What Top 100 Essential Vocabulary Words to Know for Secondary 2?

Here is a list of 100 vocabulary words that are beneficial for Secondary 2 students. This list focuses on words that will help in expanding language skills, understanding complex texts, and improving writing quality:

Abundant
Accomplish
Acknowledge
Adapt
Adequate
Ambitious
Analyze
Anticipate
Apprehensive
Arbitrary
Assertive
Assess
Astonish
Authentic
Beneficial
Bias
Blatant
Boycott
Candid
Coherent
Collaborate
Commence
Compel
Comprehend
Concise
Conclude
Conform
Consequence
Controversial
Convince
Correlate
Critical
Deficient
Deliberate
Denote
Derive
Desolate
Devastate
Diminish
Discriminate
Diverse
Dominate
Drastic
Eloquent
Empathy
Endeavor
Enhance
Evaluate
Evident
Exaggerate
Exemplify
Exploit
Feasible
Fluctuate
Formulate
Fundamental
Futile
Gratify
Harass
Hinder
Hypothesis
Illuminate
Illustrate
Imply
Incentive
Incorporate
Indifferent
Inevitable
Infer
Influence
Innovation
Interpret
Justify
Legitimate
Maintain
Manipulate
Meticulous
Moderate
Neglect
Neutral
Notion
Obsolete
Obtain
Optimistic
Perceive
Persuade
Precedent
Precise
Predominant
Prejudice
Primary
Proficient
Provoke
Rational
Reluctant
Resilient
Resourceful
Significant
Sufficient
Validate

These words are valuable for building a strong vocabulary foundation and can help students in reading comprehension, essay writing, and preparing for exams.

Top 100 Essential Vocabulary Words to Know for Secondary 2

Here is a table format with the meaning and examples in a Singapore context for each of the vocabulary words:

