HSPT

The Verbal Skills subtest is the first section of the HSPT and the fastest: 60 questions in 16 minutes, an average of about 16 seconds per question. It measures vocabulary and verbal reasoning through five question types: synonyms, antonyms, verbal analogies, verbal logic, and verbal classification. Every question except verbal logic has four answer choices; verbal logic questions have three (true, false, or uncertain). Because time is so short, success depends on recognizing words and relationships quickly, answering every question, and never stalling on one item.

Type	TypicalWording	WhatItTests
Synonym	Candidmostnearlymeans	Recognizingawordwiththesameornearlythe
		samemeaning
Antonym	Scarcemeanstheoppositeof	Recognizingawordwiththeoppositemeaning
Analogy	Authoristonovelascomposeristo	Identifyingarelationshipandapplyingittoanew
		pair
Verballogic	Threestatements;ifthefirsttwoaretrue thethirdis ,	Deductivereasoningfromgivenfactsonly
	true false oruncertain , ,
Classification	Whichworddoesnotbelongwiththeothers?	Findingthesharedcategoryandtheitemoutsideit

Understanding Synonyms

Synonyms are words with the same or nearly the same meaning. A synonym question gives a single word, sometimes inside a short phrase, and asks which choice most nearly means the same thing. The words are chosen from the vocabulary expected of strong eighth-grade readers, so many are academic words that appear in textbooks and literature rather than in everyday speech.

Understanding Antonyms

Antonyms are words with opposite meanings. An antonym question asks which choice means the opposite of the given word. The most common trap is a choice that is a synonym of the given word: the test writers know that a hurried reader may recognize a related word and choose it without noticing that the question asks for the opposite.

Strategies for Synonym and Antonym Questions

Define the word before reading the choices

Form your own short definition first, then look for the choice that matches it. For an antonym, form the opposite before reading the choices.

Check the direction of the question

Confirm whether the question asks for the same meaning or the opposite. Synonyms appear as distractors on antonym questions, and antonyms appear as distractors on synonym questions.

Use word parts for unfamiliar words

Prefixes, roots, and suffixes often reveal a word's general meaning: un- means not, dis- means opposite of, re- means again, pre- means before, -ful means full of, -less means without, and -able means capable of. A full table of word parts appears in Section 3.3.

Watch for multiple meanings

Light can mean not heavy or bright; fair can mean just, pale, or an outdoor event. When a word appears in a phrase, the phrase decides which meaning applies.

Separate look-alike words

Do not confuse accept with except, affect with effect, or compliment with complement. Similar spelling does not mean similar meaning.

Use positive and negative charge

If you only sense whether a word is positive (benevolent) or negative (malicious), eliminate choices with the wrong charge. This often narrows four choices to two.

With about 16 seconds per question, vocabulary items should take the least time in the section. If you know the word, answer and move on; if you do not, eliminate by charge and word parts, choose, and bank the saved seconds for the logic questions.

Vocabulary Bank: Synonyms

The bank below pairs frequently tested words with short synonyms. Study it in small groups, cover the right side, and say a synonym aloud before checking. Words with two meanings list both; the context of a test phrase decides which applies.

