Module 4 · SSC CGL English Language

Vocabulary

Synonyms, antonyms, idioms, phrasal verbs.

Synonyms & Antonyms · Idioms · Phrasal Verbs

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1. Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms are words that share similar meanings (e.g., abandon / forsake, brief / concise). Antonyms are words with opposite meanings (e.g., abundant / scarce, benevolent / malevolent). In SSC CGL Tier 1 and Tier 2 exams, direct synonym/antonym questions appear frequently. Building a strong repository of word pairs is essential for scoring full marks in this section.

Common Word List (200+ words)

Below is a curated list of 60 high-frequency synonym/antonym pairs drawn from previous SSC CGL papers. Memorise at least 20 new words each day and revise them regularly using spaced repetition.

Word	Synonym	Antonym
Abandon	Forsake, Desert	Retain, Keep
Abundant	Plentiful, Copious	Scarce, Sparse
Benevolent	Kind, Generous	Malevolent, Cruel
Candid	Frank, Honest	Dishonest, Insincere
Diligent	Industrious, Hardworking	Lazy, Indolent
Ephemeral	Fleeting, Transient	Eternal, Permanent
Frugal	Thrifty, Economical	Extravagant, Wasteful
Gregarious	Sociable, Outgoing	Introverted, Unsociable
Haughty	Arrogant, Proud	Humble, Modest
Inevitable	Unavoidable, Certain	Avoidable, Uncertain
Jubilant	Joyful, Elated	Miserable, Sullen
Keen	Eager, Enthusiastic	Apathetic, Indifferent
Lethargic	Sluggish, Lazy	Energetic, Active
Meager	Scanty, Sparse	Plentiful, Abundant
Nefarious	Wicked, Evil	Virtuous, Righteous
Obscure	Unclear, Vague	Clear, Obvious
Placate	Pacify, Soothe	Aggravate, Anger
Querulous	Complaining, Whining	Content, Satisfied
Resilient	Flexible, Tough	Fragile, Weak
Sagacious	Wise, Perceptive	Foolish, Unwise
Tenacious	Persistent, Determined	Weak, Yielding
Ubiquitous	Omnipresent, Pervasive	Rare, Scarce
Verbose	Talkative, Wordy	Concise, Succinct
Wary	Cautious, Vigilant	Reckless, Careless
Zeal	Passion, Enthusiasm	Apathy, Indifference
Acrimonious	Bitter, Hostile	Harmonious, Pleasant
Brusque	Blunt, Rude	Polite, Courteous
Capricious	Whimsical, Fickle	Steadfast, Consistent
Deleterious	Harmful, Damaging	Beneficial, Healthful
Enigma	Mystery, Puzzle	Clarity, Explanation
Fallacious	Misleading, False	Correct, True
Garrulous	Talkative, Loquacious	Taciturn, Reserved
Hamper	Obstruct, Hinder	Facilitate, Help
Impetuous	Impulsive, Hasty	Deliberate, Cautious
Jocular	Humorous, Jovial	Serious, Grave
Lucid	Clear, Understandable	Confused, Opaque
Mitigate	Lessen, Alleviate	Aggravate, Intensify
Novice	Beginner, Learner	Expert, Veteran
Ominous	Threatening, Sinister	Promising, Auspicious
Pragmatic	Practical, Realistic	Idealistic, Impractical
Quiescent	Still, Inactive	Active, Restless
Rebuke	Scold, Reprimand	Praise, Commend
Sparse	Scanty, Meager	Dense, Abundant
Taciturn	Reserved, Silent	Talkative, Loquacious
Unyielding	Stubborn, Rigid	Flexible, Compliant
Vindictive	Revengeful, Spiteful	Forgiving, Merciful
Whimsical	Capricious, Fanciful	Consistent, Steady
Xenophobia	Racism, Prejudice	Tolerance, Acceptance
Yearn	Long, Crave	Dislike, Detest
Zenith	Peak, Apex	Nadir, Bottom
Alacrity	Eagerness, Readiness	Reluctance, Hesitation
Bellicose	Aggressive, Warlike	Peaceful, Pacifist
Complacent	Self-satisfied, Content	Dissatisfied, Ambitious
Dauntless	Fearless, Brave	Cowardly, Timid
Ebullient	Enthusiastic, Exuberant	Depressed, Listless
Fastidious	Meticulous, Particular	Careless, Sloppy

Strategies for SSC CGL

To master synonyms and antonyms for SSC CGL, follow a systematic approach. Learn words in thematic groups, use root-word analysis, and practise with actual exam questions from previous years. Focus on words that appear frequently in SSC CGL papers rather than obscure vocabulary.

