TASC English Studio flashcards
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32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Main idea
- The central point or message of a passage. It is often stated in the first or last sentence of an introductory paragraph and is supported by details.
- Supporting details
- Facts, examples, statistics, or reasons that explain, illustrate, or prove the main idea of a text.
- Inference
- A logical conclusion drawn from evidence in a text combined with prior knowledge; it is not directly stated by the author.
- Author's purpose
- The reason an author writes a text: to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain. It is revealed through tone, word choice, and structure.
- Tone
- The author's attitude toward the subject or audience, conveyed through diction, imagery, and sentence structure.
- Text structure
- The organizational pattern of a passage, such as compare-contrast, cause-effect, problem-solution, chronological, or description.
- Thesis statement
- A single sentence that presents the main argument or claim of an essay, usually placed at the end of the introduction.
- Topic sentence
- The first sentence of a body paragraph that states the paragraph's main point and connects it to the thesis.
- Paragraph unity
- The quality of a paragraph in which every sentence supports the topic sentence; irrelevant sentences are removed.
- Coherence
- The logical connection of ideas in writing, achieved through transitional words, pronoun references, and consistent organization.
- Revision
- The stage of writing that focuses on improving content, organization, and clarity, rather than fixing grammar and punctuation.
- Editing
- The stage of writing that focuses on correcting grammar, punctuation, spelling, and word choice.
- Subject-verb agreement
- The rule that a singular subject takes a singular verb and a plural subject takes a plural verb, ignoring prepositional phrases between them.
- Pronoun-antecedent agreement
- The rule that a pronoun must match its antecedent in number and gender; indefinite pronouns like everyone are singular.
- Comma usage
- Commas separate items in a series, follow introductory phrases, set off nonessential clauses, and precede coordinating conjunctions joining independent clauses.
- Semicolon
- A punctuation mark that joins two independent clauses without a conjunction or separates items in a series that already contain commas.
- Colon
- A punctuation mark that introduces a list, explanation, or quotation after an independent clause.
- Apostrophe
- A punctuation mark used to show possession (singular 's; plural s') and to form contractions; it never forms a plural noun.
- Verb tense consistency
- Maintaining the same verb tense throughout a passage unless a shift in time is clearly indicated.
- Parallel structure
- Using the same grammatical form for items in a list or comparison, such as all infinitives or all gerunds.
- Active listening
- Fully focusing on a speaker, avoiding interruption, and using nonverbal cues like nodding and eye contact to show engagement.
- Paraphrasing
- Restating a speaker's or author's message in your own words to confirm understanding and clarify meaning.
- Open-ended question
- A question that requires a detailed, explanatory answer rather than a simple yes or no; used to gather information.
- Closed-ended question
- A question that can be answered with a brief, specific response such as yes, no, or a single fact; used to confirm details.
- Consensus building
- A group process of seeking common ground by summarizing points of agreement and addressing disagreements respectfully.
- Presentation structure
- The organization of a speech: an opening hook, a clear thesis, an organized body with evidence, and a conclusion that summarizes key points.
- Primary source
- Original, firsthand material such as interviews, surveys, letters, or original research data.
- Secondary source
- A source that interprets or analyzes primary sources, such as textbooks, reviews, or scholarly articles.
- Credibility
- The trustworthiness of a source, evaluated by the author's credentials, publication reputation, date, and evidence of bias.
- Citation
- Complete source information (author, title, date, publisher) provided so readers can locate the original material.
- Plagiarism
- Presenting someone else's words or ideas as your own without proper attribution; avoided by citing all sources.
- Synthesis
- Combining information from multiple sources to support a new claim or perspective, showing relationships among ideas.