Word	Meaning	Example Sentence (Singapore Context)
Abundant	Plentiful; available in large quantities	“Singapore has an abundant supply of food options in its hawker centres.”
Accomplish	To successfully complete something	“With determination, he managed to accomplish his goal of scoring well in the PSLE.”
Acknowledge	To recognize the existence or truth of something	“The school acknowledged her hard work by awarding her a scholarship.”
Adapt	To adjust to new conditions	“Singaporeans had to adapt quickly to working from home during the pandemic.”
Adequate	Sufficient; enough for a specific purpose	“The facilities at the new school are adequate for all students.”
Ambitious	Having a strong desire to succeed or achieve	“Her ambitious plan is to enter one of Singapore’s top secondary schools.”
Analyze	To examine carefully and in detail	“In science class, we were asked to analyze the results of our experiment.”
Anticipate	To expect or predict	“The students anticipate the year-end exams with a mix of excitement and nervousness.”
Apprehensive	Anxious or fearful about something	“She was apprehensive about her first performance at the National Day Parade.”
Arbitrary	Based on random choice or personal whim	“The teacher’s decision to give extra homework seemed arbitrary to the students.”
Assertive	Confident and forceful	“He was assertive in voicing his opinions during the class debate.”
Assess	To evaluate or estimate	“The teachers assess students’ progress through weekly tests and assignments.”
Astonish	To surprise or amaze	“The spectacular fireworks display astonished everyone at Marina Bay.”
Authentic	Genuine; real	“This Peranakan restaurant serves authentic Singaporean cuisine.”
Beneficial	Helpful; advantageous	“Learning a second language is beneficial for students in Singapore’s multicultural society.”
Bias	A tendency to favor one side	“The article showed a bias towards traditional teaching methods over newer ones.”
Blatant	Obvious or done openly	“The student’s blatant disregard for the rules led to detention.”
Boycott	To refuse to deal with a group or product	“Some residents decided to boycott a fast food chain due to health concerns.”
Candid	Open and honest	“The teacher was candid with her feedback, helping the students improve.”
Coherent	Clear and logical	“His essay was coherent, making it easy for the teacher to follow his argument.”
Collaborate	To work together	“Students collaborated on a project about Singapore’s history for Social Studies.”
Commence	To begin or start	“The construction of the new MRT line will commence next year.”
Compel	To force or oblige	“The government may compel citizens to follow certain health protocols.”
Comprehend	To understand fully	“Reading regularly helps students better comprehend complex texts.”
Concise	Brief and to the point	“The teacher asked for concise answers in the short-answer section of the test.”
Conclude	To bring to an end	“After months of preparation, the students concluded their project with a successful presentation.”
Conform	To comply with rules or standards	“Students are expected to conform to the school’s dress code.”
Consequence	Result or effect	“A lack of preparation has consequences, such as low exam scores.”
Controversial	Causing disagreement	“Streaming in schools has been a controversial topic in Singapore education.”
Convince	To persuade	“He convinced his parents to let him join the sports club by explaining the benefits.”
Correlate	To show a connection	“Studies show that regular practice correlates with better academic performance.”
Critical	Very important or vital	“Critical thinking skills are essential for problem-solving in the 21st century.”
Deficient	Lacking in some necessary quality	“The building was closed because it was found to be structurally deficient.”
Deliberate	Done consciously and intentionally	“The teacher made a deliberate effort to include all students in discussions.”
Denote	To indicate	“The blue markings on the map denote areas of conservation in Singapore.”
Derive	To obtain from a source	“Singapore derives most of its water from local reservoirs and imported sources.”
Desolate	Empty and bleak	“The abandoned estate appeared desolate and quiet.”
Devastate	To cause great damage	“The flood devastated several low-lying areas, impacting hundreds of residents.”
Diminish	To reduce or lessen	“The haze from regional forest fires can diminish air quality in Singapore.”
Discriminate	To treat differently	“Singapore’s workplace policies prohibit discrimination based on race or gender.”
Diverse	Showing variety	“Singapore is known for its diverse cultural heritage.”
Dominate	To have control or power over	“Multinational companies dominate the business landscape in Singapore.”
Drastic	Extreme or severe	“The school took drastic measures to improve student behavior.”
Eloquent	Fluent and persuasive in speaking or writing	“The guest speaker gave an eloquent speech on youth empowerment.”
Empathy	Understanding of another’s feelings	“Volunteering at a nursing home helped her develop empathy for the elderly.”
Endeavor	To try hard to achieve something	“She made a great endeavor to improve her grades for the upcoming exams.”
Enhance	To improve	“Studying vocabulary words enhances one’s language skills.”
Evaluate	To judge or determine the value of	“The teacher evaluated our projects based on creativity and effort.”
Evident	Clear or obvious	“It was evident from his grades that he had studied diligently.”
Exaggerate	To overstate	“He tends to exaggerate his achievements to impress others.”
Exemplify	To serve as an example of	“His discipline and dedication exemplify the qualities of a successful student.”
Exploit	To take advantage of	“The company was criticized for exploiting workers by paying low wages.”
Feasible	Possible and practical	“With good planning, it is feasible to complete the project on time.”
Fluctuate	To change irregularly	“Temperatures in Singapore don’t fluctuate as much as in other countries.”
Formulate	To create or devise	“The team formulated a strategy to promote recycling among students.”
Fundamental	Basic and essential	“Understanding fractions is fundamental to learning algebra.”
Futile	Useless; without purpose	“It was futile to argue with him as he had already made up his mind.”
Gratify	To please or satisfy	“He was gratified to see his efforts recognized by the teacher.”
Harass	To bother repeatedly	“The school has strict rules against any form of harassment among students.”
Hinder	To prevent or obstruct	“The heavy traffic may hinder students from reaching school on time.”
Hypothesis	A proposed explanation	“The students formed a hypothesis about the results of their science experiment.”
Illuminate	To light up or make clear	“The teacher’s explanation helped illuminate a complex topic in physics.”
Illustrate	To explain with examples	“He used a chart to illustrate the differences between the species.”
Imply	To suggest without saying directly	“His comments implied that he was unhappy with the decision.”
Incentive	A reward or motivation	“The school introduced incentives to encourage more reading.”
Incorporate	To include or integrate	“The teacher incorporated technology to make learning more engaging.”
Indifferent	Uninterested or unconcerned	“He was indifferent to the new policy changes at school.”
Inevitable	Certain to happen	“With such dedication, his success seemed inevitable.”
Infer	To deduce from evidence	“From her tone, we could infer that she was pleased with our work.”
Influence	To affect or change	“Parents and teachers greatly influence students’ attitudes towards education.”
Innovation	A new method, idea, or product	“The use of AI in education is an innovation that can benefit students.”
Interpret	To explain the meaning of	“Students were asked to interpret the poem in their own words.”
Justify	To show or prove to be right	“The student justified her actions by explaining her reasoning to the teacher.”
Legitimate	Lawful; valid	“The school had a legitimate reason to implement stricter attendance policies.”
Maintain	To keep up or preserve	“He maintained high grades throughout the school year.”
Manipulate	To control or influence	“The company was accused of manipulating public opinion.”
Meticulous	Careful and precise	“Her meticulous notes helped her prepare thoroughly for the exam.”
Moderate	Not extreme; average	“A moderate amount of exercise is beneficial for health.”
Neglect	To ignore or fail to care for	“Neglecting one’s studies can lead to poor academic performance.”
Neutral	Not taking sides	“The teacher remained neutral during the classroom debate.”
Notion	A belief or idea	“She had the notion that hard work leads to success.”
Obsolete	Outdated	“With smartphones, payphones have become almost obsolete in Singapore.”
Obtain	To get or acquire	“He obtained a scholarship for his excellent performance in school.”
Optimistic	Hopeful and positive	“She remained optimistic about her chances of entering her desired school.”
Perceive	To become aware of or understand	“He perceived a change in the way lessons were being conducted.”
Persuade	To convince	“He persuaded his classmates to join the environmental club.”
Precedent	An earlier event serving as a model	“This decision set a precedent for similar cases in the future.”
Precise	Exact and accurate	“The scientist took precise measurements during the experiment.”
Predominant	Most common or main	“English is the predominant language used in Singapore schools.”
Prejudice	Preconceived opinion	“Schools in Singapore promote equality and discourage any form of prejudice.”
Primary	Main; most important	“Education is one of Singapore’s primary priorities.”
Proficient	Skilled; capable	“She is proficient in both English and Mandarin.”
Provoke	To cause a reaction	“The rude comments provoked a strong response from the audience.”
Rational	Logical and reasonable	“He made a rational decision to study rather than play video games.”
Reluctant	Unwilling or hesitant	“She was reluctant to participate in the debate at first.”
Resilient	Able to recover quickly	“Singaporeans have shown resilience during difficult times, such as the pandemic.”
Resourceful	Able to solve problems creatively	“Students must be resourceful in finding reliable information for their projects.”
Significant	Important; notable	“Scoring well in exams is a significant achievement for students.”
Sufficient	Enough; adequate	“The student’s work showed sufficient understanding of the topic.”
Validate	To confirm or prove	“The teacher’s feedback helped validate her efforts in improving her essay.”

