PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR PROFESSIONALS
LESSON 11 ANTONYMS
An antonym is a word opposite in meaning to another
Native speakers of English often use ‘not very…’ + an ANTONYM as a tactful way of saying
something. Complete the following sentences with an antonym of the CAPITALIZED word on
the right (in such a way that the ‘not very…’ expression means the same as the word on the
right):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
He wasn’t very _SOBER_. = He was DRUNK
That pop group’s songs are not very ____________________. = They are rather SHALLOW
Her contribution wasn’t very ____________________. = It was rather SMALL/LITTLE
Sammy’s shirt is hardly ____________________. = It’s DIRTY
I sent the soup back because it wasn’t very ____________________. = It was COLD
The policeman wasn’t exactly ____________________. = He was SHORT
You couldn’t describe their car as ____________________. = It was OLD
I wouldn’t say she was ____________________. = She was FAT
Let’s say we’re not going to arrive ____________________. = We’re going to be LATE
Having him on the team wasn’t really an ____________________ = It was a LIABILITY
I’m sorry to say that the bed isn’t very ____________________. = It’s too SOFT
His plan isn’t very ____________________. = It’s a MAD plan
You could hardly call it a ____________________ problem. = It is a MINOR inconvenience
He didn’t exactly ____________________ your idea. = He HATED it
I don’t really want such a ____________________ room. = I want a LIGHT room.
It could barely be described as a/an ____________________ neighbourhood. = It was a
POOR neighbourhood
This wine isn’t exactly ____________________. = It tastes SOUR
I couldn’t say their dog was ____________________. = It was WILD
Well, he wasn’t at the ____________________ of the ranking. = He was near the BOTTOM
I’m afraid the clothes are not very ____________________. = They are WET
The theatre wasn’t ____________________ that night. = It was EMPTY
You mean there weren’t ____________________ spectators. = There were only a FEW
The only problem is that it’s not very ____________________ to the bus stop = It’s FAR
from the bus stop
I couldn’t say that the bomb ____________________ its target. = It MISSED the target
The pencil you gave me wasn’t very ____________________. = It was BLUNT
I wouldn’t say that the trains there are precisely ____________________. = They are SLOW
You’re not as ____________________ as you used to be. = You’re OLD
C/Santa Cruz, 15
948 18 13 44
Colegio de Formación Lingüística
Zizur Mayor
C/Santa Cruz, 49
948 06 39 16
PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR PROFESSIONALS
LESSON 11 ANTONYMS
An antonym is a word opposite in meaning to another
28. The skin on his hands is anything but ____________________. = It’s ROUGH
29. Well you couldn’t describe him as the ____________________ of the story. = He is the
VILLAIN
30. I’m afraid your answer isn’t ____________________. = It’s WRONG
31. The fish certainly wasn’t ____________________. = It was RAW
32. Don’t expect them to ____________________ your wages. = It’s more likely that they’ll
LOWER them.
33. Well, you couldn’t describe the street as ____________________. = It’s NARROW
34. The food they gave me didn’t taste very ____________________. = It tasted NASTY
35. There isn’t ____________________ milk left. = There’s only a LITTLE milk left.
36. His speech didn’t last very ____________________. = It was SHORT
37. It would be an exaggeration to say that the portions were ____________________. = They
were SMALL
38. Well he certainly didn’t ____________________ the exam = He FAILED it
39. Their pizzas are hardly ____________________. = They are THIN
40. Nobody would call him a ____________________ person. = He is EVIL
C/Santa Cruz, 15
948 18 13 44
Colegio de Formación Lingüística
Zizur Mayor
C/Santa Cruz, 49
948 06 39 16