A contrast word tells you the blank means the opposite of a clue nearby. Half of sentence-completion items hinge on a single such word — find it, and you have cut the choices in half.
The contrast family
| Signal | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| although, though, even though | a reversal is coming |
| however, yet, but, still | the next idea opposes the last |
| despite, in spite of | the blank defies expectation |
| whereas, while, unlike | two things are being opposed |
| on the contrary, nevertheless | flip the previous idea |
The method: clue flip
- Find the contrast word.
- Find the clue on the other side of it.
- Flip the clue to predict the blank.
Example: "Although the directions looked simple, the assembly proved surprisingly ___."
- Clue simple; contrast word although predict the opposite: "complicated".
The contrast word is a minus sign in front of the clue. Whatever the clue means, the blank means the reverse.
Double contrast — careful!
Two negatives can cancel. "Not ___, but rather generous" the blank is the opposite of generous (e.g. "stingy"), because "not" plus "but rather" reverses it back. Read the whole frame before flipping.