Vocabulary

Verbal reasoning (VR) is, by definition, 'understanding and reasoning using concepts framed in words' – it evaluates a child's ability to think constructively rather than just recognise vocabulary. 

As VR is a test of a skill rather than a test of learned knowledge, success depends on having both a broad understanding of the semantic meaning or meanings of individual words but also the ability to discern meaning from context (reading comprehension questions), to find synonyms and antonyms even for unfamiliar vocabulary, using a knowledge of the parts of speech and of common affixes.

Language acquisition is a natural and somewhat mysterious process. Just how infants develop their ability to speak has been the subject of much academic research for years. It goes without saying though that exposure to high quality examples of language in spoken and written form is what will help a child go from being an average speaker of English to an articulate and interesting communicator who can both understand the ideas of others and express the nuances of their own thoughts in detail......and it is the potential to become this that Grammar Schools are looking for in their selection tests.

Reception of language clearly occurs in two forms: spoken and written and so if we want our children to receive a broad and high quality English vocabulary, we must increase their exposure of both of these. Here are some examples:

SPOKEN

• Regular conversation with a variety adult speakers on a variety of topics
• Watching good quality television and films
• Listening to the radio
• Listening to audiobooks

WRITTEN

• Reading a wide variety of literature from different eras, authors and genres
• Reading newspapers and magazines
• Reading information on the internet
• Being aware of the written word around them in advertising, signage, instructions etc