentence passage with one blank. You will be given six choices and asked to use logic and the context of the sentence to identify two words that best fit in the blank. There is no partial credit for Sentence Equivalence questions.
The approach to Sentence Equivalence questions is very similar to the approach to Text Completion questions. Your goal should be to identify contextual clues, understand the relationship they create between the blank and the rest of the sentence, make a prediction for the word in the blank, and then identify the words that best match your prediction. Let’s look at a sample question and the steps to take.
Despite their obvious hostility toward each other, the two teammates remained silent on the issue since they both believed that verbalizing these feelings would undermine the _________________ necessary for the team’s long-term success.
harmony
imbalance
malevolence
tacitness
cooperation
diligence
The causal word “since” indicates that the teammates’ feelings about verbalizing their feelings explains why they remained silent. You know that the feelings were “hostile” and the teammates were afraid that these feelings would “undermine” something necessary for the team’s success. So to make the prediction, ask the following question: What component of team success would “hostile” feelings most likely “undermine”? A good prediction is unity. Now look at the choices, and find the two words closest in meaning to unity. The best choices are harmony and cooperation. The correct answer is A and E.
As shown previously, the general strategy for Sentence Equivalence questions is very similar to the general strategy for single-blank Text Completion questions. However, one key difference between the two question types is the fact that you must select two words for the blank in Sentence Equivalence questions. Though it might appear that this format makes Sentence Equivalence questions more difficult, you can take advantage of this fact by recognizing that the correct answers will almost always be synonyms.
This strategy is beneficial because you can usually eliminate answer choices that have no synonyms. For illustration, let’s block out the sentence in the Sentence Equivalence question below and only show the choices. Look at which choices you can eliminate:
2. Success in this business requires constant of one’s reputation, since even one negative perception can often.
determined
morose
dejected
apathetic
exaggerated
motivated
Since determined and motivated have similar meanings, you can keep A and F. Since morose and dejected have similar meanings, you can keep C and D. But notice that there is no synonym for apathetic and no synonym for exaggerated. Thus without even seeing the sentence, you can eliminate choices D and E!
This strategy could have helped you in the original question in this section. Perhaps you chose diligence as one of your answers. However, if you look back at the choices, you’ll notice that there are no synonyms for diligence. Thus diligence could not have been correct.
For the following questions, select two answer choices that (1) complete the sentence in a way that makes sense and (2) produce sentences that are similar in meaning.
1. It is a common _________________ that most scientific discoveries are simply moments of genius: in fact, the discoveries we hear of usually take years of painstaking work.
myth
verity
curiosity
misconception
trope
theme
2. Success in this business requires constant _________________ of one’s reputation, since even one negative perception can often undo years of hard work.
neglect of
knowledge of
curiosity about
monitoring of
oversight of
consideration of
3. That she was occasionally late to class did not concern the professor; instead, it was only when her tardiness became _________________ that the professor decided to chastise her.
well-known
offensive
habitual
sensitive
commonplace
infrequent
4. Even in football, where violence is considered part of the game, the player’s brutish playing style was _________________.
contrived
excessive
overlooked
gratuitous
ambivalent
forsaken
5. The character’s trademark cynicism was evident in his obvious _________________ the loving couple.
disdain for
contempt for
enthrallment with
amusement at
encouragement of
sensitivity to
6. Despite the website’s large audience, financially minded critics have been skeptical of the website’s ability to _________________ this popularity.
understand
develop
monetize
undermine
capitalize on
elicit
7. Because it prioritizes theory over evidence, serious philosophical thinking takes empirical support as irrelevant, or at least, _________________.
tangential
mitigating
amorphous
inconsequential
disparaging
intellectual
8. Supporters of the company believe that its negative valuation is _________________ the founders’ often childish behavior rather than the company’s merits as a sustainable business.
attributable to
a consequence of
preceded by
obscured by
eliminated by
despite
9. The belief that the increasing use of electronic elements in music detracts from the artistic value of that music is flawed as such a view _________________ the aesthetic abilities necessary to use electronics effectively.
emphasizes
determines
trivializes
neglects
underscores
undermines
10. Far from being dejected by the setback, the _________________ employee used the challenge as motivation to work even harder.
tenacious
ambivalent
plucky
circumspect
morose
understated
For the following questions, select two answer choices that (1) complete the sentence in a way that makes sense and (2) produce sentences that are similar in meaning.