Adapt · to adjust

Ashamed · embarrassed or guilty

Brittle · fragile or breakable

Adequate · sufficient or enough

Assemble · to gather or put together

Broad · wide or extensive

Adjacent · next to or nearby

Assert · to state firmly

Brutal · cruel or harsh

Adjust · to modify or change

Assess · to evaluate or judge

Burden · load or responsibility

Admire · to respect or look up to

Assist · to help

Busy · occupied or active

Admit · to confess or allow entry

Assume · to suppose or take on

Calm · peaceful or tranquil

Adopt · to take as one's own

Assure · to guarantee or promise

Capable · able or competent

Advance · to move forward or progress

Astonish · to amaze or surprise

Capacity · ability or volume

Advantage · benefit

Attach · to connect or fasten

Captivate · to charm or fascinate

Adverse · unfavorable or harmful

Attain · to achieve or reach

Capture · to seize or catch

Advocate · to support or recommend

Attempt · to try

Carefree · unconcerned or relaxed

Affect · to influence

Attract · to draw toward

Careless · negligent or reckless

Affluent · wealthy

Authentic · genuine or real

Casual · informal or relaxed

Aggravate · to worsen or irritate

Authority · power or expert

Catastrophe · disaster or calamity

Agile · nimble or quick-moving

Available · accessible or obtainable

Caution · warning or care

Aid · to help or assist

Average · typical or ordinary

Cease · to stop or end

Alarm · to frighten or warn

Avoid · to stay away from

Celebrate · to honor or rejoice

Alert · watchful or aware

Aware · conscious or knowing

Central · middle or main

Allocate · to distribute or assign

Awkward · clumsy or uncomfortable

Certain · sure or definite

Allow · to permit

Ban · to prohibit or forbid

Challenge · to question or contest

Alter · to change or modify

Bare · naked or empty

Champion · to support or winner

Amateur · beginner or nonprofessional

Bargain · deal or negotiate

Change · to alter or modify

Ambiguous · unclear or vague

Barren · empty or infertile

Characteristic · trait or feature

Ambitious · driven or aspiring

Basic · fundamental or elementary

Charming · delightful or attractive

Ample · plenty or sufficient

Bear · to carry or endure

Chase · to pursue or follow

Analyze · to examine or study

Behavior · conduct or actions

Cheap · inexpensive or low quality

Ancient · old or aged

Belief · conviction or faith

Cherish · to treasure or value

Anguish · suffering or distress

Beneficial · helpful or advantageous

Chief · main or leader

Announce · to declare or proclaim

Benevolent · kind or generous

Choice · selection or option

Annoy · to irritate or bother

Betray · to be disloyal

Chronic · ongoing or persistent

Annual · yearly

Bewilder · to confuse or puzzle

Circulate · to distribute or move around

Anticipate · to expect

Bias · prejudice or preference

Cite · to quote or reference

Anxious · worried or nervous

Bind · to tie or fasten

Civic · relating to citizens

Apparent · obvious or evident

Bizarre · strange or unusual

Civil · polite or relating to citizens

Appeal · to request or attract

Blame · to accuse or hold responsible

Claim · to assert or demand

Appear · to seem or come into view

Bland · tasteless or dull

Clarify · to explain or make clear

Applaud · to praise or clap

Bleak · gloomy or dreary

Classic · traditional or timeless

Apply · to put on or request

Blend · to mix or combine

Clean · spotless or pure

Appoint · to assign or designate

Bless · to make holy or favor

Clear · obvious or transparent

Appreciate · to value or be grateful

Bliss · joy or happiness

Clever · smart or ingenious

Approach · to come near

Blunt · dull or direct

Climate · weather conditions

Appropriate · suitable or proper

Boast · to brag

Cling · to hold on or stick

Approve · to accept or authorize

Bold · brave or daring

Close · near or shut

Approximate · close to or nearly

Border · edge or boundary

Clumsy · awkward or uncoordinated

Arid · dry or barren

Boundary · limit or border

Coarse · rough or crude

Arise · to get up or occur

Bountiful · abundant or plentiful

Collapse · to fall down or fail

Arrange · to organize or put in order

Brief · short or concise

Collect · to gather or accumulate

Artificial · fake or synthetic

