40 Verbal Reasoning questions — 20 synonym, 20 sentence completion — in the ISEE's own four-option format. Every answer is explained, and every question links to its word's full study page.
Select the best synonym for the word “piece”:
A — fragment. “piece” means n. a part of something. Study “piece” →
The soft, ______ music helped the frightened patient slowly relax.
B — calming. “calming” means adj. making someone feel less upset or excited. Study “calming” →
Select the best synonym for the word “juicy”:
B — succulent. “juicy” means adj. full of juice; interesting or exciting. Study “juicy” →
After years of hard study, she finally reached a very ______ level in French.
D — advanced. “advanced” means adj. far on in progress or development. Study “advanced” →
Select the best synonym for the word “mention”:
A — cite. “mention” means v. to refer to something briefly. Study “mention” →
The gentle rocking ______ of the boat slowly lulled the baby to sleep.
C — motion. “motion” means n. the act or process of moving. Study “motion” →
Select the best synonym for the word “lovely”:
A — charming. “lovely” means adj. very beautiful or attractive. Study “lovely” →
She carefully saved all of her ______ to buy a brand-new bicycle.
D — money. “money” means n. a medium of exchange in the form of coins and banknotes. Study “money” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “advice”:
C — guidance. “advice” means n. guidance or recommendations offered with regard to prudent action. Study “advice” →
She began to ______ the very difficult test that was now only a day away.
C — dread. “dread” means v. to fear something that may happen. Study “dread” →
Select the best synonym for the word “excess”:
C — surplus. “excess” means n. an amount that is more than necessary. Study “excess” →
The stingy old ______ refused to spend even a single coin on himself.
B — scrooge. “scrooge” means n. a person who is stingy with money. Study “scrooge” →
Select the best synonym for the word “loyalty”:
C — allegiance. “loyalty” means n. the quality of being loyal. Study “loyalty” →
With great ______, the clever merchant always struck the very best deals.
A — shrewdness. “shrewdness” means n. the quality of having good judgment. Study “shrewdness” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “obligatory”:
A — mandatory. “obligatory” means adj. required by a rule or law. Study “obligatory” →
The guards may ______ anyone who tries to enter without a proper pass.
D — detain. “detain” means v. to hold back or keep someone from leaving. Study “detain” →
Select the best synonym for the word “infrequently”:
D — rarely. “infrequently” means adv. not often. Study “infrequently” →
The battle-hardened general held ______ command over the entire army.
C — supreme. “supreme” means adj. highest in rank or authority. Study “supreme” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “product”:
C — merchandise. “product” means n. something that is made or grown to be sold. Study “product” →
The exciting sequel was a ______ of the hero's earlier grand adventure.
A — continuation. “continuation” means n. the act of continuing or being continued. Study “continuation” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “silence”:
B — quiet. “silence” means n. the absence of sound. Study “silence” →
On a sudden ______, she bought a bright red hat that she did not need.
A — impulse. “impulse” means n. a sudden strong desire to do something. Study “impulse” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “resistant”:
A — immune. “resistant” means adj. not affected by something. Study “resistant” →
A good, healthy breakfast can ______ your energy for the whole morning.
B — boost. “boost” means v. to increase or improve something. Study “boost” →
Select the best synonym for the word “cleverly”:
B — intelligently. “cleverly” means adv. in a way that shows intelligence or skill. Study “cleverly” →
The ______ old man could barely fit through the very narrow doorway.
C — stout. “stout” means adj. somewhat fat or of heavy build. Study “stout” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “doubtful”:
B — dubious. “doubtful” means adj. feeling uncertain about something. Study “doubtful” →
The ______ oak tree had stood in the field for two hundred years.
D — aged. “aged” means adj. having lived for a long time; old. Study “aged” →
Select the best synonym for the word “desolate”:
D — barren. “desolate” means adj. empty and lonely. Study “desolate” →
The lovely garden had a wonderful ______ of bright, colorful flowers.
B — variety. “variety” means n. a number of different types of things. Study “variety” →
Select the best synonym for the word “entertain”:
B — amuse. “entertain” means v. to amuse or interest people in a way that gives them pleasure. Study “entertain” →
The poet hoped to ______ his love in a beautiful, lasting poem.
B — eternalize. “eternalize” means v. to make something last forever. Study “eternalize” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “rich”:
A — wealthy. “rich” means adj. having a lot of money or valuable possessions. Study “rich” →
Without any letters at all, the strange symbols were completely ______.
A — meaningless. “meaningless” means adj. having no meaning or significance. Study “meaningless” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “forth”:
D — forward. “forth” means adv. forward in time or place. Study “forth” →
The busy manager was hired to ______ the building of the whole new school.
D — oversee. “oversee” means v. to watch and direct a task or activity. Study “oversee” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “leniency”:
C — mercy. “leniency” means n. the quality of being more merciful or tolerant than expected. Study “leniency” →
Everyone in town was very excited about the ______ concert next week.
B — forthcoming. “forthcoming” means adj. about to happen or appear. Study “forthcoming” →
Select the best synonym for the word “believable”:
D — plausible. “believable” means adj. able to be believed. Study “believable” →
Thomas Edison worked very hard to ______ the useful electric light bulb.
B — invent. “invent” means v. to create something new. Study “invent” →
No. These are original synonym and sentence-completion questions written from the iSEE Vocab word bank, in the ISEE's own four-option Verbal Reasoning format. No retired or copyrighted ISEE/SSAT questions appear anywhere on this site.
40 — 20 synonym questions and 20 sentence-completion questions, the same roughly-even split the real ISEE Verbal Reasoning section uses.
No. Every Basic Level practice test on this site draws from a disjoint slice of the word bank, so Test 1, Test 2 and every other numbered test at this level use entirely different questions.
Yes. The ISEE gives no penalty for a wrong answer — a blank scores the same as a wrong guess, which is zero — so answer every question even when you have to guess.