Selective School Word List (Year 6)
Vocabulary is tested directly in the selective Reading paper. Word-choice questions ask students to pick the word that best fits each gap in a passage, so those marks come down to word knowledge alone. By Year 6 it also becomes a writing skill: vocabulary is one of the clearest signals a marker uses to separate a competent response from a strong one.
20 words with meanings, example sentences and memory hooks. Free, no sign-up.
Where vocabulary is tested in the selective and scholarship exams
Most directly in the word-choice questions, which test whether a word is known precisely enough to fit real context rather than merely recognised.
Across the rest of the 45-minute Reading test it decides the close calls. Answer options are deliberately near each other, and the difference between them often turns on a word's connotation rather than its dictionary meaning.
In Writing it decides range. Under a tight time limit students fall back on whatever vocabulary is genuinely automatic, so words that have been recognised but never used simply do not appear on the page.
In Thinking Skills it decides accuracy. The vocabulary of argument, evidence and inference is precise, and misreading one term invalidates the whole answer.
What separates a selective-level word from a hard word
Precision beats length. Unorthodox says something specific that unusual does not, and word-choice questions are built to reward exactly that difference — several options that are nearly right, one that is right.
Usability beats recognition. A word a student can deploy naturally in a 30-minute writing response is worth several they can only recognise on the page.
Connotation carries marks. Frugal and stingy describe the same behaviour with opposite judgements, and Reading questions are built on that distinction.
The best words travel. One that is equally at home in an argument, a narrative and a report can appear anywhere in the paper.
The word list
These 20 words are drawn from the same curated bank the iClass Vocabulary Builder uses. Each entry shows what the word means, how it behaves in a sentence, and a hook to make it stick.
circumspect
adjectiveSUR-kuhm-spektCautious and careful, thinking about risks before acting.
“She stayed circumspect about her plans until she was certain.”
Remember it: “Circum” = around; look all around first.
inscrutable
adjectivein-SKROO-tuh-buhlImpossible to understand or read; giving nothing away.
“The judge kept an inscrutable expression that revealed nothing.”
Remember it: You can't “scrutinise” an inscrutable face.
sagacious
adjectivesuh-GAY-shuhsShowing wisdom and good judgement.
“The sagacious captain steered the ship safely through the storm.”
Remember it: A “sage” is wise — sagacious is sage-like.
obfuscate
verbOB-fuh-skaytTo make something unclear or confusing on purpose.
“The report seemed designed to obfuscate the real figures.”
Remember it: Obfuscate fogs things up — “ob-FOG-scate”.
surreptitious
adjectivesur-uhp-TISH-uhsDone secretly to avoid being noticed.
“He took a surreptitious glance at the answer sheet.”
Remember it: A surreptitious move is a secret slip.
trenchant
adjectiveTREN-chuhntSharp, clear and forceful, going straight to the point.
“Her trenchant criticism cut straight to the weakest point.”
Remember it: A trenchant remark cuts like a trench.
prescient
adjectivePRESH-uhntSeeming to know what will happen before it does.
“Her prescient warning about the storm saved the crew.”
Remember it: “Pre-science” — knowing before it happens.
fastidious
adjectivefa-STID-ee-uhsVery careful about detail and hard to please.
“He was fastidious about keeping every book perfectly straight.”
Remember it: “Fast-tidy-us” — always tidy.
equanimity
nounek-wuh-NIM-uh-teeCalmness and evenness of mind, especially under stress.
“She faced the bad news with remarkable equanimity.”
Remember it: An “equal”, even mind — steady.
magnanimous
adjectivemag-NAN-uh-muhsGenerous and forgiving, especially toward a rival.
“The magnanimous champion praised her defeated opponent.”
Remember it: “Magna” = great — a great, big heart.
tenuous
adjectiveTEN-yoo-uhsVery weak or thin; not strong or certain.
“The evidence was too tenuous to prove anything.”
Remember it: Tenuous — thin as a thread.
pragmatic
adjectiveprag-MAT-ikDealing with things in a practical, sensible way.
“She took a pragmatic approach and fixed what mattered first.”
Remember it: A pragmatic person gets practical things done.
lucid
adjectiveLOO-sidClear and easy to understand; clear-thinking.
“His lucid explanation made the hard idea simple.”
Remember it: Lucid — full of light, like “lucent”.
judicious
adjectivejoo-DISH-usShowing good judgement and sense.
“A judicious choice of words kept everyone calm.”
Remember it: Like a “judge” — good judgement.
poignant
adjectivePOYN-yuhntDeeply touching; causing strong, often sad, feeling.
“The poignant ending brought tears to the audience.”
Remember it: Poignant — it points straight at your heart.
succinct
adjectivesuhk-SINGKTExpressed clearly in a few words.
“Her succinct answer said everything in one sentence.”
Remember it: Succinct — “suck it in”, squeeze it short.
eloquent
adjectiveEL-uh-kwuhntFluent and persuasive in speaking or writing.
“His eloquent speech moved the whole room.”
Remember it: Eloquent — speaks with elegance.
prudent
adjectivePROO-dntCareful and sensible, avoiding needless risks.
“It was prudent to save some money for emergencies.”
Remember it: A prudent person plans ahead.
vehement
adjectiveVEE-uh-muhntShowing very strong, forceful feeling.
“She gave a vehement denial of the accusation.”
Remember it: Vehement — force like a “vehicle”.
ubiquitous
adjectiveyoo-BIK-wuh-tuhsSeeming to be everywhere at once.
“Mobile phones are now ubiquitous in every classroom.”
Remember it: Ubiquitous — you bump into it everywhere.
How to move a word from recognised to usable
Use it before you review it
Write one sentence of your own with the word. Recognition is passive; production is what the Writing section actually measures.
Learn it against a near-neighbour
Study candid alongside blunt, or altruistic alongside generous. The gap between them is where the Reading marks are.
Collect the word family
One root often unlocks several words. This is the highest-yield habit available in the final months.
Keep the review short and frequent
Spaced repetition beats cramming for vocabulary more reliably than for almost any other exam skill.
Practise these words
The free Vocabulary Builder turns this list into quick game rounds — meaning match, word links and sentence context — and a new exam word is published every day.