Brilliant · bright or intelligent

Combine · to merge or unite

Ascend · to go up or climb

Brisk · quick or energetic

Comfort · to console or ease

Command · to order or control

Conserve · to preserve or save

Cowardly · fearful or timid

Commence · to begin or start

Consider · to think about

Create · to make or produce

Commit · to dedicate or perpetrate

Considerable · substantial or significant

Creature · being or animal

Common · ordinary or shared

Consist · to be composed of

Credible · believable

Communicate · to convey or share information

Consistent · constant or uniform

Credit · recognition or loan

Community · neighborhood or group

Console · to comfort

Crisis · emergency or turning point

Compact · small or compressed

Conspicuous · obvious or noticeable

Criteria · standards or requirements

Compare · to examine similarities

Constant · continuous or unchanging

Critical · crucial or analytical

Compel · to force or drive

Constitute · to make up or form

Criticize · to judge or find fault

Compensate · to pay or make up for

Construct · to build or create

Crucial · essential or critical

Compete · to contend or vie

Consult · to ask advice or refer to

Crude · rough or unrefined

Competent · capable or qualified

Consume · to use up or eat

Cruel · harsh or heartless

Compile · to gather or assemble

Contact · to communicate or touch

Cultivate · to grow or develop

Complain · to express dissatisfaction

Contain · to hold or include

Culture · customs or civilization

Complete · to finish or whole

Contaminate · to pollute or corrupt

Cunning · clever or crafty

Complex · complicated or intricate

Contemplate · to consider or think about

Curious · inquisitive or strange

Comply · to obey or conform

Contemporary · modern or current

Current · present or flow

Component · part or element

Contempt · scorn or disrespect

Curtail · to reduce or limit

Compose · to create or make up

Contend · to compete or argue

Custom · tradition or habit

Comprehend · to understand

Content · satisfied or subject matter

Cycle · pattern or series

Comprehensive · thorough or complete

Contest · competition or to challenge

Damage · harm or injury

Compromise · to settle or agreement

Context · circumstances or setting

Damp · moist or wet

Conceal · to hide or cover

Continue · to persist or go on

Danger · peril or threat

Concede · to admit or yield

Contract · agreement or to shrink

Daring · bold or courageous

Conceive · to imagine or create

Contradict · to oppose or deny

Dawn · beginning or daybreak

Concentrate · to focus

Contrary · opposite

Dazzle · to impress or blind

Concept · idea or notion

Contrast · difference or to compare

Deadly · fatal or lethal

Concern · worry or matter

Contribute · to give or add

Debate · argument or discussion

Conclude · to end or determine

Control · to regulate or power

Debris · rubble or remains

Concrete · solid or specific

Controversy · dispute or debate

Decay · rot or decline

Condemn · to criticize or sentence

Convenient · handy or suitable

Deceive · to trick or mislead

Condition · state or requirement

Conventional · traditional or customary

Decent · proper or acceptable

Conduct · to lead or behavior

Converge · to come together

Decide · to determine or choose

Confer · to discuss or grant

Conversation · dialogue or discussion

Declare · to announce or state

Confess · to admit

Convert · to change or transform

Decline · to refuse or decrease

Confident · sure or self-assured

Convey · to communicate or transport

Decorate · to adorn or embellish

Confine · to restrict or limit

Convince · to persuade

Decrease · to reduce or lessen

Confirm · to verify or establish

Cooperate · to work together

Dedicate · to devote or commit

Conflict · disagreement or clash

Coordinate · to organize or arrange

Deed · act or action

Conform · to comply or match

Core · center or essential part

Deem · to consider or regard

Confront · to face or challenge

Correct · right or to fix

Defeat · to beat or conquer

Confuse · to bewilder or mix up

Correspond · to match or communicate

Defect · flaw or imperfection

Congregate · to gather or assemble

Corrupt · dishonest or to contaminate

Defend · to protect or support

Connect · to link or join

Cost · price or expense