Tip 1: Root Word Method

Learn common Latin and Greek roots. Example: 'Bene' (good) → benefit, benevolent, benefactor, benediction. 'Mal' (bad) → malicious, malevolent, malpractice, malfunction. 'Omni' (all) → omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, omnivorous. This helps you deduce meanings of unfamiliar words on the exam.

Tip 2: Mnemonic Association

Create vivid mental images. For 'Ephemeral' (short-lived), think: "An EPHant lived for just a day — ephemeral!" For 'Gregarious' (sociable), imagine a "GREG" who loves parties. Silly associations stick better than rote memorisation.

Tip 3: Weekly Revision Schedule

Divide 200 words into 10 groups of 20. Learn one group daily Mon-Fri. Revise all 100 on Saturday. Do 20 new + 80 mixed on Sunday. Use a notebook or an app like Anki for spaced repetition. By week 10, you will have covered 200+ words with solid retention.

Context-based Questions

In SSC CGL, synonym and antonym questions often appear in context. You are given a sentence with an underlined word and asked to choose the closest meaning or opposite. Understanding context is key because many words have multiple meanings.

Example 1 (Synonym in Context) — SSC CGL 2022

Select the most appropriate synonym of the underlined word:

"The judge was known for his equitable decisions that treated all parties fairly."

a) Partial b) Unbiased c) Strict d) Lenient

Solution: b) Unbiased. 'Equitable' means fair and impartial, which is synonymous with 'unbiased'. 'Partial' is the opposite (antonym), while strict and lenient refer to severity, not fairness.

Example 2 (Antonym in Context) — SSC CGL 2021

Select the most appropriate antonym of the underlined word:

"His arrogant behaviour made him unpopular among colleagues."

a) Proud b) Confident c) Humble d) Bold

Solution: c) Humble. 'Arrogant' means showing an exaggerated sense of self-importance. The opposite is 'humble' (modest). 'Proud' is similar (not opposite), and 'confident/bold' are neutral qualities.

Example 3 (Choosing Correct Synonym) — SSC CGL 2023

Select the word that is closest in meaning to 'Prolific':

a) Rare b) Productive c) Wasteful d) Slow

Solution: b) Productive. 'Prolific' means producing much fruit or foliage or many offspring; highly productive. A prolific writer publishes many books; a prolific artist creates many works.

2. One-Word Substitutions

One-word substitution questions test your ability to replace a phrase or description with a single precise word. SSC CGL typically asks 2–3 such questions in Tier 1 and 3–4 in Tier 2. Mastering these saves time and boosts your score, especially in the English Language section.

By Category

Learning one-word substitutions by category helps in faster recall. Below are comprehensive tables organised by theme for easy memorisation.

Professions & Practitioners

Description	One-Word
One who compiles a dictionary	Lexicographer
One who draws maps	Cartographer
One who collects stamps	Philatelist
One who loves books	Bibliophile
One who studies the stars	Astronomer
One who foretells events by stars	Astrologer
One who walks in sleep	Somnambulist
One who talks in sleep	Somniloquist
One who can use both hands equally	Ambidextrous
One who is all-powerful	Omnipotent
One who knows everything	Omniscient
One who is present everywhere	Omnipresent
One who looks at the bright side of things	Optimist
One who looks at the dark side of things	Pessimist
One who hates mankind	Misanthropist
One who loves mankind	Philanthropist
One who speaks many languages	Polyglot
One who is incapable of being corrected	Incurable
One who is a centre of attraction	Cynosure
One who is unable to pay debts	Insolvent

