Alberta PAT cheat sheet

Main idea is the central point a whole text supports; theme is a broader message about life or human nature that the text implies.

Tone is the writer's attitude toward the subject; mood is the emotional feeling the text creates in the reader.

An inference is a conclusion drawn from evidence in the text plus prior knowledge; it is never stated directly.

A thesis statement must be a debatable claim that can be supported with evidence from the text, not a statement of fact.

Simile compares using like or as; metaphor states one thing is another; personification gives human qualities to non-human things.

Context clues for an unfamiliar word come from definition, example, contrast, or cause-and-effect statements in nearby sentences.

First-person point of view uses I or we and limits the reader to one character's knowledge; third-person omniscient reveals several characters' thoughts.

Functional writing tasks such as news articles, letters, or instructions are assessed on voice, organization, sentence structure, and conventions.

Each body paragraph of a literary essay should present one point, support it with a quotation or paraphrase, and explain how the evidence proves the point.

Avec l'auxiliaire avoir, le participe passé s'accorde avec le complément d'objet direct seulement si celui-ci précède le verbe.

Le subjonctif est requis après les expressions de volonté, d'émotion, de doute ou de nécessité : il faut que, bien que, je doute que.

Les connecteurs logiques (d'abord, ensuite, cependant, par conséquent, en conclusion) marquent l'organisation et les liens entre les idées.

Le schéma narratif comporte cinq étapes : situation initiale, élément déclencheur, péripéties, dénouement, situation finale.

Le passé composé présente une action terminée; l'imparfait décrit une action habituelle ou en cours dans le passé.

Les homophones a/à, son/sont, ou/où se distinguent par leur fonction grammaticale dans la phrase.

La comparaison utilise un outil comme « comme » ou « tel que »; la métaphore identifie directement deux réalités sans outil de comparaison.

Le complément de phrase est déplaçable et supprimable; le complément du nom ne peut être ni déplacé ni supprimé sans changer le sens.

Un texte argumentatif comprend une thèse, des arguments appuyés par des exemples, et une conclusion qui réaffirme la position.

Exponent laws: a^m × a^n = a^(m+n); a^m ÷ a^n = a^(m−n); (a^m)^n = a^(mn); a^0 = 1 for any non-zero a.

Slope m = (y₂ − y₁)/(x₂ − x₁); in y = mx + b, m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.

An inscribed angle is half the measure of the central angle that subtends the same arc.

A tangent line is perpendicular to the radius at the point of tangency.

Volume formulas: cylinder V = πr²h; cone V = (1/3)πr²h; sphere V = (4/3)πr³.

Total surface area of a cylinder = 2πr² + 2πrh, covering two circular bases and the curved surface.

Order of operations: brackets, then exponents, then multiplication and division left to right, then addition and subtraction left to right.

Multiplying or dividing both sides of an inequality by a negative number reverses the inequality sign.

For similar figures with linear scale factor k, lengths scale by k, areas by k², and volumes by k³.

Ohm's law: V = IR; electrical power P = VI = I²R.

In a series circuit the current is the same through every component and resistances add; in a parallel circuit the voltage is the same across each branch.

Atomic number equals the number of protons; mass number equals protons plus neutrons.

A chemical change produces a new substance, evidenced by gas, precipitate, colour change, or release of heat or light; a physical change does not.

A neutral atom has equal numbers of protons and electrons; ions form when electrons are gained or lost.

Biological diversity includes genetic variation within a species, variety among species, and variety of ecosystems.

WHMIS symbols warn of workplace hazards such as corrosive, flammable, toxic, and oxidizing materials.

pH below 7 is acidic, 7 is neutral, and above 7 is basic; acids turn blue litmus paper red.

In a food web, producers occupy the first trophic level and usable energy decreases at each higher level.

The Constitution Act, 1982 contains the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which applies to the actions of governments.

Federal jurisdiction includes defence, currency, and criminal law; provincial jurisdiction includes education, health care, and natural resources.

Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 recognizes and affirms existing Aboriginal and treaty rights.

Collective rights in Canada include official-language rights under the Official Languages Act, 1969, and Aboriginal treaty rights.

The Indian Act, 1876 defines status Indians, reserves, and band governance and has been amended many times.

A market economy sets prices through supply and demand; a command economy has government-set prices and production.

Canada's immigration classes are economic, family reunification, and refugees.

Industrialization moved populations from rural to urban areas and contributed to the growth of labour unions.

Globalization increases trade, migration, and cultural exchange while raising concerns about the loss of local identity.