Grammar Words

not
but
than + "er" or "more"
In contrast
despite
though
yet
on the other hand
unless
although
however
by contrast
rather
Instead
anything other than
whatever
far from
far cry
even
in spite of
less than
nonetheless

on the contrary

nevertheless
anything but
even though
even if
even as
while
notwithstanding

Content Words
typically
surprising/surprised
confused/confusing
misconception
belie
improbable
taken a turn
let alone
fight
 striking

only to

balance
stand out
undermine
so many/many
unfortunately
myth
opposition between
disingenuous
conventionally
shock
apparently
at least
startling
odd
regularly
obsolete

seemingly

turn into

widespread belief

misleading

debate
remarkable

does not mean

normally
tend to/tendency

may think

actually
in reality

in theory

in practice

pendulum

seemed
upon closer inspection
beneath the surface
 on the surface

still
one would think
astonishing

reverses

mistake

in fact
hardly
hope
wish
often
assume

presume

generally
otherwise

often viewed

masks

unusual

possible
may
perhaps
strange
contrasting adjectives with "both"
two antithetical

paradox

juxtapose

give way

Time Words
of late
newfound
former
later years
seem at once
once
 historically

early
later
finally
no longer
initially
afterward
would have
could have
should have

recent

now

today
in my/our time

heyday

ago

at first glance
one-time
erstwhile

had always been

He was successful because his father had left him a $3 million inheritance -- not because he had worked so _______________
The engineers argued that the plan was economically feasible, but those controlling the purse strings claimed it was far too __
Saul is more meticulous than his younger brother, who tends to go about his day ___________________.
Archaeologists of the 19th and early 20th century managed their digs in a haphazard manner. In contrast, archaeologists toda
________________.
Despite Paul's insistence that the job be completed today, the workers decided to ______________ their lunch break.
Though the boxer showed up to the fight overweight and hungover, he still easily _____________ his opponent.
The entrepreneur attended business seminars, cut staff, and reworked her business from the ground up. It failed nonetheless.
Peter arrives to work by 6AM so that he can head back to home in the early afternoon. Mike, on the other hand, shows up to t
Unless we can secure emergency funding, the company will go _______________.
Megan possesses great wealth, although you wouldn't know it from her _______________ car.
The two corporate heavyweights planned to merge their operations into one massive behemoth. However, anti-monopoly reg
__________.
Sandra is calm in stressful situations. Ryan, by contrast, is extremely ______________ when life's difficulties happen.
Rather than focus his energies on securing strong letters of recommendation, John decided to shift his attention to _________
Instead of universal applause, which the actors had expected, many members of the crowd _____________ them.
Sam wanted peace and tranquility -- anything other than the ___________ he had become accustomed to.
Whatever this policy's intrinsic merits, we have to face the fact that it will ____________ to garner enough votes.
The resort was a dilapidated mess, far from the _____________ it was depicted as in brochures.
The _____________ number of options was a far cry from the abundance that had been promised.
Even Albert Einstein would find this particular problem _______________.
In spite of the fact universal healthcare has been shown to be largely beneficial for all rungs of a society, the United States con
She is less studious than her ____________ brother.
Jamie knew the party would not be much fun. Nonetheless, she ______________ it.
Educators predicted that learning would suffer as students began studying exclusively online. On the contrary, student perform
______________.
Agreeing that the plan lacked feasibility, the manager nevertheless decided to ____________ it at the meeting.
The young boy jumped into the fast-moving river to save his drowning sister, suggesting that he was anything but __________
Even though unemployment has skyrocketed in recent weeks, crime statistics have seen a marked ______________.
Even if you somehow secure a meeting with the CEO, you won't be able to ______________ her that she should join our comp
Even as the buildings around him collapsed, the man remained _____________.
While not hostile toward the suggestions of the rival political party, the president was not ____________ to them either.
The importance of manners notwithstanding, sometimes people have to be a little ______________ to get what they want.