Places & Institutions

Description	One-Word
A place where birds are kept	Aviary
A place where bees are kept	Apiary
A place where weapons are stored	Arsenal
A place where money is coined	Mint
A place where dead bodies are kept	Morgue / Mortuary
A place for luggage at railway station	Cloakroom
A place where animals are slaughtered	Abattoir
A place for religious isolation	Monastery / Convent
A place where grains are stored	Granary
A place for keeping automobiles	Garage
A place for public entertainment	Auditorium
A place for racing animals	Racetrack
A place for fish storage	Aquarium
A place for keeping dogs	Kennel
A place where orphans live	Orphanage
A place for keeping prisoners	Prison / Jail

Qualities, Characteristics & Abstract Concepts

Description	One-Word
That which cannot be read	Illegible
That which cannot be heard	Inaudible
That which cannot be believed	Incredible
That which cannot be conquered	Invincible
That which cannot be seen through	Opaque
That which cannot be satisfied	Insatiable
That which is beyond correction	Incurable
That which cannot be avoided	Inevitable
That which is unfit for eating	Inedible
Something that lasts forever	Eternal / Perpetual
Something that happens once in a year	Annual
Something that happens every two years	Biennial
Something that can be easily broken	Fragile
A speech without preparation	Extempore / Impromptu
A remedy for all diseases	Panacea
Animals that eat flesh	Carnivorous
Animals that eat plants	Herbivorous
Animals that eat everything	Omnivorous
A life story written by oneself	Autobiography
A life story written by someone else	Biography

SSC CGL High-Frequency List

The following one-word substitutions have appeared multiple times in SSC CGL papers. Focus on these as high-priority items for your exam preparation.

#	Phrase	One-Word
1	A person who looks at the bright side of things	Optimist
2	A person who looks at the dark side of things	Pessimist
3	A speech made without preparation	Extempore
4	A remedy for all diseases	Panacea
5	One who knows everything	Omniscient
6	One who is all-powerful	Omnipotent
7	One who is present everywhere	Omnipresent
8	One who loves books	Bibliophile
9	One who hates mankind	Misanthropist
10	One who loves mankind	Philanthropist
11	One who walks in sleep	Somnambulist
12	A place where birds are kept	Aviary
13	A place where bees are kept	Apiary
14	A place where dead bodies are kept	Morgue / Mortuary
15	That which cannot be read	Illegible
16	That which cannot be heard	Inaudible
17	That which cannot be conquered	Invincible
18	That which cannot be believed	Incredible
19	That which lasts forever	Eternal / Perpetual
20	A speech by one person alone	Monologue
21	A speech between two people	Dialogue
22	Animals that eat flesh	Carnivorous
23	Animals that eat plants	Herbivorous
24	One who compiles a dictionary	Lexicographer
25	One who draws maps	Cartographer

Pro Tip: Group by Suffix

Many one-word substitutions follow patterns. '-cide' = killing (homicide, suicide, genocide, patricide, fratricide). '-phile' = lover (bibliophile, audiophile, francophile). '-phobe' = hater/fearer (xenophobe, claustrophobe, arachnophobe). '-graphy' = writing (biography, calligraphy, choreography). Learn these suffixes to unlock dozens of words at once for your SSC CGL exam.

Memory Trick: The 'Omni' Trio

The prefix 'Omni-' means 'all'. Three words form the complete set: Omniscient (all-knowing), Omnipotent (all-powerful), Omnipresent (all-present). Visualise a being who knows everything, can do everything, and is everywhere at once. Remember this comic 'omni' trio for your exam!

Example 4 (One-Word Substitution) — SSC CGL 2020

Select the most appropriate one-word substitution for the given group of words:

"A person who is unable to pay his debts"

a) Insolvent b) Bankrupt c) Indigent d) Destitute

Solution: a) Insolvent. 'Insolvent' specifically refers to inability to pay debts. 'Bankrupt' is a legal status. 'Indigent' and 'Destitute' refer to extreme poverty, not specifically inability to repay debts.

