Primary 6 English Vocabulary: Word Forms, Spelling and Collocations
This companion page focuses on a different layer of vocabulary knowledge: how words behave. A learner may know a rough definition and still misuse a word because the word class, spelling, collocation or grammatical pattern is wrong.
The 35-word bank comes from an older eduKate comprehension resource. For the main meanings-and-examples page, use Primary 6 Vocabulary Words.
Word Form Families
| Base / target word | Related form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| active | activity / actively | She participates actively in class discussions. |
| astute | astutely / astuteness | He astutely noticed that the figures did not match. |
| severe | severely / severity | The storm severely damaged several roofs. |
| practical | practically / practicality | The hall was practically empty. |
| familiar | familiarity / familiarise | Familiarise yourself with the instructions before starting. |
| swift | swiftly / swiftness | The medic responded swiftly. |
| forlorn | forlornly | The child looked forlornly at the departing bus. |
Spelling and Form Alerts
- occur → occurred: double the final r.
- licence / license: in Singapore/British English, licence is the noun and license is the verb.
- speechless: one word, formed from speech + -less.
- inseparable: note the middle spelling -separ-, from separate.
- disciplinarian: a noun for a person who strongly enforces discipline; do not use it as a general adjective for “strict”.
Common Collocations
| Word | Natural collocations | Usage note |
|---|---|---|
| astute | astute observation; astute judgement; astute decision | usually concerns perceptive thinking |
| dazed | dazed expression; dazed and confused; look dazed | often follows shock, injury or surprise |
| perked up | perked up immediately; ears perked up; mood perked up | signals a change towards alertness or cheerfulness |
| transfixed | transfixed by; stood transfixed | often followed by the cause of intense attention |
| reprimanded | reprimanded for; formally reprimanded | normally gives the reason with for |
| indelible | indelible mark; indelible impression; indelible memory | often figurative |
| swerved | swerved to avoid; swerved sharply; swerved into | describes sudden directional change |
| gleaming | gleaming surface; gleaming trophy; gleaming eyes | connects to reflected light or figurative brightness |
Polysemy: One Word, More Than One Meaning
Figure is especially useful because it changes meaning with context:
- A dark figure stood near the gate. — a person’s visible form.
- The sales figure rose in June. — a number.
- She is an important figure in the community. — a notable person.
- I could not figure out the puzzle. — verb: understand or solve.
Practically also has more than one common use:
- The room was practically empty. — almost or nearly.
- We need to think practically about the cost. — in a practical way.
Grammar and Precision Check
- Complete: The coach reprimanded him ______ arriving late. Answer: for.
- Choose the natural form: “She moved swift / swiftly across the corridor.” Answer: swiftly.
- Correct: “The accident occured yesterday.” Answer: occurred.
- Choose the noun: “He applied for a driving licence / license.” Answer in Singapore/British English: licence.
- Complete naturally: “The audience was transfixed ______ the performance.” Answer: by.
How to Study Word Behaviour
For each new word, record five things: meaning, word class, one related form, one natural collocation, and one original sentence. Then retrieve the word from a clue a few days later. This prevents a vocabulary notebook from becoming a collection of definitions that cannot be used.
Related: semantic groups and retrieval · worksheet practice · Vocabulary Lists hub.
Historical 2019 Word Bank and Media
figure, forlornly, active, astute, dazed, chores, caregiver, perked up, transfixed, stylish, perched, reprimanded, severe, practically, disciplinarian, retired, inseparable, jeered, snorted, conversation, coincidence, occurred, discovered, incident, thrilled, roared, swerved, indelible, forbidden, licence, interrupted, familiar, swiftly, gleaming and speechless.