11. Given the _________________ reputation that Picasso has attained in Western culture, the lukewarm reactions to his early work, Les Demoiselles d’Avignon were more the exception than the norm.
anomalous
maligned
misunderstood
legendary
acclaimed
mediocre
12. For a nation known for its populace’s belief in self-reliance, the United States’ increased consumption of self-help books and deference to self-help gurus is _________________.
anticipated
ironic
calculated
pervasive
unexpected
embraced
13. Any investigation that focuses only on television’s negative impacts on people’s attention spans is _________________: the popular shows of a given time period serve as a cultural barometer highlighting the reigning norms and beliefs of that period.
shortsighted
prescient
illuminating
limited
critical
condescending
14. Notwithstanding the _________________ boss, the employees at the small firm are known for their amicability.
cantankerous
jovial
intelligent
serious
frigid
diligent
15. More _________________ than stingy, the accountant will willingly spend money on purchases that he believes justify the cost.
miserly
withholding
frugal
thrifty
profligate
excessive
16. The heroine reacted with uncharacteristic _________________ to her town’s tragedy: prior to that point in the novel, she had been defined by her sentimentality.
stoicism
emotion
aplomb
concern
zealousness
indifference
17. The conclusion to be drawn from the football game is that the outcomes of sporting events are, as a recent commentator accurately stated, _________________: even the best prognostications are flawed.
exciting
retaliatory
enthralling
unforeseen
competitive
unpredictable
18. The lecturer projected an authoritativeness that all too often was undermined by the _________________ nature of his claims.
vacuous
insipid
dilettante
illuminating
surprising
superficial
19. As subtle as it is _________________, the new novel bears little resemblance to the heavy-handedness and superficiality that characterized her previous works.
artificial
supernatural
profound
probing
paradoxical
relevant
20. Far from being problematic, the _________________ nature of scientific knowledge explains much of its appeal: most scientists implicitly recognize that their field’s given theories will eventually be supplanted or amended as new data comes to light.
fluid
benevolent
systematic
tempestuous
dynamic
convoluted
21. The politician’s controversial educational reform policy was _________________ by the record number of high school graduates during his term.
elaborated
underscored
justified
calcified
vindicated
questioned
For the following questions, select two answer choices that (1) complete the sentence in a way that makes sense and (2) produce sentences that are similar in meaning.
22. The fact that the Board cannot reach a resolution on such an urgent issue is a reflection of the _________________ beliefs that underpin the objectives of the various members.
divergent
paradoxical
intimidating
tacit
hyperbolic
discrepant
23. Oftentimes, entrepreneurs are so blinded by the potential _________________ of a successful business that they neglect attention to details necessary for the day-to-day operations of the business.
meticulousness
tangibility
negligence
implications
consequences
derivatives
24. With a plot featuring passionate romantic affairs and far-fetched tragedies, the new novel only reinforces the belief that the author’s flair for the dramatic has devolved into the _________________.
maudlin
surreal
sentimental
immutable
torrid
lachrymose
25. The director’s decision to omit certain scenes from the film seemed uncharacteristically _________________, marked by neither consistency nor, apparently, logic.
arbitrary
selective
discriminating
premeditated
haphazard
fecund
26. The actor’s excitement over the new role was _________________ when he discovered that the role was only for a minor character.
tempered
delivered
intensified
embellished
heightened
diminished
27. Amicable and inclined toward harmony, the artist _________________ all forms of violence: the very idea of harm inspired a shudder.
ignored
pontificated
eschewed
glorified
shirked
curated
28. Her belief in his inherent sincerity _________________ the thought that he could sometimes be deceptive.
precluded
doubted
manifested
clouded
confused
eliminated
29. Though laudable, Lakoff’s account of Dostoevsky’s influences is _________________, focusing only on his Christian background at the expense of Dostoevsky’s concern with the social milieu that he inhabited.
punctuated
impervious
misleading
insufficient
penetrating
inadequate
30. A common misconception about the practice of yoga is that it is _________________ for all of one’s physical maladies; unfortunately, yoga instructors exaggerating the benefits of the practice do nothing to dispel this myth.
a panacea
an antecedent
a decrement
an elixir
a toxin
an elegy
31. With the _________________ of capitalism comes the implication that the accumulation of resources is a contributing factor to, if not a precondition of, psychological well-being.
apotheosis
reduction
persistence
perniciousness
deification
vilification
1. A and D The word in the blank describes common beliefs about scientific discoveries. The contextual clue is “in fact,” which indicates that the following clause is in contrast to what is currently believed about scientific discoveries. If the discoveries actually “take years of painstaking work,” then the common belief is wrong. A good prediction for the blank would be false belief. Of the choices, the words that most closely match false belief are myth and misconception.
