What the Verbal Reasoning Section Tests
The ISEE Upper Level Verbal Reasoning section has 40 questions in 20 minutes — that's just 30 seconds per question. It tests two skills:
- Synonyms (~20 questions) — identify the word closest in meaning to the given word
- Sentence Completions (~20 questions) — choose the word that best completes a sentence
This is the fastest-paced section on the ISEE, so knowing your strategies in advance is essential.
Synonym Strategies
Synonym questions look simple: you see a word, and you pick the closest match from four choices. But the tested vocabulary is often advanced, and the wrong answers are designed to look plausible.
Strategy 1: Know the Word? Pick Quickly
If you immediately recognize the word and know its meaning, choose the best match and move on. Don't overthink it — you have 30 seconds per question.
Strategy 2: Don't Know the Word? Use Word Parts
Break unfamiliar words into roots, prefixes, and suffixes:
- bene- means good → benevolent = well-wishing
- mal- means bad → malicious = intending harm
- -ous means full of → copious = full of plenty, abundant
- pre- means before → preclude = prevent beforehand
Even partial knowledge of word parts can help you eliminate wrong answers.
Strategy 3: Think of Contexts You've Seen the Word
If you've heard the word but can't define it precisely, think about where you've encountered it:
- "I've heard 'austere' used to describe a room" → it probably means plain, severe, or simple
- "I've seen 'prolific' used about an author" → it probably means producing a lot
Strategy 4: Eliminate and Guess
If you truly don't know the word, eliminate any answers you're sure are wrong, then guess. The ISEE has no penalty for wrong answers, so never leave a synonym question blank.
Sentence Completion Strategies
Sentence completions test vocabulary and reading comprehension. You need to understand the sentence's meaning to choose the right word.
Strategy 1: Cover the Answers First
Read the sentence without looking at the choices. Fill in the blank with your own word based on context. Then check which answer choice matches.
This prevents you from being tricked by attractive-sounding but wrong answers.
Strategy 2: Look for Clue Words
Every sentence completion has context clues that point to the answer:
- Contrast clues: "although," "despite," "however," "but" → the blank is the opposite of something in the sentence
- Support clues: "because," "since," "therefore," "so" → the blank continues or explains the idea
- Definition clues: the sentence essentially defines the blank word through description
Example: "Although the movie received terrible reviews, audiences found it surprisingly ___." The word "although" signals contrast — the blank must be positive (e.g., "entertaining").
Strategy 3: Check That Your Answer Makes the Whole Sentence Logical
After choosing an answer, reread the complete sentence with your choice inserted. Does it make sense from beginning to end? If something feels off, reconsider.
Building ISEE-Level Vocabulary
Vocabulary improvement takes weeks of consistent work, not last-minute cramming. Here's an effective approach:
Daily Word Study (10–15 minutes)
- Learn 5–7 new words per day from ISEE-level word lists
- For each word, write the definition, part of speech, and use it in a sentence
- Review all words from the previous 3 days before learning new ones
Active Reading
Reading challenging material is the best long-term vocabulary builder:
- Historical fiction — exposes students to formal and archaic vocabulary
- Science articles (National Geographic, Smithsonian) — builds academic vocabulary
- Editorials and opinion pieces — teaches persuasive and evaluative language
- Classic literature — rich vocabulary in context
When your child encounters an unknown word while reading, don't skip it. Look it up, discuss its meaning, and note it for review.
Word Relationships
Study words in groups of synonyms and antonyms:
- Generous, magnanimous, liberal (synonyms)
- Generous vs. miserly, parsimonious, stingy (antonyms)
This builds a web of vocabulary knowledge that helps even when the exact test word is unfamiliar.
Time Management
With only 30 seconds per question:
- Spend no more than 20 seconds on questions where you know (or mostly know) the word
- Use 30–40 seconds on harder questions where you need to reason through word parts or context
- Never spend more than 45 seconds on a single question — guess and move on
- Answer every question — no penalty for guessing
Practice pacing with our free practice questions to build speed without sacrificing accuracy.
For a structured study plan that balances verbal prep with other sections, see our ISEE preparation guide.