Word Power
Class 12 · English
26 ideas in Class 12 English, explained in plain words, with games and quizzes to practise.
Word meanings, set 1
Part of: Word meanings
Each word has a meaning, and children learn it best from a short, clear explanation plus an example sentence. Words in this set include: bravely, extremity, subsystem, spout.
Why it matters. Knowing what words mean is the strongest predictor of reading understanding in later classes.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: bravely, extremity, subsystem, spout.
- Ask your child to say it in a sentence of their own.
- Use the word once at home during the day and notice when it shows up in a book.
Try at home. Keep a family 'word of the day' on the fridge and see who can use it most naturally.
Word meanings, set 2
Part of: Word meanings
Each word has a meaning, and children learn it best from a short, clear explanation plus an example sentence. Words in this set include: cadre, overrule, predispose, exertion.
Why it matters. Knowing what words mean is the strongest predictor of reading understanding in later classes.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: cadre, overrule, predispose, exertion.
- Ask your child to say it in a sentence of their own.
- Use the word once at home during the day and notice when it shows up in a book.
Try at home. Keep a family 'word of the day' on the fridge and see who can use it most naturally.
Word meanings, set 3
Part of: Word meanings
Each word has a meaning, and children learn it best from a short, clear explanation plus an example sentence. Words in this set include: behead, buoyant, remarry, foothill.
Why it matters. Knowing what words mean is the strongest predictor of reading understanding in later classes.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: behead, buoyant, remarry, foothill.
- Ask your child to say it in a sentence of their own.
- Use the word once at home during the day and notice when it shows up in a book.
Try at home. Keep a family 'word of the day' on the fridge and see who can use it most naturally.
Word meanings, set 4
Part of: Word meanings
Each word has a meaning, and children learn it best from a short, clear explanation plus an example sentence. Words in this set include: slew, dissuade, enumerate, recast.
Why it matters. Knowing what words mean is the strongest predictor of reading understanding in later classes.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: slew, dissuade, enumerate, recast.
- Ask your child to say it in a sentence of their own.
- Use the word once at home during the day and notice when it shows up in a book.
Try at home. Keep a family 'word of the day' on the fridge and see who can use it most naturally.
Word meanings, set 5
Part of: Word meanings
Each word has a meaning, and children learn it best from a short, clear explanation plus an example sentence. Words in this set include: thud, outgrow, encroach, semblance.
Why it matters. Knowing what words mean is the strongest predictor of reading understanding in later classes.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: thud, outgrow, encroach, semblance.
- Ask your child to say it in a sentence of their own.
- Use the word once at home during the day and notice when it shows up in a book.
Try at home. Keep a family 'word of the day' on the fridge and see who can use it most naturally.
Word meanings, set 6
Part of: Word meanings
Each word has a meaning, and children learn it best from a short, clear explanation plus an example sentence. Words in this set include: hobble, dew, whisker, intravenous.
Why it matters. Knowing what words mean is the strongest predictor of reading understanding in later classes.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: hobble, dew, whisker, intravenous.
- Ask your child to say it in a sentence of their own.
- Use the word once at home during the day and notice when it shows up in a book.
Try at home. Keep a family 'word of the day' on the fridge and see who can use it most naturally.
Word meanings, set 7
Part of: Word meanings
Each word has a meaning, and children learn it best from a short, clear explanation plus an example sentence. Words in this set include: sterilize, chasm, pointedly, omen.
Why it matters. Knowing what words mean is the strongest predictor of reading understanding in later classes.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: sterilize, chasm, pointedly, omen.
- Ask your child to say it in a sentence of their own.
- Use the word once at home during the day and notice when it shows up in a book.
Try at home. Keep a family 'word of the day' on the fridge and see who can use it most naturally.
Word meanings, set 8
Part of: Word meanings
Each word has a meaning, and children learn it best from a short, clear explanation plus an example sentence. Words in this set include: erstwhile, patchy, misread, thence.
Why it matters. Knowing what words mean is the strongest predictor of reading understanding in later classes.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: erstwhile, patchy, misread, thence.
- Ask your child to say it in a sentence of their own.
- Use the word once at home during the day and notice when it shows up in a book.
Try at home. Keep a family 'word of the day' on the fridge and see who can use it most naturally.
Word meanings, set 9
Part of: Word meanings
Each word has a meaning, and children learn it best from a short, clear explanation plus an example sentence. Words in this set include: cheerleader, incoherent, wayward, orally.
Why it matters. Knowing what words mean is the strongest predictor of reading understanding in later classes.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: cheerleader, incoherent, wayward, orally.
- Ask your child to say it in a sentence of their own.
- Use the word once at home during the day and notice when it shows up in a book.
Try at home. Keep a family 'word of the day' on the fridge and see who can use it most naturally.
Word meanings, set 10
Part of: Word meanings
Each word has a meaning, and children learn it best from a short, clear explanation plus an example sentence. Words in this set include: blurb, flit, immigrate, extradite.
