Lesson 2: Identifying Common Antonyms
Words with Opposite Meanings
In our last lesson, you learned about synonyms—words with similar meanings. Now, let's look at the other side of the coin: antonyms1. Antonyms are words that have opposite2 meanings. Understanding antonyms is a great way to learn vocabulary in pairs and to express contrasting ideas clearly.
What are Antonyms?
Antonyms are word pairs that are opposite in meaning. For example, 'hot' is an antonym of 'cold'. Learning them together helps you remember both words and understand concepts better. This is a form of paired vocabulary3.
| Word | Its Opposite (Antonym) | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| good | bad | The movie was good, not bad. |
| happy | sad | He was happy in the morning, but felt sad later. |
| big | small | An elephant is big, but a mouse is small. |
| hot | cold | Coffee is usually hot, but ice cream is cold. |
| easy | difficult / hard | This lesson is easy, but the last one was difficult. |
| new | old | I bought a new shirt to replace my old one. |
| right | wrong (for answers) / left (for directions) | Your answer is right, not wrong. / Turn left, not right. |
Usage Note: Gradable vs. Non-Gradable Antonyms
This is a more advanced idea, but very useful for B1 learners.
- Gradable4 Antonyms: These are opposites on a scale. You can be *a little hot* or *very hot*. (e.g., hot/cold, big/small, easy/difficult).
- Non-Gradable5 Antonyms: These are absolute opposites. You are one or the other, not in between. (e.g., right/wrong, alive/dead, pass/fail). You cannot be "a little bit right" or "very dead."
Understanding this helps you use adverbs like 'very' and 'a bit' correctly.
In Conversation
Srey and Bora are talking after taking a test.
Srey: That test was not easy! I thought it was very difficult.
Bora: I agree. I hope my answers were right and not wrong.
Srey: Me too. I feel sad when I get a bad grade, and happy when I get a good one.
Bora: Let's get a drink. I want a cold drink because it is so hot today.
Srey: Good idea. Let's go to that cafe. We need to turn left here.
Bora: No, I think it's a right turn. Look at the map.
Srey: Oh, you're right. Good thing you have a new phone and not an old one like me!
quiz Check Your Understanding
1. Which word is the antonym of 'new'?
- a) big
- b) old
- c) happy
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) old
2. The word 'hot' is a 'gradable' antonym. This means you can correctly say:
- a) "It is very hot."
- b) "It is very dead."
- c) "It is very right."
Click to see the answer
Answer: a) "It is very hot." (You can modify it with 'very').
3. To express the opposite of 'love', you can use the word ______.
- a) hate
- b) like
- c) wrong
Click to see the answer
Answer: a) hate
edit Your Mission
- My Opposites: Write three sentences that show contrast using antonym pairs from the lesson. (e.g., "My house is small, but my school is big.")
- Notebook Practice: In your vocabulary notebook, go to your 'Adjectives' page. Next to five adjectives you already know, write their antonyms.
- Speak: Your mission is to use an antonym pair in a conversation to compare two things. (e.g., "This coffee is hot, but the ice tea is cold.")
book Lesson Glossary
- Antonym (noun) - Khmer: ពាក្យផ្ទុយ (peak phtuy) - A word that means the opposite of another word. ↩
- Opposite (adjective/noun) - Khmer: ផ្ទុយ (phtuy) - Completely different. ↩
- Paired Vocabulary (noun phrase) - Khmer: វាក្យសព្ទជាគូ (veakysap chea kuu) - A method of learning words by studying them in pairs with a clear relationship, like synonyms or antonyms. ↩
- Gradable (adjective) - Khmer: អាចដាក់កម្រិតបាន (ach dak kamret ban) - Describes an antonym pair that can be modified with adverbs like 'very' or 'a little'. ↩
- Non-Gradable (adjective) - Khmer: មិនអាចដាក់កម្រិតបាន (mĭn ach dak kamret ban) - Describes an antonym pair that is absolute and cannot be modified (e.g., dead/alive). ↩