WAEC 2021 English Language · Question 15

While Mr.Ade is his son is a novice.

Question

From the list of words lettered A to D, choose the one that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the underlined word and that wil, at the same time, correctly fill the gap in the sentence. While Mr.Ade is his son is a novice.

In the original paper part of this question is underlined. The underline isn't shown here: see the explanation below.

A.enlightened
B.competent
C.clever
D.experienced

Answer: D. experienced

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question

The sentence is: "While Mr. Ade is __, his son is a novice." The underlined word is novice, so we need its opposite that also fits the gap.

Explain the concept

A novice is a beginner, someone with little or no experience or training. The word "While" signals contrast, so the gap needs a word describing someone who is the opposite of a beginner.

Solution

A. enlightened: means having knowledge or understanding, often of ideas or spiritual matters. It is not the direct opposite of a beginner in a skill.
B. competent: means capable or able. A novice can be competent, and a competent person is not necessarily the opposite of a novice.
C. clever: means intelligent. It is about intellect, not experience.
D. experienced: means having long practice or knowledge from doing something. This is the most direct antonym of novice, and it fits the sentence well: "While Mr. Ade is experienced, his son is a novice."

Tip

For antonym-in-context questions, first define the underlined word in simple terms (novice = a beginner with no experience). Then pick the option that reverses that exact idea, not just a general "good" quality. Related pairs worth remembering: novice vs veteran/expert/experienced, and amateur vs professional.

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