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ISEE test vocabulary: how the Verbal Reasoning section tests words

There’s no official ISEE test vocabulary list. The Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) tests words in its Verbal Reasoning section, through synonyms, where you pick the word closest in meaning, and sentence completions, where you pick the word that best fits. The Educational Records Bureau (ERB) says both test the depth and breadth of a student’s vocabulary and their reasoning. Reading Comprehension adds questions on words in context.

  • 2ISEE Verbal Reasoning question types
  • NoneOfficial ISEE vocabulary list
  • 20 minutesVerbal Reasoning, Lower to Upper Level
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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

Verbal Reasoning questions by level

LevelSynonymsSentence completions
Lower1717: 11 one-word, 6 phrase answers
Middle17 to 2317 to 23, one-word answers
Upper1921: 12 one-word, 9 paired words

Lower Level has 34 questions in all and the other two levels 40, each in 20 minutes, and a few in every section don’t count. Primary Levels have no Verbal Reasoning section. Counts are from ERB’s What to Expect on the ISEE guides, copyright 2021.

Which ISEE vocabulary words should you know?

ERB doesn’t name words. Its Middle Level guide says students should recognize vocabulary found on middle and high school graded word lists, and that sentence completions are more complex at Middle and Upper Level than at Lower Level. For sentence completions, ERB’s tips are these:

  • Read the whole sentence first for its overall meaning.
  • Look for clue words such as although, because, if or therefore.
  • Fill the blank with your own word, then find the answer closest to it.
  • Reread the sentence with your answer to check it makes sense.

For synonyms, ERB points out that one-word answer choices are in alphabetical order, so think of a word first and then look for it, or one like it.

Vocabulary in Reading Comprehension

Each reading passage has vocabulary questions about what a word means in that passage, and ERB says they’re typically worded as “most nearly means.” ERB’s guides list 4 to 8 of them at Lower Level and 5 to 9 at Middle Level.

SSAT vocabulary: synonyms and analogies

The Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) tests words differently. Its Verbal section at Middle and Upper Level has 30 synonym and 30 analogy questions in 30 minutes, and at Elementary Level 30 questions in 20 minutes. Analogies compare pairs of words, such as opposites, part to whole, a tool and its user, or a product and who makes it. E3n says Elementary Level words are drawn from third and fourth grade subjects, including science, technology and social studies.

The SSAT’s levels and sections →Official practice for both tests →
Sources: ERB · E3n and 4 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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