Why it matters. Knowing what words mean is the strongest predictor of reading understanding in later classes.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: blurb, flit, immigrate, extradite.
- Ask your child to say it in a sentence of their own.
- Use the word once at home during the day and notice when it shows up in a book.
Try at home. Keep a family 'word of the day' on the fridge and see who can use it most naturally.
Word meanings, set 11
Part of: Word meanings
Each word has a meaning, and children learn it best from a short, clear explanation plus an example sentence. Words in this set include: mason, brandish, condolence, lob.
Why it matters. Knowing what words mean is the strongest predictor of reading understanding in later classes.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: mason, brandish, condolence, lob.
- Ask your child to say it in a sentence of their own.
- Use the word once at home during the day and notice when it shows up in a book.
Try at home. Keep a family 'word of the day' on the fridge and see who can use it most naturally.
Word meanings, set 12
Part of: Word meanings
Each word has a meaning, and children learn it best from a short, clear explanation plus an example sentence. Words in this set include: palatable, choreograph, zap, contiguous.
Why it matters. Knowing what words mean is the strongest predictor of reading understanding in later classes.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: palatable, choreograph, zap, contiguous.
- Ask your child to say it in a sentence of their own.
- Use the word once at home during the day and notice when it shows up in a book.
Try at home. Keep a family 'word of the day' on the fridge and see who can use it most naturally.
Word meanings, set 13
Part of: Word meanings
Each word has a meaning, and children learn it best from a short, clear explanation plus an example sentence. Words in this set include: soundly, singly, chug, deplorable.
Why it matters. Knowing what words mean is the strongest predictor of reading understanding in later classes.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: soundly, singly, chug, deplorable.
- Ask your child to say it in a sentence of their own.
- Use the word once at home during the day and notice when it shows up in a book.
Try at home. Keep a family 'word of the day' on the fridge and see who can use it most naturally.
Word meanings, set 14
Part of: Word meanings
Each word has a meaning, and children learn it best from a short, clear explanation plus an example sentence. Words in this set include: stigmatize, nugget, tectonic, dislocate.
Why it matters. Knowing what words mean is the strongest predictor of reading understanding in later classes.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: stigmatize, nugget, tectonic, dislocate.
- Ask your child to say it in a sentence of their own.
- Use the word once at home during the day and notice when it shows up in a book.
Try at home. Keep a family 'word of the day' on the fridge and see who can use it most naturally.
Opposites
Part of: Opposites and same meanings
Opposites (antonyms) are words with meanings that are as different as possible: hot and cold, brave and afraid. Words in this set include: dislodge, atypical, dissuade, disparage.
Why it matters. Learning words in pairs doubles what a child remembers and helps them choose the exact word when they write.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: dislodge, atypical, dissuade, disparage.
- Ask: is there a word in between? (hot, warm, cool, cold)
- Find an opposite pair in a story you read together.
Try at home. Play 'opposite day' at dinner: answer each question with the opposite word.
Words that mean the same
Part of: Opposites and same meanings
Synonyms are different words with almost the same meaning, like big and large or glad and happy. Words in this set include: extremity, unspoiled, wreak, vogue.
Why it matters. Knowing several words for one idea makes writing and speaking richer and avoids repeating the same word.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: extremity, unspoiled, wreak, vogue.
- Talk about how they differ in feeling: 'delightful' is stronger than 'nice'.
- Swap a word in a sentence and read it again.
Try at home. Challenge your child to say 'happy' in five different ways.
Complete the sentence, set 1
Part of: Words in sentences
Fill-in-the-blank sentences ask a child to choose the word that fits the meaning of a whole sentence. Words in this set include: bravely, wreak, vogue, panoramic.
Why it matters. Using words in context is the best way to lock their meaning in, and it trains the reading habit of using clues around a word.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: bravely, wreak, vogue, panoramic.
- Ask why the other choices do not fit.
- Make up a new sentence with the same word.
Try at home. Read a page of a story and hide one word with your thumb. Can your child guess it?
Complete the sentence, set 2
Part of: Words in sentences
Fill-in-the-blank sentences ask a child to choose the word that fits the meaning of a whole sentence. Words in this set include: atypical, slew, dissuade, recast.
Why it matters. Using words in context is the best way to lock their meaning in, and it trains the reading habit of using clues around a word.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: atypical, slew, dissuade, recast.
- Ask why the other choices do not fit.
- Make up a new sentence with the same word.
Try at home. Read a page of a story and hide one word with your thumb. Can your child guess it?
Complete the sentence, set 3
Part of: Words in sentences
Fill-in-the-blank sentences ask a child to choose the word that fits the meaning of a whole sentence. Words in this set include: singularity, litany, dew, whisker.
Why it matters. Using words in context is the best way to lock their meaning in, and it trains the reading habit of using clues around a word.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: singularity, litany, dew, whisker.