Example 5 (One-Word Substitution) — SSC CGL 2021

"A place where money is coined" — select the correct one-word:

a) Mint b) Treasury c) Vault d) Bank

Solution: a) Mint. A mint is specifically a place where coins of currency are officially manufactured under government authority. A treasury stores money, a vault stores valuables, and a bank facilitates financial transactions.

3. Idioms & Phrases

Idioms and phrases are fixed expressions whose meanings cannot be deduced from the individual words. SSC CGL asks 3–5 idiom questions in Tier 1 and more in Tier 2. They test both meaning recognition and contextual usage. Learning idioms by theme improves recall significantly.

Common Idioms (100+)

Below are 60+ high-frequency idioms grouped by theme. Each group shares a common conceptual thread, making them easier to learn and remember for the SSC CGL exam.

Time & Frequency Idioms

Idiom	Meaning
Once in a blue moon	Very rarely
Burn the midnight oil	Study or work late into the night
Against the clock	In a great hurry, with limited time
At the eleventh hour	At the last possible moment
Behind the times	Old-fashioned, outdated
In the nick of time	Just in time, barely on time
Call it a day	Stop working for the day
A rainy day	A time of future need or difficulty
Day in and day out	Continuously, repeatedly over time
Better late than never	Better to do something late than not at all

Success & Failure Idioms

Idiom	Meaning
Hit the nail on the head	Be exactly correct about something
Make a mountain out of a molehill	Exaggerate a minor issue or problem
Cut corners	Do something poorly to save time or money
Go the extra mile	Make an extra special effort beyond what is required
Win hands down	Win easily without much effort
Fall flat	Fail completely or produce no effect
Bring home the bacon	Earn a living, succeed in an endeavour
Bite the bullet	Face a difficult or unpleasant situation bravely
Miss the bus	Miss an opportunity
Steal someone's thunder	Take credit for someone else's idea or action

Communication & Relationship Idioms

Idiom	Meaning
Spill the beans	Reveal a secret
Let the cat out of the bag	Disclose a secret unintentionally
Beat around the bush	Avoid the main topic, speak indirectly
See eye to eye	Agree with someone, share the same view
Play devil's advocate	Argue against something for the sake of debate
Give someone the cold shoulder	Ignore someone deliberately
Bury the hatchet	Make peace, end a quarrel or conflict
Face the music	Face the consequences of one's actions
Put your foot in your mouth	Say something embarrassing or offensive
Get along with	Have a good relationship with someone

Money & Business Idioms

Idiom	Meaning
Break the bank	Cost too much, be very expensive
Cost an arm and a leg	Be extremely expensive
Cut your losses	Stop investing in a failing venture
Dutch treat	Each person pays for themselves
A penny for your thoughts	Asking what someone is thinking about
Feel like a million dollars	Feel great, fantastic
Put your money where your mouth is	Back up words with action or funding
Cash cow	A reliable source of profit
Cook the books	Falsify financial records
Turn a blind eye	Ignore something deliberately

Health & Emotion Idioms

Idiom	Meaning
Under the weather	Feeling ill or unwell
Fit as a fiddle	In excellent physical health
Green with envy	Very jealous or envious
Red with anger	Extremely angry
On cloud nine	Extremely happy, elated
Down in the dumps	Sad, depressed, in low spirits
A bundle of nerves	Very nervous or anxious
Cold feet	Nervousness before a big event
Butterflies in the stomach	Nervous or anxious feeling
Blue in the face	Exhausted from extreme effort

Memory Trick: Visualisation

Create vivid mental images for idioms. For 'Spill the beans' (reveal a secret), picture someone accidentally knocking over a jar of beans labelled "SECRETS". For 'Bite the bullet' (face difficulty bravely), imagine a soldier biting a bullet during surgery. The more absurd the image, the stronger the memory for your SSC CGL exam.

Memory Trick: Colour Idioms

Colour-based idioms are easy to group. Green = envy/inexperience (green with envy, greenhorn). Red = anger/danger (red with anger, red flag, red-handed). Blue = sadness (feeling blue, blue Monday). Black = negativity (black sheep, black mark). Grey = ambiguity (grey area). Learn them as a colour family for faster recall.

Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are verb + preposition or adverb combinations that create a new meaning. SSC CGL tests these in sentence completion and error detection sections. Learning them by base verb is an effective strategy since one base verb can have 5–10 different phrasal meanings.

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
Give up	Quit, surrender	She gave up smoking last year.
Give in	Yield, surrender after resistance	They finally gave in to the demands.
Give away	Distribute or reveal a secret	He gave away all his old books.
Give out	Distribute or stop functioning	The engine gave out on the highway.
Look after	Take care of	She looks after her elderly parents.
Look for	Search for something	I am looking for my lost keys.
Look into	Investigate	The police are looking into the matter.
Look up to	Respect, admire	He looks up to his elder brother.
Put off	Postpone	Put off the meeting till next week.
Put up with	Tolerate, endure	I cannot put up with this noise.
Put on	Wear or pretend	She put on a brave face.
Put out	Extinguish or inconvenience	Put out the fire immediately.
Take after	Resemble a family member	She takes after her mother.
Take off	Remove, depart, or succeed	The business really took off.
Take over	Assume control	The new CEO took over last month.
Take up	Start a hobby or activity	He took up gardening during lockdown.
Break down	Stop functioning or collapse	The car broke down on the highway.
Break into	Enter forcibly	Thieves broke into the house.
Break out	Escape or start suddenly	A fire broke out in the building.
Break through	Make a discovery or penetrate	Scientists broke through the barrier.
Come across	Find by chance	I came across an old photograph.
Come up with	Think of, produce an idea	She came up with a brilliant plan.
Run out of	Exhaust the supply	We ran out of fuel halfway.
Run into	Meet unexpectedly	I ran into an old friend.
Turn down	Reject or refuse	She turned down the job offer.
Turn up	Appear or arrive	He turned up late for the meeting.

Learning Strategy: Group by Base Verb

Master phrasal verbs by learning all variants of one base verb at a time. For example, learn all 'Give' phrasal verbs in one session: give up (quit), give in (surrender), give away (distribute/reveal), give out (distribute/fail), give back (return). This method creates a mental network that strengthens recall during the SSC CGL exam.

SSC CGL Pattern Questions

Below are idiom and phrasal verb questions framed in the exact SSC CGL pattern. These include meaning-based, context-based, and substitution-type questions commonly seen in actual exams.

Example 6 (Idiom Meaning) — SSC CGL 2022

Select the correct meaning of the idiom 'To let the cat out of the bag':

a) To adopt a pet b) To reveal a secret unintentionally c) To catch a thief d) To buy something in a bag

Solution: b) To reveal a secret unintentionally. The idiom originates from an old market trick where sellers would put a cat in a bag pretending it was a piglet. If the cat was let out, the trick was exposed.

Example 7 (Phrasal Verb in Context) — SSC CGL 2021

Select the most appropriate phrasal verb to fill the blank:

"The committee decided to _____ the proposal until further review."

a) put off b) put on c) put out d) put by

Solution: a) put off. 'Put off' means to postpone. The sentence indicates the proposal was delayed. 'Put on' means to wear, 'put out' means to extinguish, and 'put by' means to save for later.

Example 8 (Idiom Substitution) — SSC CGL 2023

Select the option that can substitute the underlined idiom in the sentence:

"The manager hit the nail on the head when he identified the real problem."

a) Made a mistake b) Was exactly right c) Hit someone d) Worked hard

Solution: b) Was exactly right. 'Hit the nail on the head' means to be exactly correct about something. The context confirms the manager was accurate in identifying the problem.

Example 9 (Idiom in Context) — SSC CGL 2020

Choose the correct meaning of the underlined idiom:

"She was green with envy when she saw her friend's new car."

a) Feeling sick b) Very jealous c) Extremely happy d) Very angry

Solution: b) Very jealous. 'Green with envy' means extremely jealous or envious of someone else's possessions, achievements, or advantages. The colour green is traditionally associated with envy.