2. D and E The word in the blank describes what is necessary to ensure “success in this business.” The contextual clue is the causal clue “since.” If “one negative perception can often undo years of hard work,” then a business would need to maintain its reputation. The words that most closely match maintain are monitoring and oversight.
3. C and E The word in the blank describes the level of tardiness that caused the professor to chastise the student. The contextual clue “instead” indicates contrast. When the student was “occasionally late,” it did not bother the professor. The word in the blank should thus be the opposite of “occasional.” A good prediction would be constant. The choices that best match constant are habitual and commonplace.
4. B and D The word in the blank describes the player’s “brutish playing style.” The contextual clue “even” indicates that the player’s style was extreme for football. Since “violence is considered part of the game,” and the player’s style was extreme, a good prediction would be overboard. The choices that best match overboard are excessive and gratuitous.
5. A and B The word in the blank describes the character’s attitude toward the “loving couple.” Since the character is “cynical,” his attitude toward the couple would most likely be negative. A good prediction would be distaste for. The words in the choice that most closely match distaste for are disdain for and contempt for.
6. C and E The word in the blank tells us what the “financially minded critics have been skeptical” of. The contrast signal “Despite” indicates that their skepticism contrasts with the popularity of the website. If the critics are financially minded, then they would most likely be skeptical of the website’s ability to make money. A good prediction would be take advantage of. The choices that best match take advantage of are monetize and capitalize on.
7. A and D The word in the blank describes the attitude that philosophical thinking takes toward empirical support. The contextual clue “or at least” indicates that this attitude is similar to the belief that “takes empirical support as irrelevant.” A good prediction would be a synonym of “irrelevant”: unimportant. The words in the choices that most match unimportant are tangential and inconsequential.
8. A and B The word in the blank describes the company’s negative valuation. The contextual clue “rather” indicates contrast. Supporters of the company believe that the company is worthwhile, so they most likely have a positive view of the company. Thus they do not think the merits of the company explain its negative valuation. To predict a word we can conclude that the supporters assign the negative valuation to the behavior of the founders instead of to the company itself. Of the choices, the words that best match assign are attributable to and a consequence of.
9. C and D The contextual clue “as” indicates that the word in the blank will explain why the belief in the first part of the sentence is flawed. If “the belief that the increasing use of electronic elements in music detracts from the artistic value of that music is flawed,” then the view most likely ignores the aesthetic abilities displayed by that music. Of the choices, the words that most closely match ignores are neglects and trivializes. The correct answer is C and D.
10. A and C The word in the blank describes the employee. The contrast clue “far from” indicates that the employee behaved in a manner that contrasts with the way someone “discouraged” behaves. A good prediction would be persistent. The words that most closely match persistent are tenacious and plucky.
11. D and E The blank describes Picasso’s reputation. The logical structure “Given x then y” is a causal clue, indicating that the first part of the sentence will determine the content of the second part of the sentence. If Picasso’s current reputation leads to the conclusion that the lukewarm reactions to his early works were “the exception,” then his reputation must be positive. A good prediction would be celebrated. Of the choices, the words closest in meaning to celebrated are legendary and acclaimed.
12. B and E The word in the blank will describe the “United States’ increased consumption of self-help books and deference to self-help gurus.” The contrast clue “for” indicates that this description is in spite of the US reputation for self-reliance. To make a prediction, if the United States is known for self-reliance, then its focus on self-help is surprising. Of the choices, the words that most closely match surprising are ironic and unexpected.
13. A and D The word in the blank describes “any investigation that focuses only on television’s negative impacts on people’s attention spans.” The contextual clue (:) indicates that what comes after the colon will clarify what the author believes about these investigations. To make a prediction: if the investigations provide cultural insights, then ones that focus only on the negative impacts on attention span will be narrow. Of the choices, the words closest in meaning to narrow are shortsighted and limited.
14. A and E The word in the blank describes the boss. The word “notwithstanding” indicates contrast. Thus the description of the boss will contrast with the description of the other employees. If the other employees are amicable, the description of the boss will be the opposite of amicable. Now select your own word. A good word for “opposite of amicable” is unfriendly. The answer choices closest in meaning to unfriendly are cantankerous and frigid.
15. C and D The word in the blank will characterize the accountant. The structure “More x than stingy” implies that the characterization of the accountant will have a different connotation than the word “stingy.” This characterization will match a description of someone who “will willingly spend money.” A good word here would be thrifty. The words closest in meaning to thrifty are frugal and thrifty. (Notice that sometimes the word you predict will show up in the choices!)