Defer · to postpone or yield

Conquer · to defeat or overcome

Counsel · advice or to advise

Defiant · rebellious or resistant

Conscious · aware or awake

Count · to number or matter

Define · to explain or describe

Consecutive · successive or sequential

Courage · bravery or valor

Definite · certain or clear

Consent · to agree or permission

Courteous · polite or respectful

Defy · to resist or challenge

Consequence · result or outcome

Cover · to conceal or include

Delay · to postpone or slow

Deliberate · intentional or careful

Diagnose · to identify or determine

Distort · to twist or misrepresent

Delicate · fragile or sensitive

Dialogue · conversation or discussion

Distract · to divert attention

Delight · joy or pleasure

Differ · to vary or disagree

Distress · anguish or trouble

Deliver · to bring or rescue

Difficult · hard or challenging

Distribute · to give out or spread

Demand · to require or request

Dignity · honor or self-respect

District · area or region

Demonstrate · to show or prove

Diligent · hardworking or persistent

Disturb · to bother or disrupt

Dense · thick or crowded

Dim · faint or dark

Diverse · varied or different

Deny · to refuse or reject

Dimension · aspect or measurement

Divert · to redirect or distract

Depart · to leave or go

Diminish · to decrease or lessen

Divide · to separate or split

Depend · to rely on

Direct · to guide or straightforward

Divine · godly or heavenly

Depict · to portray or describe

Disaster · catastrophe or calamity

Doctrine · belief or principle

Deplete · to exhaust or use up

Discard · to throw away or reject

Document · to record or paper

Deploy · to position or use

Discharge · to release or dismiss

Domestic · home-related or tame

Deposit · to place or payment

Discipline · training or punishment

Dominate · to control or rule

Depress · to sadden or push down

Disclose · to reveal or expose

Donate · to give or contribute

Deprive · to take away or deny

Discount · to reduce or disregard

Doom · fate or destruction

Derive · to obtain or originate

Discover · to find or learn

Dormant · inactive or sleeping

Descend · to go down

Discreet · careful or prudent

Doubt · uncertainty or to question

Describe · to explain or portray

Discriminate · to distinguish or show prejudice

Draft · rough version or to recruit

Desert · to abandon or barren land

Discuss · to talk about

Drain · to empty or exhaust

Deserve · to merit or earn

Disease · illness or sickness

Drama · play or excitement

Design · to plan or pattern

Disgrace · shame or dishonor

Drastic · extreme or severe

Desire · to want or wish

Disguise · to conceal or costume

Draw · to pull or sketch

Despair · hopelessness or anguish

Disgust · revulsion or to sicken

Dread · fear or to fear greatly

Desperate · frantic or hopeless

Dismal · gloomy or depressing

Drench · to soak

Despise · to hate or loathe

Dismiss · to reject or release

Drift · to float or tendency

Destination · goal or endpoint

Disorder · chaos or illness

Drill · to practice or bore

Destroy · to ruin or demolish

Dispatch · to send or speed

Drive · to propel or motivation

Detail · particular or specify

Disperse · to scatter or spread

Drought · dry period or shortage

Detect · to discover or notice

Display · to show or exhibit

Drown · to submerge or overwhelm

Deter · to discourage or prevent

Dispose · to discard or arrange

Dull · boring or not sharp

Deteriorate · to worsen or decline

Dispute · argument or to contest

Durable · lasting or sturdy

Determine · to decide or discover

Disregard · to ignore or neglect

Duration · length of time

Develop · to grow or create

Disrupt · to disturb or interrupt

Duty · responsibility or obligation

Deviate · to diverge or stray

Dissent · disagreement or to disagree

Dwell · to live or reside

Device · tool or gadget

Dissolve · to melt or end

Dwindle · to decrease or shrink

Devise · to create or plan

Distant · far or remote

Dynamic · energetic or changing

Devote · to dedicate or commit

Distinct · clear or different

Devour · to consume or eat greedily

Distinguish · to differentiate or recognize

Vocabulary Bank: Antonym Pairs

Each pair below lists a word and a common opposite. Learn pairs in both directions, since the test may give either word.