4. Spelling & Common Errors

Spelling questions in SSC CGL test your ability to identify correctly or incorrectly spelled words. These appear in both Tier 1 and Tier 2 exams. Many common errors in spelling follow predictable patterns such as double-letter confusion, silent-letter omission, and similar-sounding suffixes.

Commonly Misspelled Words in SSC CGL

Correct Spelling	Common Mistake	Memory Trick
Accommodation	Accomodation	Double c, double m: aCCoMModation
Occurrence	Occurence	Double c, double r: oCCuRRe
Separate	Seperate	There is 'a r' in separate (a rat)
Definitely	Definately	Finite + ly: deFINITEly
Embarrass	Embarass	Double r, double s: baRRaSS
Millennium	Millenium	Double l, double n: miLLeNNium
Privilege	Privelege	privi + lege (no 'd')
Rhythm	Rythm	Rhythm Helps Your Two Hips Move
Consensus	Consensus	Sensus (not census) in consensus
Harass	Harrass	One r, two s's: haRass
Necessary	Neccessary	One c, two s's: neCeSSary
Maintenance	Maintainance	Main + ten + ance (not maintain)
Pronunciation	Pronounciation	NUN, not NOUN: proNUNciation
Receive	Recieve	'i' before 'e' except after 'c'
Calendar	Calender	Ends with 'dar' not 'der'
Guarantee	Guarentee	GUA-ran-tee, not GUA-ren-tee
Independent	Independant	Depend + ent: indePENDent
Perseverance	Perserverance	Severe + ance: perSEVEREance
Vacuum	Vaccum	Double u: vacUU m
Committee	Comittee	Double m, double t, double e

Spelling Rule: 'i' Before 'e' Except After 'c'

This classic rule applies to words like receive, deceive, perceive (ei after c) and believe, achieve, relieve (ie after other letters). Exceptions: seize, weird, height, leisure, foreign, science, sufficient, ancient. Memorise the exceptions as a separate list and you will ace SSC CGL spelling questions.

Example 10 (Spelling) — SSC CGL 2022

Select the correctly spelled word:

a) Accommodate b) Acommodate c) Accomodate d) Acomodate

Solution: a) Accommodate. This word has double c and double m. Think: "It takes two c's and two m's to accommodate a room." This is one of the most frequently tested spelling words in SSC CGL history.

Example 11 (Spelling) — SSC CGL 2021

Select the INCORRECTLY spelled word:

a) Occurrence b) Embarrass c) Millenium d) Harass

Solution: c) Millenium. The correct spelling is 'Millennium' with double n. Option c is the incorrect one. 'Occurrence' (double c, double r), 'Embarrass' (double r, double s), and 'Harass' (single r, double s) are all correctly spelled.

5. Word Roots, Prefixes & Suffixes

Understanding word roots, prefixes, and suffixes is one of the most powerful vocabulary-building strategies. By learning the building blocks of English words, you can deduce the meaning of unfamiliar words in the SSC CGL exam without having to memorise every single word.

Common Latin and Greek Roots

Root	Meaning	Examples
Bene	Good	Benefit, Benevolent, Benefactor, Benediction
Mal	Bad	Malicious, Malevolent, Malpractice, Malfunction
Omni	All	Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent
Bio	Life	Biology, Biography, Antibiotic, Symbiosis
Chron	Time	Chronic, Chronicle, Chronology, Synchronise
Dict	Say	Dictate, Dictionary, Verdict, Contradict
Graph	Write	Biography, Calligraphy, Autograph, Geography
Logy	Study of	Biology, Psychology, Geology, Sociology
Phon	Sound	Telephone, Symphony, Microphone, Phonics
Port	Carry	Transport, Export, Import, Portable
Spec	Look	Inspect, Spectacle, Prospect, Spectator
Vid	See	Video, Evidence, Provide, Vision
Aud	Hear	Audio, Audience, Auditorium, Audit
Tract	Pull	Attract, Extract, Subtract, Tractor
Voc	Voice	Vocal, Advocate, Vocabulary, Voice
Aqua	Water	Aquarium, Aquatic, Aquifer, Aqua