16. A and F The word in the blank describes the heroine’s “uncharacteristic” response to the tragedy. The colon is the important contextual clue in the sentence. In this case, what comes after it will clarify how the heroine typically responds. Her typical response is marked by “sentimentality.” Thus her current “uncharacteristic” response will be the opposite of sentimentality. A good predictor is emotionless. The choices closest in meaning to emotionless are stoicism and indifference.
17. D and F The word in the blank characterizes the outcome of sporting events. The colon is the contextual clue in this sentence. What comes after the colon will clarify the description of the outcomes of sporting events. If “even the best prognostications are flawed,” then a good word for the blank would be surprising. The words in the choices that best match surprising are unforeseen and unpredictable.
18. A and F The word in the blank will describe the lecturer’s claims. The word “undermined” implies that there is a contrast between the lecturer’s claims and the “authoritativeness” that he projected. The word in the blank should thus be the opposite of what would be expected from someone who projects “authoritativeness.” A good prediction would be shallowness. The words in the choices that best match shallowness are vacuous and superficial.
19. C and D The word in the blank is a characteristic of the new novel. The phrase “bears little resemblance” indicates that the new novel’s characteristics will be the opposite of those of the original novel. “Subtle” is the opposite of “heavy-handed,” so the word in the blank will be the opposite of “superficiality.” Now choose your own word: a good word would be deep. Of the choices, the words that most closely match deep are profound and probing.
20. A and E The word in the blank will describe “scientific knowledge.” The contextual clue in the sentence is the colon. What comes after it will clarify what was stated before it. In this case, what comes after the colon will provide a clue for what the description of scientific knowledge will be. Since scientists recognize that their theories will be “supplanted or amended,” the nature of scientific knowledge is that it is changing. The words in the choices that best match changing are fluid and dynamic.
21. C and E The word in the blank provides a description of the controversial policy. What impact would the record number of high school graduates have on the policy? It would most likely redeem it. Of the choices, the words closest in meaning to redeem are vindicated and justified.
22. A and F The word in the blank describes the beliefs of the various members of the Board. Since the members cannot reach a resolution, their beliefs must be different. The words that best match the choices are divergent and discrepant.
23. D and E What potential element of a successful business would “blind” an entrepreneur from attending to the “day-to-day operations of the business”? The most likely candidate is the results. Of the choices, the words closest in meaning to results are implications and consequences.
24. A and C The word in the blank describes what the author’s “flair for the dramatic” has “devolved” into. The describing phrase at the beginning of the sentence serves as a contextual clue by telling us what the novel now features. The combination of the clue at the beginning of the sentence and the word “devolved” tells us that the word in the blank is an extreme version of “dramatic.” A good predictor would be melodramatic. The words that best match melodramatic are maudlin and sentimental.
25. A and E The word in the blank describes the director’s decision. The contextual clue is the describing phrase after the comma. This phrase clarifies the meaning of the author’s decision. If the decision is “marked by neither consistency nor, apparently, logic,” then a good predictor word would be random. The words that best match random are arbitrary and haphazard.
26. A and F The word in the blank describes what happened to the actor’s excitement after the discovery. Since he discovered that the role was only for a minor character, something negative must have happened to his excitement. A good prediction here would be decreased. The words that best match decreased are tempered and diminished.
27. C and E The blank describes the author’s attitude toward violence. The contextual clues are the description that the author is “amicable and inclined toward harmony” and the phrase after the colon that says the “idea of harm inspired a shudder.” A good predictor word to select from these characterizations is avoided. Of the choices, the words closest in meaning to avoided are eschewed and shirked.
28. A and F The word in the blank explains the relationship between “her belief in his inherent sincerity” and the possibility that “he could sometimes be deceptive.” Since she believed him to be sincere, the possibility of his insincerity must have been nonexistent. A good verb to predict is eliminated. Of the choices, the words closest in meaning to eliminated are precluded and eliminated.
29. D and F The word in the blank describes “Lakoff’s account of Dostoevsky’s influences.” The clause after the comma explains what will go in the blank. Since Lakoff’s account did not address “Dostoevsky’s concern with the social milieu that he inhabited,” the account must have been limited. Of the choices, the words closest in meaning to limited are insufficient and inadequate.
30. A and D The word in the blank describes the common misconception about yoga. Since “exaggerating the benefits … do nothing to dispel this myth,” the myth must concern an extreme belief about yoga’s benefits. An extreme belief would be the belief that it is a cure-all. Of the choices, the words closest in meaning to cure-all are panacea and elixir.
31. A and E The word in the blank describes how capitalism is viewed. If the word in the blank implies the belief that capital increases well-being, then capitalism must be glorified. Of the choices, the words closest in meaning to glorified are apotheosis and deification.