Abundant↔ scarce

Artificial↔ natural

Begin↔ end

Accept↔ reject

Ascend↔ descend

Beneficial↔ harmful

Admit↔ deny

Attack↔ defend

Best↔ worst

Advance↔ retreat

Attract↔ repel

Bitter↔ sweet

Allow↔ forbid

Awake↔ asleep

Blame↔ praise

Ancient↔ modern

Backward↔ forward

Bless↔ curse

Arrive↔ depart

Beautiful↔ ugly

Bold↔ timid

Boring↔ interesting

Distant↔ near

Fresh↔ stale

Borrow↔ lend

Divide↔ unite

Frown↔ smile

Brave↔ cowardly

Domestic↔ foreign

Future↔ past

Bright↔ dim

Doubt↔ trust

Gain↔ lose

Broad↔ narrow

Downward↔ upward

Generous↔ stingy

Build↔ destroy

Dry↔ wet

Gentle↔ rough

Busy↔ idle

Dull↔ sharp

Giant↔ tiny

Buy↔ sell

Durable↔ fragile

Give↔ take

Calm↔ agitated

Early↔ late

Glad↔ sad

Careful↔ careless

Empty↔ full

Gloom↔ brightness

Cheap↔ expensive

Enemy↔ friend

Go↔ stop

Clean↔ dirty

Enjoy↔ suffer

Good↔ bad

Close↔ open

Enter↔ exit

Graceful↔ clumsy

Cold↔ hot

Even↔ odd

Grant↔ deny

Combine↔ separate

Evil↔ good

Great↔ small

Common↔ rare

Exact↔ approximate

Grief↔ joy

Complex↔ simple

Excellent↔ poor

Grow↔ shrink

Compliment↔ insult

Exclude↔ include

Guilty↔ innocent

Conceal↔ reveal

Exhale↔ inhale

Happiness↔ sadness

Confident↔ doubtful

Export↔ import

Hard↔ soft

Confuse↔ clarify

Extend↔ shorten

Harmful↔ harmless

Conquer↔ surrender

External↔ internal

Harmony↔ discord

Consent↔ refuse

Extrovert↔ introvert

Harsh↔ gentle

Construct↔ demolish

Fail↔ succeed

Hasty↔ slow

Continue↔ stop

Faith↔ doubt

Hate↔ love

Contract↔ expand

False↔ true

Healthy↔ sick

Courage↔ cowardice

Fame↔ obscurity

Heavy↔ light

Create↔ destroy

Far↔ near

Help↔ hinder

Cruel↔ kind

Fast↔ slow

Hero↔ villain

Danger↔ safety

Fat↔ thin

Hide↔ show

Dark↔ light

Favor↔ oppose

High↔ low

Dawn↔ dusk

Fear↔ courage

Hire↔ fire

Dead↔ alive

Few↔ many

Hollow↔ solid

Decrease↔ increase

Final↔ initial

Honor↔ disgrace

Deep↔ shallow

Find↔ lose

Horizontal↔ vertical

Defeat↔ victory

Finish↔ start

Hostile↔ friendly

Defiant↔ obedient

First↔ last

Humble↔ proud

Delay↔ hasten

Fix↔ break

Humid↔ dry

Deliberate↔ accidental

Flexible↔ rigid

Ignorant↔ knowledgeable

Dense↔ sparse

Float↔ sink

Immediate↔ delayed

Deposit↔ withdraw

Follow↔ lead

Immense↔ tiny

Despair↔ hope

Foolish↔ wise

Imprison↔ free

Detach↔ attach

Forget↔ remember

Improve↔ worsen

Deteriorate↔ improve

Former↔ latter

Inferior↔ superior

Different↔ same

Fortune↔ misfortune

Inside↔ outside

Difficult↔ easy

Fragile↔ sturdy

Intentional↔ accidental

Disclose↔ conceal

Free↔ captive

Interior↔ exterior

Discourage↔ encourage

Freeze↔ thaw

Joy↔ sorrow

Dismiss↔ hire

Frequent↔ rare

Keep↔ discard

Knowledge↔ ignorance

Peace↔ war

Shrink↔ expand

Lack↔ abundance

Permanent↔ temporary

Silence↔ noise

Large↔ small

Permit↔ forbid

Start↔ stop

Laugh↔ cry

Plain↔ fancy

Stay↔ leave

Lazy↔ industrious

Plenty↔ scarcity

Steep↔ gradual

Less↔ more

Plural↔ singular

Straight↔ crooked

Liquid↔ solid

Polite↔ rude

Strange↔ familiar