Common Prefixes

Prefix	Meaning	Examples
Un-	Not	Unhappy, Unusual, Unfair, Unkind
Pre-	Before	Preview, Predict, Precaution, Prepaid
Post-	After	Postpone, Postgraduate, Postscript
Dis-	Not, away	Disagree, Disappear, Disapprove, Disorder
Mis-	Wrongly	Mistake, Mislead, Misunderstand, Mischief
Re-	Again	Rewrite, Rebuild, Reconsider, Return
Inter-	Between	International, Interact, Internet, Interview
Sub-	Under	Subway, Submarine, Substandard, Submit
Super-	Above	Supermarket, Superman, Superficial, Superior
Anti-	Against	Antisocial, Antibiotic, Antifreeze, Antonym
Co-	Together	Cooperate, Coordinate, Coexist, Coauthor
Trans-	Across	Transport, Transfer, Translate, Transform
De-	Down, away	Decrease, Depart, Destroy, Delete
Ex-	Out, former	Export, Exit, Exclude, Ex-president
In-/Im-/Ir-/Il-	Not	Inactive, Impolite, Irrelevant, Illegal

Common Suffixes

Suffix	Part of Speech	Meaning	Examples
-tion / -sion	Noun	Action, state	Education, Decision, Action, Expression
-ment	Noun	Result, state	Enjoyment, Agreement, Development, Government
-ness	Noun	State, quality	Happiness, Sadness, Darkness, Brightness
-ity	Noun	Quality, condition	Activity, Reality, Ability, Creativity
-ous	Adjective	Full of	Dangerous, Famous, Courageous, Generous
-ful	Adjective	Full of	Beautiful, Helpful, Powerful, Grateful
-less	Adjective	Without	Hopeless, Homeless, Careless, Endless
-able / -ible	Adjective	Capable of	Comfortable, Visible, Edible, Portable
-ive	Adjective	Tending to	Active, Creative, Positive, Attractive
-ly	Adverb	In a manner	Quickly, Happily, Carefully, Easily
-ize / -ise	Verb	To make	Realize, Organize, Apologise, Criticize
-er / -or	Noun	One who does	Teacher, Actor, Worker, Doctor
-ist	Noun	One who practices	Artist, Scientist, Journalist, Pharmacist
-ism	Noun	Doctrine, belief	Capitalism, Buddhism, Feminism, Realism
-ology	Noun	Study of	Psychology, Biology, Sociology, Geology

Power Tip: Decode Unknown Words with Roots

In the SSC CGL exam, when you encounter an unfamiliar word, break it into parts: prefix + root + suffix. Example: 'Malefactor' = Male (bad) + Fact (do) + Or (one who) = one who does bad things = criminal. 'Benediction' = Bene (good) + Dict (say) + Ion (noun) = saying good things = blessing. This decoding skill can earn you marks even on words you have never seen before.

Example 12 (Word Root Analysis) — SSC CGL 2022

The word 'Omniscient' means:

a) All-powerful b) All-knowing c) All-present d) All-loving

Solution: b) All-knowing. Break it down: Omni (all) + Scient (knowing) = all-knowing. 'Omnipotent' is all-powerful, 'Omnipresent' is all-present. Learning the 'Omni' prefix helps you distinguish these three commonly tested words in SSC CGL.

Example 13 (Prefix Analysis) — SSC CGL 2021

What is the meaning of 'Subterranean'?

a) Above ground b) Underwater c) Underground d) Outer space

Solution: c) Underground. Sub (under) + Terra (earth/land) + Anean (relating to) = relating to under the earth = underground. 'Submarine' (under water), 'Subway' (underway), and 'Subterranean' (underground) all share the 'Sub-' prefix meaning 'under'.

6. Contextual Vocabulary

Contextual vocabulary questions test your ability to understand the meaning of a word based on the surrounding text. In SSC CGL, these typically appear in Reading Comprehension and Cloze Test sections. Instead of memorising isolated word lists, you must learn to infer meaning from sentence context.