This table provides Secondary 2 students with meanings and relevant examples in the Singapore context, helping them understand and apply the vocabulary in their learning and communication.

Why these words for Sec 2 Vocabulary List and Why learn these essential Words?

The chosen vocabulary list for Secondary 2 students focuses on words that are essential for developing both language and critical thinking skills. Here’s why these words are ideal for this level and why learning them is beneficial:

1. Complexity of Expression

At Secondary 2, students begin dealing with more challenging subjects and are often required to express themselves more clearly, whether in written essays, oral presentations, or in debates. Words like “analyze,” “evaluate,” and “interpret” enable them to articulate complex ideas and showcase understanding effectively.

2. Critical Thinking and Reasoning

Many of these words—such as “assess,” “hypothesis,” “justify,” and “infer”—are related to critical thinking and analysis. These skills are fundamental in subjects like English, Science, and Social Studies, where students must examine information, assess credibility, and support their arguments with evidence.

3. Real-World Relevance

Words like “collaborate,” “diverse,” “bias,” and “beneficial” reflect concepts students encounter in daily life, both in school and in the larger social context of Singapore. Learning these words helps students discuss real-world topics, engage in social conversations, and participate in community-oriented discussions.

4. Academic Excellence and Examination Preparedness

Secondary 2 is a crucial year for preparing students for higher-level studies. Understanding words like “comprehend,” “precise,” “significant,” and “coherent” helps them interpret examination questions accurately, structure their answers better, and increase their chances of success across subjects.

5. Building Confidence in Communication

Mastering vocabulary like “assertive,” “reluctant,” “eloquent,” and “persuade” enables students to communicate their thoughts and opinions with confidence. This is invaluable for presentations, group projects, and oral examinations, where clear and articulate expression is key.

6. Enriching Reading and Writing Skills

Many of these words, such as “coherent,” “evaluate,” “formulate,” and “exemplify,” appear in advanced reading materials. Being familiar with them improves comprehension of texts, whether in literature or non-fiction. Furthermore, these words help students enhance their writing by allowing them to convey precise meanings and add depth to their work.

7. Laying a Strong Foundation for Future Studies

Vocabulary is cumulative; words learned in Secondary 2 serve as building blocks for more advanced language skills in later years, especially for students preparing for the O-Levels. Words like “analyze,” “innovate,” and “significant” are part of a critical vocabulary base that will recur in higher education and professional life.