- Ask why the other choices do not fit.
- Make up a new sentence with the same word.
Try at home. Read a page of a story and hide one word with your thumb. Can your child guess it?
Complete the sentence, set 4
Part of: Words in sentences
Fill-in-the-blank sentences ask a child to choose the word that fits the meaning of a whole sentence. Words in this set include: inept, erstwhile, patchy, misread.
Why it matters. Using words in context is the best way to lock their meaning in, and it trains the reading habit of using clues around a word.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: inept, erstwhile, patchy, misread.
- Ask why the other choices do not fit.
- Make up a new sentence with the same word.
Try at home. Read a page of a story and hide one word with your thumb. Can your child guess it?
Complete the sentence, set 5
Part of: Words in sentences
Fill-in-the-blank sentences ask a child to choose the word that fits the meaning of a whole sentence. Words in this set include: nominally, cursory, effigy, speck.
Why it matters. Using words in context is the best way to lock their meaning in, and it trains the reading habit of using clues around a word.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: nominally, cursory, effigy, speck.
- Ask why the other choices do not fit.
- Make up a new sentence with the same word.
Try at home. Read a page of a story and hide one word with your thumb. Can your child guess it?
Complete the sentence, set 6
Part of: Words in sentences
Fill-in-the-blank sentences ask a child to choose the word that fits the meaning of a whole sentence. Words in this set include: laborious, anaerobic, jest, immaterial.
Why it matters. Using words in context is the best way to lock their meaning in, and it trains the reading habit of using clues around a word.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: laborious, anaerobic, jest, immaterial.
- Ask why the other choices do not fit.
- Make up a new sentence with the same word.
Try at home. Read a page of a story and hide one word with your thumb. Can your child guess it?
Complete the sentence, set 7
Part of: Words in sentences
Fill-in-the-blank sentences ask a child to choose the word that fits the meaning of a whole sentence. Words in this set include: justifiably, homogeneity, soundly, singly.
Why it matters. Using words in context is the best way to lock their meaning in, and it trains the reading habit of using clues around a word.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: justifiably, homogeneity, soundly, singly.
- Ask why the other choices do not fit.
- Make up a new sentence with the same word.
Try at home. Read a page of a story and hide one word with your thumb. Can your child guess it?
Complete the sentence, set 8
Part of: Words in sentences
Fill-in-the-blank sentences ask a child to choose the word that fits the meaning of a whole sentence. Words in this set include: unwrap, brainchild, blip, colloquial.
Why it matters. Using words in context is the best way to lock their meaning in, and it trains the reading habit of using clues around a word.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: unwrap, brainchild, blip, colloquial.
- Ask why the other choices do not fit.
- Make up a new sentence with the same word.
Try at home. Read a page of a story and hide one word with your thumb. Can your child guess it?
Prefixes and suffixes
Part of: Word parts
Many words are built from smaller parts: a start (prefix like un-, re-), an end (suffix like -ful, -less) or two words joined together (sun + flower). Words in this set include: -less, -ly, un-, re-.
Why it matters. Once a child sees the parts, a hard-looking word becomes a puzzle they can solve, and one new part unlocks dozens of words.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: -less, -ly, un-, re-.
- Do the same with -ful and -less: care, careful, careless.
- Find one long word in a book and split it into parts together.
Try at home. Choose one prefix this week, such as re-, and collect every word you can with it.
Compound words
Part of: Word parts
Many words are built from smaller parts: a start (prefix like un-, re-), an end (suffix like -ful, -less) or two words joined together (sun + flower). Words in this set include: court, club, hand, music.
Why it matters. Once a child sees the parts, a hard-looking word becomes a puzzle they can solve, and one new part unlocks dozens of words.
Try it in two minutes
- Start with these words from this set: court, club, hand, music.
- Do the same with -ful and -less: care, careful, careless.
- Find one long word in a book and split it into parts together.
Try at home. Choose one prefix this week, such as re-, and collect every word you can with it.
What your child will practise
- Complete the sentence, set 1: Word Quest (Collect the Answer)
- Complete the sentence, set 2: Word Quest (Collect the Answer)
- Mystery Town: Class 12 (Mystery Town)
- Opposites Bridge: Class 12 (Opposites Bridge)
- Spell Spark: Class 12 (Spell Spark)
- Word meanings, set 1: Word Match Quest (Match It Up)
- Word meanings, set 2: Word Match Quest (Match It Up)
- Word meanings, set 3: Word Match Quest (Match It Up)
- Word Memory: Class 12 (Word Memory)
- Word Workshop: Class 12 (Word Workshop)
- Quiz: Complete the sentence, set 1 (8 questions)
- Quiz: Complete the sentence, set 2 (8 questions)
- Quiz: Complete the sentence, set 3 (8 questions)
- Quiz: Complete the sentence, set 4 (8 questions)