Strategies for Contextual Vocabulary

When you encounter an unfamiliar word in the SSC CGL exam, use these context clue strategies:

Definition Clues: The author directly defines the word. Look for phrases like 'which means', 'that is', 'i.e.', 'namely'. Example: "The doctor was known for his equanimity, which means mental calmness in difficult situations."
Synonym Clues: A nearby word with similar meaning. Example: "The arduous journey was difficult and exhausting."
Antonym Clues: A nearby word with opposite meaning, often introduced by 'but', 'however', 'instead'. Example: "Unlike her gregarious brother, she was shy and reserved."
Example Clues: Examples that illustrate the word. Example: "He collected ephemera: old tickets, postcards, and newspaper clippings."
Cause-and-Effect Clues: The relationship explains the word. Example: "The drought caused desiccation of the soil, leaving deep cracks everywhere."

Contextual Strategy: The Surrounding Sentence

When you see a difficult vocabulary word in RC or Cloze, do not panic. Read the sentence before and after the word. Often, the context provides enough hints to deduce the meaning. Look for cause-effect relationships, contrasts (but, however, although), and examples (such as, for example, like). Practice this skill daily with newspaper editorials.

Daily Practice: Read The Hindu Editorial

Reading the editorial page of The Hindu newspaper daily is one of the most effective ways to build contextual vocabulary for SSC CGL. Underline 5–10 unfamiliar words each day, guess their meaning from context, then look them up. Maintain a vocabulary journal with word, meaning, and the sentence in which you found it. Revise every weekend.

Example 14 (Contextual Vocabulary) — SSC CGL 2023

Select the most appropriate meaning of the word 'Laconic' based on the context:

"The manager was known for his laconic style of communication, often replying in just one or two words."

a) Verbose b) Brief c) Aggressive d) Persuasive

Solution: b) Brief. The context says 'replying in just one or two words', which indicates brevity. 'Laconic' means using very few words, concise. 'Verbose' is the opposite (using too many words).

Example 15 (Contextual Antonym) — SSC CGL 2022

Based on the context, select the most appropriate antonym of 'Obstinate':

"The obstinate child refused to change his mind despite his parents' persuasion, while his sister was quite flexible."

a) Stubborn b) Flexible c) Rigid d) Determined

Solution: b) Flexible. The context sets up a contrast: obstinate child vs flexible sister. 'Obstinate' means stubborn or rigid. The antonym in context is 'flexible'. 'Stubborn', 'Rigid', and 'Determined' are synonyms, not antonyms.

Example 16 (Contextual Clue) — SSC CGL 2021

The word 'Ambivalence' most nearly means:

"He felt ambivalence about the job offer; on one hand it paid well, but on the other hand it required relocating."

a) Enthusiasm b) Mixed feelings c) Certainty d) Indifference

Solution: b) Mixed feelings. The context shows opposing thoughts (good pay vs relocation), indicating conflicted or mixed feelings. 'Ambivalence' means having contradictory attitudes or feelings about something. 'Indifference' means not caring, which is different from having mixed feelings.

Commonly Confused Words (Homophones)

SSC CGL frequently tests homophones — words that sound similar but have different meanings and spellings. These appear in error detection and sentence improvement sections.

Word 1	Meaning	Word 2	Meaning
Accept	To receive	Except	Excluding
Affect	To influence (verb)	Effect	Result (noun)
Compliment	Praise	Complement	Complete, go well with
Stationary	Not moving	Stationery	Writing materials
Principal	Head of school / main	Principle	Fundamental truth
Desert	Arid land / to abandon	Dessert	Sweet course after meal
Biannual	Twice a year	Biennial	Every two years
Elicit	To draw out	Illicit	Unlawful
Eminent	Famous, respected	Imminent	About to happen
Flair	Talent, style	Flare	Sudden burst of flame

Memory Trick for Homophones

Create simple mnemonics. For Stationary vs Stationery: 'Stationary' has an 'a' like 'stand still', while 'Stationery' has an 'e' like 'envelope' and 'letter'. For Principal vs Principle: The principal is your 'pal' (friend). For Desert vs Dessert: You want 'extra s' for dessert because it is sweeter (two s's vs one).

Practice Questions

Test your vocabulary skills with these SSC CGL pattern questions. Click on an option to check your answer and view the solution.

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