One Word Substitution
🔒 Log in to trackExam strategy for one-word substitution
🔒 Log in to trackOne-word substitution gives one or two quick marks in most papers. It is a memory topic, so the plan is to build a word bank by category and revise it every week. In the exam, classify the phrase, remove other families, and prefer the more specific word.
Where it fits
Most SSC, Railway and Banking papers have one or two of these items. Each takes about 15 seconds if you know the word. It is a memory topic, so plan a word bank.
Build the bank by category
Do not learn a random alphabet list. Take one category at a time.
- Killing (-cide) and fear (-phobia) words.
- Study (-ology) words and people words.
- Places and groups.
- Government, speech, time and cannot-be words.
- Medical words.
- Direction and contrast pairs.
Words in one category support each other. Add every new word from mock tests to a personal sheet under its category.
Daily 10-minute routine
- Read 10 new words and 20 old words aloud with their meanings.
- Every weekend, take a 30-word mixed self-test.
- Any word you miss twice goes on a weak list. Revise it weekly.
Four steps in the exam
- Classify the phrase: killing, fear, study, person, place, group, government or medical.
- Remove options from other families. Two usually go here.
- Match the exact detail: bees not birds, mother not father.
- Prefer the specific word. For killing one's mother, matricide beats the general homicide.
Rule: When two options fit, pick the one that matches the detail in the phrase.
Medical words
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| antidote | medicine against a poison |
| antiseptic | applied to wounds to stop infection |
| anaesthetic | removes the feeling of pain |
| antibiotic | medicine that kills bacteria |
| epidemic | disease spreading widely in one area |
| pandemic | disease spreading over many countries |
| endemic | disease always present in one area |
| convalescent | recovering after an illness |
Direction and contrast pairs
| Pair | Difference |
|---|---|
| emigrant / immigrant | leaves a country / comes into a country |
| introvert / extrovert | turned inward / outgoing |
| amateur / professional | for pleasure / for pay |
| novice / veteran | beginner / very experienced |
A worked check
Question: the murder of one's mother.
- Classify: this is a killing word, so the suffix is -cide.
- Remove options from other families, such as -phobia or -ology words.
- Match the detail: mother is mater, so matricide.
- Reject homicide. It is true but too general.
Spelling-based items
Some questions say select the correctly spelt word. All four options are one word with different spellings. Know the word, then check the tricky letters. Say it in syllables: con-va-les-cent, a-the-ist, ob-so-lete.
Watch: If two options remain and you are unsure, guess only if the paper has no negative marking. Otherwise use the specific-detail rule first.
Question types you will see
Each type: how to recognise it, the method step by step, and one question to try.
Specific word beats the general word
Two options fit the family. One is general (homicide) and one matches the exact detail (matricide).
Underline the detail in the phrase.
Find the option that names that detail.
Reject the general word.
The examiner rewards the word that fits the detail.
The murder of one's mother: (a) homicide (b) matricide (c) suicide (d) genocide
Show solutionHide solution
The detail is mother.
Homicide is killing any human.
Matricide names the mother.
(b) matricide
Medical and science words
The phrase is about a medicine, the spread of a disease, or recovery.
Underline what the phrase describes.
Sort: area, world or always present for diseases.
Pick the word.
Epidemic, endemic and pandemic differ only by spread.
A disease spreading over many countries: (a) epidemic (b) endemic (c) pandemic (d) antidote
Show solutionHide solution
Many countries means a very wide spread.
Epidemic is one area and endemic is always present.
Pandemic.
(c) pandemic
Correctly spelt substitute
The question says 'select the correctly spelt word'. All options are one word spelt in four ways.
Recall the word for the phrase.
Say it in syllables.
Match each syllable against the options.
Syllables show which letters belong.
One who is recovering after illness: (a) convalscent (b) convalescent (c) convelescent (d) convalesent
Show solutionHide solution
The word is convalescent.
Say it: con-va-les-cent.
Only option (b) has every syllable.
(b) convalescent
Direction and contrast pairs
Options hold both members of a pair: emigrant and immigrant, introvert and extrovert.
Find the pair.
Read the direction or contrast in the phrase.
Pick the correct member.
The partner is planted as a wrong option.
One who leaves his own country to settle in another: (a) immigrant (b) emigrant (c) extrovert (d) veteran
Show solutionHide solution
The person is leaving his country.
An immigrant comes into a new country.
An emigrant leaves.
(b) emigrant
Classify, then remove families
The options come from four different families, and the phrase names only one of them.
Name the family of the phrase.
Strike options from other families.
Choose from what is left.
Two options usually die at the classify step.
One who does a job for pleasure, not pay: (a) professional (b) amateur (c) novice (d) veteran
Show solutionHide solution
The family is contrast pairs.
Not for pay is the key detail.
Amateur is for pleasure. Professional is for pay.
(b) amateur
Shortcuts that save time
If both a general and a specific word fit, choose the specific one. It matches the detail the examiner gave.
Killing of one's brother: (a) homicide (b) fratricide (c) patricide (d) suicide
Show solutionHide solution
The detail is brother.
Homicide is too general.
Fratricide names the brother.
(b) fratricide
Any word missed twice goes on a short list. Read only that list twice a week.
For spelling items say the word slowly in syllables and match each syllable to the option.
Mistakes to avoid
Where most students lose marks on this subtopic.
Learning words in one long alphabet list.
Learn by category and keep a personal sheet.
Choosing the general word when a specific one is offered.
Pick the word that matches the exact detail.
Mixing epidemic and pandemic.
Epidemic is one area. Pandemic is many countries or the world.
Mixing emigrant and immigrant.
Emigrant leaves. Immigrant comes in.
Skipping the spelling check.
Say the word in syllables and match each part.
Quick revision
Read this the night before the exam.
Bank by category, keep a personal sheet, revise a weekly weak list.
Four steps: classify, remove other families, match the detail, prefer the specific word.
Epidemic is one area. Pandemic is the world. Endemic is always present.
Emigrant leaves. Immigrant comes in.
Amateur is for pleasure. Professional is for pay.
Spelling items: break the word into syllables.
Practice: 12 questions
Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Every answer has a step-by-step explanation.
Topic test · 12 questions
Suggested time 5 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.