Primary 6 Vocabulary Worksheet: 21 Words in Context
This eduKate practice resource develops usable vocabulary through meaning, grammar, context and retrieval. It is not an official prescribed PSLE word list.
21 Passage Words
| Word | Word class | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ambition | noun | a strong desire to achieve something | Her ambition was to become an illustrator. |
| glanced | verb | looked quickly or briefly | He glanced at the clock before leaving. |
| astronomer | noun | a scientist who studies stars, planets and other objects in space | The astronomer observed the night sky through a telescope. |
| tycoon | noun | a very powerful and wealthy person in business | The media tycoon owned several newspapers. |
| full-length | adjective | extending to the usual or complete length | The magazine published a full-length interview. |
| original | adjective / noun | new and not copied; or the first version of something | Her original idea surprised the judges. |
| pronouncing | verb / participle | saying a word or sound in a particular way | He practised pronouncing the unfamiliar name. |
| embedded | adjective / verb | fixed firmly inside something | A small stone was embedded in the tyre. |
| sneaky | adjective | secretive or dishonest in a way intended to avoid being noticed | The sneaky trick fooled no one for long. |
| policy | noun | a rule, principle or planned approach used by an organisation or authority | The school explained its new attendance policy. |
| illustration | noun | a picture or example used to explain or decorate something | The book included an illustration beside each story. |
| prospect | noun | a possibility or expectation of something happening | The prospect of publishing his work excited him. |
| scoffer | noun | a person who mocks or speaks scornfully about something | The scoffer dismissed the idea before hearing the evidence. |
| tune | noun / verb | a melody; or to adjust something so it works properly | She hummed a familiar tune. |
| appointment | noun | an arranged time to meet someone | He arrived early for the appointment. |
| cheque | noun | a written instruction directing a bank to pay money from an account | The publisher sent him a cheque. |
| mocked | verb | made fun of someone or something, often unkindly | They mocked his unusual idea. |
| obvious | adjective | easy to notice or understand | The answer became obvious after the clue was explained. |
| convenient | adjective | easy, suitable or fitting one’s needs | The meeting time was convenient for both families. |
| editor | noun | a person who selects, prepares or revises material for publication | The editor suggested several changes to the article. |
| full-time | adjective / adverb | for the normal or complete number of working hours | She later became a full-time writer. |
Useful Word Distinctions
- ambition / prospect: ambition is a strong personal aim; prospect is a possibility or expectation.
- glanced / stared: a glance is brief; a stare is prolonged.
- mocked / scoffer: mocked is an action; a scoffer is the person doing the scoffing.
- original / unusual: an idea may be unusual without being original, and original without being strange.
- convenient / obvious: convenient concerns suitability; obvious concerns ease of recognition.
Hyphenation and Form Notes
- full-length is normally hyphenated before a noun: a full-length article.
- full-time is normally hyphenated before a noun: a full-time editor.
- cheque is the standard Singapore/British spelling for the banking noun.
- pronouncing comes from pronounce; do not confuse it with pronunciation.
Idiom Precision
The original draft included several idioms. They are useful only when their meanings genuinely fit the situation:
- a blessing in disguise — something that seems bad at first but later proves beneficial;
- a dime a dozen — very common and therefore not special; strongly associated with American English;
- birds of a feather flock together — people with similar interests or characteristics often associate;
- bite the bullet — face a difficult or unpleasant action with courage;
- break a leg — an informal way of wishing a performer good luck; not a general phrase for every appointment;
- hit the sack — informal: go to bed;
- no pain, no gain — improvement often requires effort or discomfort;
- so far, so good — things have gone satisfactorily up to the present point;
- rain on someone’s parade — spoil someone’s pleasure or enthusiasm;
- head in the clouds — distracted by dreams or unrealistic ideas.
Part A — Context Retrieval
- A person whose job involves preparing material for publication: ________.
- Looked quickly and briefly: ________.
- A strong desire to achieve something: ________.
- A person who mocks an idea or belief: ________.
- A possibility that something may happen: ________.
- A rule or planned approach used by an organisation: ________.
- A picture used to explain or decorate a text: ________.
- A powerful and wealthy businessperson: ________.
Part B — Choose the Better Word
- He ________ at the note for one second before putting it away. (glanced / stared)
- The ________ of seeing his work in print made him nervous and excited. (ambition / prospect)
- The stone was ________ deep inside the mud. (embedded / convenient)
- The solution seemed ________ once the teacher pointed out the pattern. (obvious / original)
Part C — Application
- Write one sentence using original as an adjective.
- Write one sentence using tune as a noun.
- Write a sentence that shows the meaning of sneaky without defining it.
- Use full-time correctly before a noun.
- Explain why break a leg would not automatically suit a normal business appointment.
Answer Guide
1–8: editor; glanced; ambition; scoffer; prospect; policy; illustration; tycoon.
9–12: glanced; prospect; embedded; obvious.
13–17: answers vary. For 17, break a leg is conventionally associated with wishing performers good luck, so using it for an ordinary appointment may sound unnatural unless context makes the usage playful or deliberate.
Review Route
After completing the worksheet, retrieve the same 21 words again after several days in a different order. For errors, identify whether the problem was meaning, word class, collocation, spelling or semantic confusion.