In Key Stage 2 Literacy, synonyms and antonyms play a key part and are quite often seen in the 11 plus and Key Stage 2 SATs. These grammar terms can confuse both pupils and parents.
Key Stage 2 Literacy – Synonyms
These are words which have the same meaning. A thesaurus contains a number of words that have nearly the same meaning or the same meaning (synonym). Encourage your child to use a thesaurus when they are writing creatively. Pick out 2 or 3 boring words in a piece of writing and use the thesaurus to find synonyms. This will not only improve vocabulary but also add unusual vocabulary to impress the reader.
A sentence could read:
We could see the big dog sitting near the smelly pond.
With the use of a thesaurus:
We could spot the huge dog sitting near the putrid pond.
Whizz Match is a vocabulary card game which helps children to learn new vocabulary in a fun way. The game is for children in year 5 and 6 to extend their word knowledge. Children can be play the game independently or in teams. It includes 200+ challenging synonyms and ideal when preparing for 11 plus and Key Stage 2 SATs.
Key Stage 2 Literacy – Antonyms
Antonyms are words which have opposite meanings. People enjoy thinking in opposites. Arguing, debating, and sometimes being ‘contrary’ just for its own sake, are all popular human activities. It would be very hard to argue or debate without antonyms!
You can find many words in the English language that will have an antonym such as yes and no; right and wrong; good and bad. There are also plenty of words that don’t have an antonym. One such word is ‘monkey’.
Whizz Opposites is a card game to extend children’s vocabulary knowledge. The pack contains 200+ challenging words and is for year 5 and 6 to support with 11 plus preparation and Key Stage 2 SATs.