9 Tricky 11+ Vocabulary Words Your Child Should Know
A parent-friendly guide to tricky 11+ vocabulary words with meanings, examples, and quick practice prompts.
Some 11+ vocabulary words look simple at first, but children can still struggle to use them correctly in comprehension, cloze, synonyms, antonyms, and verbal reasoning questions.
The tricky part is not always the definition. Often, children need to understand the strength, tone, or context of a word.
Here are 9 useful 11+ vocabulary words to practise at home, plus simple ways to help your child remember them.
Why these words matter: children often recognise a word but still struggle with its tone, strength, or natural context in a sentence.
- Comprehension
- Cloze
- Synonyms and antonyms
- Verbal reasoning
1. Reluctant
01Simple meaning: not really wanting to do something.
She was reluctant to answer the question in front of the class.
Why it is tricky: Children sometimes think reluctant only means scared. It usually means unwilling or hesitant, but the reason can be fear, tiredness, uncertainty, embarrassment, or lack of interest.
2. Cautious
02Simple meaning: careful, especially to avoid danger or mistakes.
The cautious climber checked every step before moving higher.
Why it is tricky: Cautious is stronger than just "careful". It often suggests someone is thinking about risk.
3. Astonished
03Simple meaning: very surprised.
He was astonished when the tiny puppy jumped over the fence.
Why it is tricky: Children may know "surprised", but not the stronger alternatives. Astonished suggests a bigger reaction than ordinary surprise.
Surprise ladder
- surprised
- amazed
- astonished
- stunned
4. Peculiar
04Simple meaning: strange or unusual.
There was a peculiar smell coming from the old cupboard.
Why it is tricky: Peculiar does not always mean bad. It simply means something feels odd, unusual, or different from expected.
5. Gloomy
05Simple meaning: dark, sad, or miserable.
The gloomy weather made the playground look empty and grey.
Why it is tricky: This word can describe both a place and a feeling. A room can be gloomy. A person can feel gloomy.
6. Ancient
06Simple meaning: very old, usually from long ago.
The archaeologist found an ancient bowl buried beneath the sand.
Why it is tricky: Children may use ancient for anything old, but it usually means something from a very distant time.
7. Drowsy
07Simple meaning: sleepy or not fully awake.
After the long journey, Amir felt drowsy and could barely keep his eyes open.
Why it is tricky: Drowsy is not exactly the same as tired. It usually means someone is close to falling asleep.
Act it out
- alert
- tired
- drowsy
8. Courageous
08Simple meaning: brave, especially when facing danger or difficulty.
The courageous girl stood up for her friend.
Why it is tricky: Children may think courage only appears in dangerous adventures. But someone can also be courageous when they tell the truth, try again after failure, or stand up for someone.
9. Enormous
09Simple meaning: extremely large.
An enormous shadow stretched across the wall.
Why it is tricky: Children often overuse "big". Words like enormous, gigantic, and massive help them express size more precisely.
Size ladder
- small
- big
- huge
- enormous
- gigantic
Quick 11+ Practice Activity
Match each word to the best meaning.
- Reluctant
- Peculiar
- Drowsy
- Cautious
- Astonished
- Ancient
- Very old
- Careful about danger or mistakes
- Strange or unusual
- Not wanting to do something
- Sleepy
- Very surprised
Answers: 1-D, 2-C, 3-E, 4-B, 5-F, 6-A
A Simple Way to Practise These Words
For each new vocabulary word, ask your child to do five small things:
- Say the word aloud.
- Explain it in their own words.
- Read it in a sentence.
- Name a similar word or opposite word.
- Make their own sentence.
This is much more useful than memorising a long list, because 11+ questions often test whether children can understand words in context.
Final Tip for Parents
When your child learns a new 11+ word, do not stop at “What does it mean?”
That one question helps children understand how the word works in real sentences, which is exactly what they need for 11+ vocabulary practice.
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