ISEE Verbal Reasoning

Question Types

Synonym

Synonym questions require you to look at a given word and decide which of the four answer choices mostly closely resembles the meaning of that word. Take a look at the example problem below. The correct answer is in bold.

• SUCCINCT:

1. Successful
2. Brief
3. Doubtful
4. Haphazard

Sentence Completion

For the sentence completion questions, you are provided with a sentence that includes a blank, and it’s your job to decide which answer choice best completes the sentence. 

It’s important to note that the sentence completion question types vary slightly by level. Lower Level students are expected to answer questions with an entire phrase missing in addition to questions with only a single word missing. Upper Level students are given sentences that include both one and two blanks. 

Below are example question for all three types of sentence completions. The correct answers are bold.

• One-blank (found on every level)
  The textbooks were so well written, organized, and illustrated that the students found them quite ____.
  
  A. agreeable
  B. confusing
  C. humorous
  D. daunting
   
• Two-blank (found only on Upper Level)
  Despite the exceedingly early hour of the class, the students were as ____ and ____ as in the afternoon.
  
  A. fair . . . presumptuous
  B. mundane . . . vivacious
  C. loud . . . rambunctious
  D. muscled . . . concerned
   
• Phrase-blank (found only on Lower Level)
  While many of Mr. Walter’s neighbors found him to be gruff and inconsiderate, ______.
  
  A. he was adored by the neighborhood children.
  B. he often refused to speak to them.
  C. he rarely left his home.
  D. he never volunteered to host the neighborhood block party.