James typically opted for a small breakfast, but today he desired a(n) ________________.
Surprisingly, the man so concerned with cleanliness had the ______________ house of all.
Craig's ______________ test results were confusing in that he had worked so hard to achieve his goals.
The belief that divorce rates are on the increase is a misconception; they're actually _______________.
Nicole's stern manner and rigid posture belies her great capacity for ________________.
It is improbable that someone so fond of lounging on his couch would ever garner _____________ in his life.
Emily's crippling insecurity has recently taken a turn for the better; she's now quite _____________.
The task is difficult even for seasoned experts, let alone for someone so clearly ________________.
When _______________ fights spirituality, the results are bound to be interesting.
The mosquito is striking in that something so small and seemingly innocuous could cause cause so much __________________
The general did not advise his men to die for their country only to ___________ in a bunker 10 miles from the battle. In fact, h
his men.
The teacher, in developing her style, attempted to reach a balance between _______________ and strict adherence to the les
The author's fourth book stands out from his others because it adopts a(n) _____________ tone rather than a somber one.
Your ______________ is undermining my authority as the boss.
With so many people suggesting that I sell my stocks, it is comforting to hear an expert state that I should ___________ them.
Tom spent his life savings on his dream to run an restaurant. Unfortunately, the venture _____________.
It is a myth that hard work alone is sufficient for achieving one's dreams. _____________ plays a central role too.
The opposition between ______________ and machine has been a theme in cinema for over 100 years.
It is disingenuous to claim that childhood was mired in poverty. We all know about your ____________ upbringing.
It is conventionally thought that adversity breeds character. However, experience has shown that its effect is mostly ________
The audience was shocked to discover that the three main characters of the play were played by a(n) _____________ actor.
The children were apparently happy when spending time with their dad, but they were always ____________ to leave.
At least the could ____________ a fire, for all of his other supposed wilderness expertise turned out to be a fraud.
Doctors were startled to learn that Smith had lived so _______________, given that he was a habitual smoker and unabashed
It is odd that people who exhort the importance of frugality often spend their own money so _________________.
Miles is regularly praised as the inventor of the product. In reality, his assistant __________________ the device.
The view that children should obey their parents unconditionally is obsolete. A little _______________ should be encouraged.

The man was seemingly stranded with no money for bus fare or gas to get home. Of course, this was all a(n) ____________ to

The once-shy little girl had turned into a supremely _______________ woman.
There is widespread belief that swallowing gum is somehow harmful to one's body, yet, if that were true, gum would be sold w
much like cigarettes are.
The professor's directions were misleading. He claimed that the research papers could be submitted at any time on Friday, bu
those who sent their papers in _____________ on that day.
There exists a debate whether children in their 20s should stay with or ______________ their parents' houses.
Remarkably, the man who detested exercise ____________ the race.

That Greg loves the GRE does not mean that he ________________ everything ETS does. He especially dislikes the $27 fee to

Dams are normally thought of as a clean source of energy, but they are actually quite ______________.
Mark tended to drink Diet Coke each morning, but, these days, he's ______________ this habit.
You may think that a person who won numerous piano competitions as a child would grow up to be a professional pianist, but
actually an accountant.
People's first impression of Richard is that he is a gentle, polite young man. Actually, he's kind of a(n) _________________.
The community was envisioned as a utopia. In reality, it was no ____________ than any other housing subdivision.

In theory, travel at near the speed the light of is possible. However, practically speaking, we ________ the technology to get a

Ethan found the theoretical approach of his medical school not overly challenging. In practice, however, he was surprised at h
really were.

The professor argued that the stock market acts much like a pendulum, with wild swings from extreme profitability to intense

It seemed as if the project would come in under budget. A few years of actual construction ______________ us of that notion
The room appeared empty. Upon closer inspection, however, the detective _____________ a child hiding in the corner.
Chad likes to put on this front that he's a tough guy who never experiences emotions. Beneath the surface, he's a real ______
On the surface, the GRE should be easy -- you learn the concepts, you get a high score. But a deeper dive reveals just how ___
truly is.
I still ___________ him despite all of the trouble he's put me through.
One would think that having a lot of money brings about happiness, but money in fact breeds much ________________.
The fact that an ______________ patent clerk from Switzerland revolutionized physics is astonishing.

Most people claim that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but I reverse this and contend that _______________

The administrator mistakenly concluded that the accountants were stealing money, when, as it turned out, the money had ne

It was in fact my ________________ who raised me -- not my father or mother.

