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.
Choose the best synonym for the word “pleasing”:
C — delightful. “pleasing” means adj. giving pleasure or satisfaction. Study “pleasing” →
Despite the light rain, the players decided to ______ the game.
B — continue. “continue” means v. to keep going or carry on. Study “continue” →
Select the best synonym for the word “effective”:
B — efficient. “effective” means adj. successful in producing a desired result. Study “effective” →
Practice makes perfect is an old ______ that nearly everyone knows.
C — saying. “saying” means n. a short, well-known expression or phrase. Study “saying” →
Select the best synonym for the word “paradise”:
A — utopia. “paradise” means n. a place or state of perfect happiness. Study “paradise” →
Staring at the sea, she felt the strange ______ of the water and sky.
A — endlessness. “endlessness” means n. the state of having no end. Study “endlessness” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “perplexing”:
A — baffling. “perplexing” means adj. confusing or difficult to understand. Study “perplexing” →
The huge steel ______ once employed thousands of workers in this town.
A — industry. “industry” means n. economic activity concerned with the processing of raw materials. Study “industry” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “crowd”:
D — throng. “crowd” means n. a large number of people gathered together. Study “crowd” →
She was completely ______ about the time the evening movie started.
A — mistaken. “mistaken” means adj. wrong in one''s opinion or judgment. Study “mistaken” →
Select the best synonym for the word “comfortable”:
D — cozy. “comfortable” means adj. providing physical ease. Study “comfortable” →
He simply could not solve the tricky ______ no matter how hard he thought.
A — riddle. “riddle” means n. a question or statement that teases the mind; a puzzle. Study “riddle” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “actual”:
C — real. “actual” means adj. real or existing in fact. Study “actual” →
Even in her old age, the wise woman spoke with surprising ______.
A — lucidity. “lucidity” means n. clarity of thought or expression. Study “lucidity” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “government”:
B — administration. “government” means n. the group of people who control and make decisions for a country, state, etc.. Study “government” →
He gave a rude, ______ wave and refused to listen to her clever idea.
C — dismissive. “dismissive” means adj. showing that something is unworthy of consideration. Study “dismissive” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “never”:
A — not ever. “never” means adv. not ever; at no time. Study “never” →
Cheating a helpless old man out of his money is a truly ______ act.
C — detestable. “detestable” means adj. deserving intense dislike. Study “detestable” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “lean”:
D — tilt. “lean” means v. to rest against something for support. Study “lean” →
The sculptor slowly shaped the wet clay into the ______ of a running horse.
D — form. “form” means n. the shape or structure of something. Study “form” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “liking”:
C — fondness. “liking” means n. a feeling of enjoyment or fondness. Study “liking” →
The two lawyers began to ______ loudly about the surprising new evidence.
B — argue. “argue” means v. to give reasons for or against something. Study “argue” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “flat”:
A — level. “flat” means adj. level and smooth, with no curved, high, or hollow parts. Study “flat” →
The careful writer took a whole week to ______ the rough first draft.
B — revise. “revise” means v. to change or correct something. Study “revise” →
Select the best synonym for the word “wet”:
C — damp. “wet” means adj. covered or soaked with liquid. Study “wet” →
She let the very dirty shirt ______ in warm soapy water overnight.
B — soak. “soak” means v. to immerse in liquid for a period of time. Study “soak” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “authorized”:
C — sanctioned. “authorized” means adj. having official permission or approval. Study “authorized” →
The road was wet and ______ after the heavy rain, so she drove very slowly.
D — slick. “slick” means adj. smooth and glossy; skillful and clever. Study “slick” →
Select the best synonym for the word “entry”:
B — admission. “entry” means n. a way in or the act of entering. Study “entry” →
Regular exercise is a good ______ measure against many common diseases.
C — preventative. “preventative” means adj. intended to stop something before it happens. Study “preventative” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “starving”:
B — famished. “starving” means adj. very hungry. Study “starving” →
Please ______ the empty glass to the top with cold, fresh water.
C — fill. “fill” means v. to make something full. Study “fill” →
Select the best synonym for the word “military”:
A — martial. “military” means adj. relating to soldiers or the armed forces. Study “military” →
Many people ______ her greatly for her honesty and quiet courage.
A — admire. “admire” means v. to regard with respect or warm approval. Study “admire” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “infertile”:
C — sterile. “infertile” means adj. unable to reproduce. Study “infertile” →
The tailor took a careful ______ of his arms before making the new coat.
C — measurement. “measurement” means n. the size, length, or amount of something. Study “measurement” →
Select the best synonym for the word “pleased”:
D — satisfied. “pleased” means adj. feeling or showing pleasure and satisfaction. Study “pleased” →
She was far too busy to ______ to all of the emails right away.
C — reply. “reply” means v. to answer someone by speaking or writing. Study “reply” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “ultimately”:
D — eventually. “ultimately” means adv. in the end; finally. Study “ultimately” →
The workers used a huge iron machine to ______ the old brick factory.
D — demolish. “demolish” means v. to destroy completely. Study “demolish” →
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.