Guides
Vocabulary
AEAS vocabulary list: the most common words
The 25 words that come up most in AEAS-format vocabulary practice for each year level, with meanings and how to learn them.
The 25 words that come up most often across this site's Year 4-6 vocabulary practice, which follows the real AEAS format. Learn these first; the full list of 300 words, with flashcards, is in the Word List.
Worked example · Top 25 words, Year 4-6
1. finish (finished, finishes)It took Sarah two days to finish preparing all slides for the important meeting.
2. take (takes, taking)It will only take a while for you to clear up the kitchen.
3. wholeAll of or entire
4. mean (meaning, meanings)What something expresses or represents
5. company (companies)I insured my property and my health with a reputable insurance company.
6. turn (turned, turning)Can you turn on the TV for me?
7. end (ended, ending)The final part
8. business (businesses)It was so rude of him to say “mind your own business” to his supervisor.
9. amaze (amazed, amazing)To overwhelm with surprise or sudden wonder
10. wave (waved, waves)She gave a friendly wave as the bus pulled away.
11. work (worked, working)My mum has to work late on Fridays.
12. aroundAt around 5 pm every Friday, almost no one is left in the office.
13. happen (happened, happening)To come into existence
14. build (building, buildings)A structure with a roof and walls
15. type (types)What type of music do you like?
16. grow (growing, grows)Become larger or greater
17. save (saved, saves)To stop someone or something from being killed
18. rest (rested, resting)You need to get some rest before you drive home.
19. piece (pieces, piecing)What a wonderful piece of music!
20. equal (equally)Having the same quantity, value, or measure as another
21. wait (waited, waiting)How long did you wait for your friend?
22. trip (trips)Journey
23. loseStop to have
24. sickAffected by physical or mental illness
25. recycle (recycled, recycling)Use again
How to use the list
- Learn each word with its example sentence, not just its meaning: Words in Context gives you only the first letter and the sentence.
- Learn the other forms too (for example suffer, suffered, suffering), since the test can use any of them.
- Come back to a word on a later day rather than repeating it ten times in one go; spaced review is what makes words stick.
The 25 words that come up most often across this site's Year 7-9 vocabulary practice, which follows the real AEAS format. Learn these first; the full list of 300 words, with flashcards, is in the Word List.
Worked example · Top 25 words, Year 7-9
1. peoplePeople from all over the world visit this festival every year.
2. extreme (extremely, extremes)Reaching a high or the highest degree
3. suffer (suffered, suffering)Undergo or be subjected to
4. career (careers)An occupation undertaken for a significant period
5. help (helped, helping)If he didn’t ask her for help, it is not likely that he would have passed the exam.
6. wouldDo you think you would be happy as a wild animal?
7. increase (increased, increases)Technological advances helped bring about the decline of rural industries and an increase in urban populations.
8. gather (gathered, gathering)Come together
9. year (yearly, years)12 months
10. live (lived, lives)Many families live in apartments in the city centre.
11. mean (meaning, meanings)What something expresses or represents
12. effort (efforts)A vigorous or determined attempt
13. advance (advanced, advancing)Move forwards in a purposeful way
14. adopt (adopted, adopting)On balance, we must move forward and adopt these new technologies.
15. timeShe has seen all the popular movies recently, so now she has no idea what to do when she has free time.
16. throughThe sun broke through from the heavy clouds, shining on her hair.
17. water (waters)A colourless, transparent, odourless liquid
18. large (largely)Of wide range or scope
19. technology (technologies)The application of scientific knowledge
20. remain (remained, remaining)Continue to exist
21. limit (limited, limiting)Small in amount or number
22. warn (warned, warning)Scientists have warned that the ice caps are melting faster than expected.
23. region (regions)Area
24. effect (effects)A change which is a result of an action or other cause
25. pollutionThe effort to clean up cars may do little to cut pollution.
How to use the list
- Learn each word with its example sentence, not just its meaning: Words in Context gives you only the first letter and the sentence.
- Learn the other forms too (for example suffer, suffered, suffering), since the test can use any of them.
- Come back to a word on a later day rather than repeating it ten times in one go; spaced review is what makes words stick.
The 25 words that come up most often across this site's Year 10-12 vocabulary practice, which follows the real AEAS format. Learn these first; the full list of 300 words, with flashcards, is in the Word List.
Worked example · Top 25 words, Year 10-12
1. peoplePeople often underestimate how much effort this project requires.
2. halt (halted, halting)Bring or come to an abrupt stop
3. surround (surrounded, surrounding)Environment
4. system (systems)The body’s immune system fights off germs.
5. regionalRelated or limited to a particular space
6. phenomenonThere’s evidence to suggest that child abuse is not just a recent phenomenon.
7. make (makes, making)As the flight was delayed for one hour, they didn’t make it to the meeting.
8. need (needed, needing)Every living creature has a basic need for clean water.
9. mean (meaning, meanings)What something expresses or represents
10. ultimate (ultimately)As the end result of a succession or process
11. consistent (consistently)Agreeing or accordant
12. enhance (enhanced)To raise to a higher degree, intensify, or magnify
13. impose (imposed, imposing)The government decided to impose a new tax on imported goods.
14. accessory (accessories)A small item worn to complement a garment or outfit
15. new (newly, news)If the beetles successfully adapt to their new environment, they will soon become a part of the local ecology.
16. live (lived, lives)Many families live in apartments in the city centre.
17. food (foods)A global food company has invested millions of dollars in a recipe for non-meat nuggets.
18. provide (provided, provides)Offer
19. risk (risked, risking)Climbing without proper equipment involves a serious risk.
20. issue (issued, issues)An authoritative order, charge, or direction
21. particular (particularly)Of or relating to a specific person, thing, occasion, etc.
22. operation (operations)The state of being in effect
23. alternative (alternatives)One of the things or courses of action that can be chosen
24. exact (exactly)Marked by strict and complete accordance with fact
25. depressionThe state of being sad or hopeless
How to use the list
- Learn each word with its example sentence, not just its meaning: Words in Context gives you only the first letter and the sentence.
- Learn the other forms too (for example suffer, suffered, suffering), since the test can use any of them.
- Come back to a word on a later day rather than repeating it ten times in one go; spaced review is what makes words stick.