Not
A common signal for an opposite is the word not.
The value of the stock was definitely not going up. It wasn't even staying the same. In fact, it was plummeting.
If the stock value was not going up and it wasn't staying the same, then plummeting must mean going down or falling. Plummeting means "falling very quickly."
WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
Now try the next two examples yourself. Write a definition of the italicized word in each of the following sentences, using the blank space provided. Underline the signal that tells you to watch for an opposite.
| 1 |
Attendance at the meeting was optional, not required.
optional:
_________________________
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A1:
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Since attendance was not required, it was the individual's own decision or choice. Optional means "not required" or "voluntary."
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| 2 |
Harold's work was not sloppy, it was meticulous.
meticulous:
_________________________
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A2:
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Harold's work was not sloppy; therefore, it must have been neat or precise. Meticulous means "very precise about details."
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