In vocabulary assessments, what do candidates analyze in addition to definitions?

In vocabulary assessments, candidates often analyze not just the definitions of words but also word families and collocations. Word families refer to groups of words that share a common root, which can provide a deeper understanding of the word's meaning and its various forms (e.g., "educate," "education," "educational"). Analyzing these connections helps candidates to see how words relate to each other and how to use them in different grammatical contexts.

Collocations are words that frequently occur together and are significant in language learning because they represent common word pairings that sound natural to native speakers (like "make a decision" vs. "do a decision"). Understanding these can greatly enhance a candidate’s ability to use vocabulary appropriately in both written and spoken communication.

In contrast, while synonyms and antonyms, idiomatic phrases and expressions, and pronunciation and usage are all important aspects of vocabulary, the specific focus on word families and collocations is particularly relevant in the context of analyzing how vocabulary functions within language.