She could hardly claim that she was _________________, for there was security footage that clearly showed her face.
I always hoped that we'd live in a world without war, yet wars ______________.
The young boy wished that his parents would cease fighting, but the ________________ continued each night.
It is often stated that fortune favors the bold. Actual observation has shown me, however, that fortune smiles on the _______
The teacher assumed that Chris was a ________________ student, but it turned out that he was one of the best.
You presumed that I could not ____________ the clothes in your shop based on my appearance, but…big mistake…big mistak
from other store*.
The phenomenon under study is generally predictable, though yesterday provided some ________________ data.
The otherwise honest boy could not help but _____________ when the prospect of getting a dessert was at hand.
The Mona Lisa is often viewed from a direct perspective, head on, where it seems as if she is smiling. If you view from a differe
see that she is frowning.
The teenager's machismo masks a(n) ___________________ that few know about.
He approaches the subject unusual for a researcher and instructor in that he shows _______________ toward the subject tha
supposed to love.
It is possible that the prime minister will grant you an interview, but I wouldn't ____________ on it.
It is true that a few children may learn the piano at an exceptionally high level, but, for most children, gains are ____________
Perhaps the world's peoples will one day unite for a common cause. Until that day, we remain _______________.
It is strange that Ken claims to have a crush on Sarah. He's outwardly ______________ to her.
He was both simple and complicated, practical and ______________, reckless and cautious.
There are two antithetical truths about science: we know nearly everything and we know __________________.

A paradox existed between the two species. The one with more hospitable living conditions was nearly extinct and the other w

The artist has a tendency of juxtaposing the __________ and the new in his paintings.
Upon Copernicus' death, the idea that Earth was the center of the Universe gave way to the belief that our planet occupied m
position in the Solar System.

The child used to show affection in spades. Of late, however, he is quite ___DISTAND_____ to me.
A nobody in the past, Johnson was relishing his newfound __POPULARITY_____________.
The formerly brutal dictator _BECOME POLITE__ near the end of his life.
As a teenager, Celine partied until the sun came up, but in her later years, she is usually __SLEEP___ by 10:00.
The puzzle seemed at once interesting and ___FRUSTRATING____________, exciting and vexing.
The once-happy children fell into a deep __SADNESS/ GLUM_____________ after their parents' divorce.
World War II has historically been thought of as a struggle between the Western European powers and Germany. More _FOCU
finally being given to the Russian and Pacific theaters.
Early researchers believed that some races were biologically superior to others, a notion that seems positively _REJECTED____
Later, despite initially belief in its efficacy, we learned the drug was ___INEFFECTIVE____________.
The organization, after months of support, finally agreed to __OUST/ CHANGE_____________ its leader.
No longer ____WILLING_____________ to work as someone's employee, Huong started her own company.
Initially, he was nice and charming. With time, however, his ___TRUTH / DEMON___________ revealed itself.
Thomas started the program with high hopes. Afterward, his optimism had _____DECREASED_________ significantly.
I would have been a pilot had I received the proper training. Too bad my mom never paid for __TRAINING________.
Scott's mom argued that he could have done great things had he __TRIED___________ more.
I should have been there for you. Please forgive my ____ABSENCE___________.

A recent report suggests that, in contrast to years of conventional wisdom, it is indeed ____hamfull/ not good_______ to swim

During past pandemics, before the discovery of germ theory, people were at a loss as to why those around them were dying. N
_ANSWER/ IDEA________________ of what is occurring.
Three hundred years ago, one could simply claim land as his own. Today, you must _FOLLOW____________ many regulations
In my time, children enjoyed the outdoors, yet these days they all seem content to stay _______/AT HOME INSIDE_______.
During the corporation's heyday, money was flowing like water and expense accounts were barely scrutinized, if at all. Now, h
a penny without it being __APPROVED________________.

One hundred years ago, cars solved a problem -- too much horse poop on the streets. In modern times, cars are the ___PROBL

At first glance, it seemed as if the marriage between the two would fail. Yet they are still _____MARRIED_________ today.
His one-time ___RICHNESS/ EXTRAVAGANCE_____________ stood in stark contrast to his recent money troubles.
The erstwhile belief that bullying was a natural part of adolescence has given way to the contention that it should be ___ALLO
greatest extent possible.
He had always been careful with his words. But today was different. He was going to ___CARELESS_______________.