Armenia Foreign Language Unified Exam key terms

The main overall meaning or central idea of a spoken or written passage, as opposed to its details. Candidates often identify it by asking what the whole text is mostly about.

The single most important point a text or talk conveys, usually stated or implied in one sentence. It organizes supporting details and answers what the author or speaker most wants you to understand.

A specific fact, example, reason, or figure that backs up the main idea. In reading and listening tasks, candidates match such details to questions about who, what, when, where, or how much.

A conclusion drawn from clues in the text rather than stated directly. The reader or listener combines evidence with general knowledge to work out what is implied but not said.

Information in the surrounding words or sentences that helps a reader guess the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Clues include definitions, examples, contrasts, and synonyms placed near the unknown item.

A restatement of a text's meaning in different words, keeping the original sense. Exam questions often paraphrase the passage, so recognizing equivalent wording is a key reading skill.

Reading quickly to get the general sense of a text without attending to every word. It is used to preview a passage, decide its topic, or locate the section that answers a question.

Moving the eyes rapidly over a text looking for one specific piece of information, such as a date, name, or number. The reader ignores unrelated content until the target is found.

A sentence, usually near the start of a paragraph, that announces the paragraph's central point. The remaining sentences develop or illustrate it with details and examples.

The reason a writer produced a text, such as to inform, persuade, entertain, or instruct. Recognizing purpose helps candidates interpret tone and choose answers that fit the whole text.

The attitude a writer or speaker expresses toward the subject or audience, for example humorous, critical, neutral, or sympathetic. Tone is revealed through word choice and sentence style.

The level of formality in language, ranging from casual speech to formal writing. Choosing language suited to the situation, audience, and medium is part of communicative competence tested in writing and speaking.

A habitual pairing of words that native speakers use together, such as 'make a decision' or 'heavy rain'. Knowledge of collocations is tested in vocabulary items where only one combination sounds natural.

A verb combined with an adverb or preposition that creates a new meaning, such as 'give up' or 'look after'. Some are separable and some are not, which affects word order in sentences.

A fixed expression whose meaning cannot be worked out from its individual words, such as 'break the ice'. Idioms are learned as whole units and are common in listening and reading passages.

A word with a meaning close to that of another word, such as 'begin' and 'start'. Test items often require choosing the option closest in meaning to a word in the passage.

A word opposite in meaning to another, such as 'generous' and 'stingy'. Recognizing opposites helps in vocabulary questions and in understanding contrast signals within a text.

A meaningful unit attached to the front of a word that changes its meaning, such as 'un-' in 'unfair' or 're-' in 'rewrite'. Knowing common prefixes helps candidates decode unfamiliar words.

A meaningful unit added to the end of a word, often changing its part of speech, such as '-ness' forming nouns or '-ful' forming adjectives. Suffixes are central to word-formation tasks.

A group of words sharing a common base but differing in endings, such as 'create, creative, creation, creativity'. Choosing the correct family member depends on the grammatical slot in the sentence.

The grammatical form of a verb that locates an action or state in time, such as present, past, or future. Correct tense choice depends on time markers and the surrounding context.

The way a verb form presents an action as complete, ongoing, or repeated, as in simple versus continuous or perfect forms. Aspect combines with tense to express precise timing and duration.

The rule that a verb must match its subject in number and person, as in 'she writes' but 'they write'. Errors often involve intervening phrases, collective nouns, or indefinite pronouns.

A short word placed before a noun: the definite 'the' or the indefinite 'a' and 'an'. Correct use depends on whether the noun is specific, countable, singular, or already mentioned.

A word such as 'in', 'on', 'at', or 'by' that links a noun or pronoun to another element, often showing place, time, or manner. Fixed combinations with verbs and adjectives must be memorized.

A helping verb such as 'can', 'must', 'should', or 'might' that expresses ability, obligation, permission, or possibility. It is followed by a bare infinitive and has no third-person '-s'.

A sentence structure expressing a condition and its result, such as 'If it rains, we will stay'. Forms vary from real to unreal and past-unreal, each with its own tense pattern.

The way someone's words are retold without direct quotation, requiring shifts in tense, pronouns, and time expressions. For example, 'I am tired' becomes 'She said she was tired'.

The way sentences and paragraphs are linked so a text reads as a unified whole. Devices include pronouns, repetition, synonyms, and linking words that connect ideas across sentences.

The logical organization of ideas so that a text is easy to follow, with each part building on the previous one. It concerns overall structure and relevance rather than surface links between words.

A conjunction or adverb such as 'however', 'therefore', or 'in addition' that signals the relationship between ideas. Appropriate choice depends on whether ideas contrast, cause, sequence, or add.

A group of sentences developing one idea, usually beginning with an indentation or line break. In writing tasks, clear paragraphing with a topic sentence improves organization scores.

A sentence, usually in the introduction of an essay, that states the writer's central claim or position. The rest of the essay supports it with reasons and evidence.

A brief plan listing the main points and their order before drafting. It helps a writer organize ideas logically and avoid repetition or gaps in an essay.

Carefully rereading a finished draft to find and correct errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and word choice. It is a final editing stage, separate from planning and revising content.

Reviewing and improving a draft for clarity, accuracy, and style, including sentence structure and word choice. It goes beyond proofreading, which mainly fixes surface mistakes.

The ability to speak or write smoothly and at a reasonable pace without excessive hesitation or breakdown. It is assessed alongside accuracy and range in speaking and writing tasks.

The way words are spoken, including individual sounds, stress, and intonation. Clear pronunciation supports intelligibility, which examiners judge in speaking tests.

The rise and fall of the voice across an utterance, used to signal questions, emphasis, emotion, or the end of a thought. It affects how a listener interprets a speaker's meaning.

A speaking task in which the candidate acts out a scenario with an examiner or partner, such as making a request or giving advice. It tests functional language and interaction skills.

A prompt card in a speaking test listing a topic and points the candidate should cover in a short monologue. It usually includes a preparation minute and a set speaking time.