SACE Stage 2 English as an Additional Language flashcards
SACE Stage 2 English as an Additional Language · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Register
- The level of formality in language chosen to suit audience, purpose and context; formal register avoids contractions and slang, while informal register allows colloquial and personal expression.
- Cohesive device
- A word or phrase that links ideas across sentences, such as a conjunction, pronoun or demonstrative, helping the reader follow the logical flow of a text.
- Lexical chain
- A series of related content words, often synonyms or repeated key terms, that run through a text and signal that the same topic is being developed.
- Topic sentence
- The opening sentence of a paragraph that states its controlling idea and signals to the reader what the rest of the paragraph will explain or support.
- Backchannelling
- Short verbal signals such as 'mm', 'right' or 'yeah' that a listener uses to show attention and encourage a speaker to continue without taking a full turn.
- Turn-taking
- The conversational system by which speakers alternate, using cues such as falling intonation, pauses or direct questions to hand over the speaking floor.
- Additive connective
- A linking word such as 'furthermore', 'in addition' or 'moreover' that adds another point of similar weight to the one just made.
- Adversative connective
- A linking word such as 'however', 'nevertheless' or 'on the other hand' that signals contrast or qualification between two ideas.
- Causal connective
- A linking word such as 'therefore', 'consequently' or 'as a result' that shows the second idea follows from the first as an effect.
- Audience positioning
- The way a writer or speaker adjusts vocabulary, tone and assumed background knowledge to match the readers or listeners being addressed.
- Skimming
- Rapid reading for general meaning, using headings, first sentences and layout cues to build an overall picture without attending to every word.
- Scanning
- Fast reading to locate specific information such as a name, date or figure, moving the eyes over the text in search of a target item.
- Gist
- The main overall meaning or central point of a text, which can usually be stated in one sentence without listing supporting details.
- Inference
- A conclusion about unstated meaning drawn from clues in the text; it differs from speculation because it must be supported by textual evidence.
- Literal question
- A comprehension question whose answer is stated directly in the text and can be located and quoted with little or no interpretation.
- Inferential question
- A comprehension question requiring the reader to combine two or more stated details or read between the lines to reach a supported conclusion.
- Fact versus opinion
- A distinction where a fact can be verified by external evidence while an opinion expresses evaluation, judgement or prediction and cannot be proven true.
- Author tone
- The attitude a writer conveys towards the subject, signalled through word choice, modality, punctuation and the balance of positive and negative language.
- Signposting
- Layout and language features such as headings, numbering, bullet points and connectives that show how a text is organised and where it is heading.
- Vocabulary in context
- Working out a word's meaning from its grammatical role and surrounding collocations rather than relying on a first dictionary definition.
- Summarising
- Reducing a text to its key points by deleting detail, generalising examples and rewording the result concisely in the writer's own language.
- Text comparison
- Analysing two texts on a shared topic by identifying common claims, points of difference and contrasts in audience, purpose and register.
- Exposition structure
- A persuasive text pattern of thesis, body arguments with evidence, a counter-argument with rebuttal, and a conclusion restating the writer's position.
- Discussion structure
- A balanced text pattern presenting arguments for and against an issue, with the writer's own position stated in the conclusion.
- Recount structure
- A text pattern beginning with orientation (who, when, where) followed by events in chronological order, usually written in the past tense.
- Procedure structure
- A text pattern of goal followed by sequenced steps written in the imperative, often numbered, with adverbials showing manner and order.
- Narrative structure
- A story pattern built from orientation, complication and resolution, using dialogue, sensory detail and varied sentence length for effect.
- Nominalisation
- Turning a verb or adjective into a noun, as in changing 'they decided' to 'the decision', which raises formality and packs information densely.
- Complex sentence
- A sentence containing one independent clause and at least one subordinate clause introduced by a subordinator such as 'because', 'although' or 'while'.
- Compound sentence
- A sentence joining two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction such as 'and', 'but' or 'so', or with a semicolon.
- Paraphrasing
- Restating a source's idea in substantially different words and sentence structure while keeping the meaning accurate and citing the original source.
- Plagiarism
- Presenting another person's words or ideas as one's own, whether by copying without quotation marks or by paraphrasing without citation.