In summary, these words have been chosen because they provide Secondary 2 students with the language skills required to think critically, communicate effectively, and perform well academically. Learning them enriches their vocabulary, aids in self-expression, and equips them to navigate more complex texts and ideas, setting them up for success in school and beyond.

The 4 steps of Learning Vocabulary with eduKateSG.com

To effectively learn any new material, especially vocabulary lists like this one, students can follow a structured four-step approach: Teach, Learn, Memorise, and Test. Here’s how each step can be applied to mastering this vocabulary list, along with the Fencing Method, Metcalfe’s Law, and the S-curve.

1. Teach

Approach: Start by explaining the vocabulary words in simple terms. You can use definitions, examples in context, or even come up with relatable sentences.
Adaptation for Vocabulary: One effective method is to “teach” the words to a friend, family member, or even yourself. Teaching forces you to process the meaning of the words, make connections, and explain them in your own words. You might take each word and try to teach it using a Singapore context (like in the table above), which helps you make the words relevant to your everyday environment.

2. Learn

Approach: This step involves truly understanding and absorbing each word’s meaning and usage.
Adaptation for Vocabulary: Use the words in sentences, read them in different contexts (like in books or articles), or create flashcards with examples. You could also try to use the words during daily conversations or in writing assignments. Learning means engaging actively with the material and using the words until they feel natural.

3. Memorise

Approach: Memorization is key to retaining vocabulary. Repeated exposure and active recall help embed the words into your memory.
Adaptation for Vocabulary: Use spaced repetition techniques to review the words at intervals. Flashcards, either physical or digital, can be very effective here. Test yourself on a few words each day, gradually building up your memory. Group similar words to make connections, or even create a story using the vocabulary words, as this can make recall easier.

4. Test

Approach: Testing assesses how well you’ve learned and memorised the vocabulary.
Adaptation for Vocabulary: Try writing sentences or short essays using a set of vocabulary words without looking at the definitions. You can also create mini-quizzes or have a peer quiz you. Testing reveals which words you’ve mastered and which need more review.

The Fencing Method for Vocabulary

The Fencing Method is a teaching approach that builds understanding progressively, similar to fencing off different sections of a topic to handle it bit by bit. For vocabulary:

Start with Simple Definitions: Break down each word into its simplest definition first.
Add Complexity Gradually: Once you’re comfortable with the definition, move to more complex usages, like creating examples in different contexts.
Apply in Real-Life Contexts: Use the word in sentences relevant to your life, like in a school setting or about Singaporean society.
Review and Reinforce: Regularly revisit these “fenced-off” groups of words to reinforce understanding.

This method allows for a step-by-step mastery of vocabulary, preventing overwhelm and building confidence with each set of words.

Metcalfe’s Law and Vocabulary Learning

Metcalfe’s Law suggests that the value of a network grows with the number of connected users. In vocabulary learning, each word can be thought of as a “node” that connects with others. As you learn more words, your ability to understand complex sentences, make associations, and express yourself effectively grows exponentially. Here’s how:

Connections Among Words: Knowing words like “beneficial” and “advantageous” helps you understand synonyms and nuances, deepening comprehension.
Wider Application and Expression: With more vocabulary, you can express ideas more accurately, making your communication clearer and more persuasive.
Accelerated Learning: As you accumulate words, each new word learned fits into your network, making it easier to remember and use.

The S-Curve in Vocabulary Learning

The S-Curve describes how learning progresses over time: a slow start, rapid growth, and then a plateau. For vocabulary:

Initial Phase (Slow Start): When you first start learning vocabulary, it may feel challenging as you are unfamiliar with most words.
Growth Phase (Rapid Learning): With consistent practice and using methods like the Fencing Method and spaced repetition, you’ll hit a phase where learning becomes quicker. Your understanding of word meanings and uses grows exponentially.
Plateau Phase: Eventually, you may reach a point where progress slows as you’ve mastered a majority of the list. At this stage, focus on refining usage and understanding nuances.

Understanding the S-curve can prevent discouragement during the initial stages and encourage persistence, knowing that rapid improvement lies just ahead with consistent effort.

By combining the 4 Steps, Fencing Method, Metcalfe’s Law, and S-Curve approach, you can transform vocabulary learning into an organized, effective, and engaging process. This comprehensive method not only helps in remembering words but also in confidently using them in context, enhancing communication and comprehension.

Top 100 Vocabulary words for Secondary 1 English Tutorial