Little↔ big

Poor↔ rich

Strength↔ weakness

Live↔ die

Powerful↔ weak

Strict↔ lenient

Long↔ short

Praise↔ criticize

Strong↔ weak

Loose↔ tight

Presence↔ absence

Subtract↔ add

Loud↔ quiet

Present↔ absent

Success↔ failure

Lower↔ raise

Pretty↔ ugly

Sudden↔ gradual

Major↔ minor

Pride↔ humility

Surplus↔ deficit

Maximum↔ minimum

Private↔ public

Surrender↔ resist

Mean↔ kind

Profit↔ loss

Sweet↔ sour

Melt↔ freeze

Progress↔ regress

Swift↔ slow

Mend↔ break

Protect↔ expose

Tall↔ short

Mild↔ harsh

Pull↔ push

Tame↔ wild

Minority↔ majority

Punish↔ reward

Tense↔ relaxed

Miser↔ spendthrift

Quick↔ slow

Thick↔ thin

Misery↔ happiness

Random↔ organized

Tiny↔ huge

Moist↔ dry

Rapid↔ slow

Together↔ apart

Move↔ stay

Raw↔ cooked

Top↔ bottom

Narrow↔ wide

Real↔ fake

Tough↔ tender

Neat↔ messy

Receive↔ give

Transparent↔ opaque

Negative↔ positive

Reduce↔ increase

Truth↔ lie

Neglect↔ care

Refuse↔ accept

Union↔ separation

Never↔ always

Release↔ capture

Unique↔ common

New↔ old

Remote↔ near

Up↔ down

Noisy↔ quiet

Repair↔ damage

Upper↔ lower

None↔ all

Rest↔ work

Useful↔ useless

Normal↔ abnormal

Right↔ wrong

Vacant↔ occupied

Nothing↔ everything

Rise↔ fall

Vague↔ clear

Obvious↔ hidden

Rough↔ smooth

Valuable↔ worthless

Offense↔ defense

Rural↔ urban

Vanish↔ appear

Often↔ rarely

Sacred↔ profane

Violent↔ gentle

Old↔ young

Sad↔ happy

Voluntary↔ compulsory

Open↔ closed

Safe↔ dangerous

Warm↔ cool

Oppose↔ support

Save↔ spend

Wealth↔ poverty

Optimist↔ pessimist

Scarcity↔ abundance

Whole↔ part

Order↔ chaos

Scatter↔ gather

Win↔ lose

Ordinary↔ extraordinary

Secret↔ public

Within↔ outside

Original↔ copy

Seldom↔ often

Worse↔ better

Outer↔ inner

Send↔ receive

Over↔ under

Serious↔ frivolous

Higher-Level Words for the HSPT

The hardest synonym and antonym questions use words like these. Each entry gives a short synonym and a common antonym.

Word	Synonym	Word	Synonym
Adept	skillful ( clumsy) ↔	Hostile	unfriendly ( cordial) ↔
Amiable	friendly ( surly) ↔	Impartial	fair unbiased ( biased) , ↔
Arduous	difficult strenuous ( effortless) , ↔	Jovial	cheerful ( gloomy) ↔
Benevolent	kind , generous ( ↔ malicious)	Lethargic	sluggish ( energetic) ↔
Candid	frank honest ( evasive) , ↔	Meager	scanty ( abundant) ↔
Cordial	warm , friendly ( ↔ hostile)	Novice	beginner ( expert) ↔
Diligent	hardworking ( lazy) ↔	Obstinate	stubborn ( flexible) ↔
Docile	obedient tame ( unruly) , ↔	Ominous	threatening ( promising) ↔
Elated	overjoyed ( dejected) ↔	Placid	calm ( turbulent) ↔
Eloquent	well -spoken ( inarticulate) ↔	Prudent	wise cautious ( reckless) , ↔
Feeble	weak ( robust) ↔	Reluctant	unwilling ( eager) ↔
Frugal	thrifty ( wasteful) ↔	Serene	peaceful ( agitated) ↔
Futile	useless ( effective) ↔	Tedious	boring tiresome ( engaging) , ↔
Gregarious	sociable ( reserved) ↔	Transparent	clear ( opaque) ↔
Hinder	obstruct ( assist) ↔	Vivid	bright intense ( dull) , ↔
Hasten	hurry ( delay) ↔	Zealous	enthusiastic ( apathetic) ↔