Vocabulary for TOEFL iBT

20 VOCABULARY FOR TOEFL iBT

CONTRAST

Some words that logically signal a relationship of contrast are: though, although, how-

ever, despite, but, and yet. Can you think of others? There are also phrases that sig-

nal a contrast between the units of the sentence, such as on the other hand, but,

however, despite, or on the contrary.

Try making a sentence using these words and phrases. See how the two parts of

your sentence oppose each other. This is the logical relationship of contrast, or

opposition. No matter how complex a sentence completion question seems at first

glance, when you see one of these words or phrases, you will know you’re looking

at a sentence that expresses one thought in its complete unit and a contrasting

thought in the incomplete unit. First you decipher the thought in the complete unit,

then fill in the blank in the incomplete unit with a word that expresses a contrast-

ing thought. For example:

➥ Although the tiger is primarily a solitary beast, its cousin the lion is a

________ animal.

First divide the sentence into two units, using the punctuation to guide you. Now

you have as the first unit, Although the tiger is primarily a solitary beast, and, its cousin

the lion is a ________ animal, as the second unit. The first unit tells you by the use

of the word although that the second unit will express a relationship of opposition

or contrast. You can see that tigers and lions are being contrasted. The word that

goes in the blank has to be an adjective that describes animal in the way that soli-

tary describes beast. Therefore the word that will contrast with the idea in the first

unit is in opposition to solitary. What is an antonym of solitary? Solitary means

alone. You might choose the word social. Friendly, gregarious, or sociable are other

options, all meaning “not solitary.” Then you look for the word in the answer

choices that is a synonym of the word you chose.

COMPARISON

There are two kinds of comparison relationships: comparison by similarity and com-

parison by restatement. Words that signal comparison include likewise, similarly, and

and. Phrases that introduce comparisons are just as, as well as, for example, as shown,

and as illustrated by. Words and phrases that precede restatement are namely, in other

words, in fact, and that is. Relationships of logical comparison are straightforward.

The idea expressed in the complete unit of the sentence is similar to or the same as