NB TCLÉ Reading & Writing flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Main idea

The central claim that the entire passage supports. Every paragraph should contribute to it, and it must be broad enough to cover all sections without adding ideas the text never states.

Author's purpose

The action a text performs, such as informing, persuading, explaining, or entertaining. Purpose is identified from tone, structure, and evaluative language rather than from the topic alone.

Thesis versus topic

The topic is what the text is about; the thesis is the claim made about that topic. A title usually announces the topic, while the thesis appears as an arguable statement in the introduction.

Scope error

A main-idea answer that is too narrow covers only part of the passage; one that is too broad goes beyond it. The correct option matches the passage's full extent exactly.

Explicit detail question

A question asking for information stated directly in the passage. The correct answer paraphrases the text, while incorrect options add interpretation or contradict stated facts.

Verbatim trap

An incorrect option that copies wording from the passage but distorts its meaning. Correct answers usually rephrase the original rather than repeat it word for word.

Absolute qualifiers

Words such as all, never, only, and always. Options containing them are usually wrong when the passage uses hedged terms like some, often, may, or generally.

Chronology markers

Words like first, then, after, and finally that signal the order of events. They are used to answer sequence questions by mapping each step to the passage.

Valid inference

A conclusion that follows necessarily from stated evidence plus an assumption the passage supports. It requires a logical step but never relies on outside knowledge.

Implied attitude

The author's stance conveyed through word choice, contrast markers, and punctuation rather than stated outright. Loaded verbs like admitted or claimed reveal how the author judges a source.

Connotation versus denotation

Denotation is a word's dictionary meaning; connotation is its positive, negative, or neutral shading. Two synonyms with the same denotation can imply very different attitudes.

Context clue types

Signals inside a sentence that reveal a word's meaning: definition, synonym, antonym, example, and general sense. They allow meaning to be recovered without a dictionary.

Collocation

The conventional pairing of words, such as make a decision or take a risk. An option that pairs a word with an unconventional partner is usually incorrect.

Register constraint

The rule that word choice must match formality level. Formal prose avoids slang and contractions, while informal writing permits them; mixing levels creates inconsistency.

Comma splice

Two independent clauses joined by only a comma. It is repaired with a period, a semicolon, or a coordinating conjunction such as and or but.

Dangling modifier

An introductory participle phrase whose implied subject differs from the main clause subject. It is fixed by naming the correct subject or rewriting the phrase as a clause.

Restrictive clause

A relative clause carrying essential information that identifies the noun; it takes no commas. A non-restrictive clause adds extra information and is set off by commas.

Parallel structure

The requirement that items in a list or comparison share grammatical form. Mixed forms, such as a noun paired with an infinitive, break the sentence's balance.

Subject-verb agreement

The verb matches the head noun of the subject in number. Intervening prepositional phrases do not change agreement, so the noun nearest the verb may mislead.

Given-new principle

Place familiar information at the beginning of a sentence and new information at the end. This ordering links sentences smoothly and keeps the reader oriented.

Transition functions

Connectors signal relationships between ideas: addition (moreover), contrast (however), cause (therefore), example (for instance), and sequence (subsequently). Choosing one fixes the logical link.

Ambiguous pronoun reference

A pronoun with more than one possible antecedent, which forces the reader to guess. Replacing it with a repeated noun restores clarity.

Nominalization

Expressing an action as a noun, as in make a decision instead of decide. Heavy nominalization lengthens prose; converting nouns back to verbs restores directness.

Modifier placement

Modifiers belong next to the word they modify. Moving only or almost changes which element is limited and therefore changes the sentence's meaning.

Formal register markers

Features of formal prose: full forms instead of contractions, impersonal constructions, precise vocabulary, and no slang or exclamation marks. They signal distance and authority.

Hedging language

Words such as may, appears, and tends to that soften claims. Hedging suits neutral reporting, while strong modals like must and clearly suit persuasion.

Audience adaptation

Adjusting explanation depth and vocabulary to the reader. Experts tolerate jargon; general readers need definitions, examples, and shorter sentences to follow the argument.

Register mixing

Combining formal and informal features in one text, such as slang inside an academic report. The inconsistency distracts the reader and weakens the writer's credibility.

Semicolon use

A semicolon joins two independent clauses without a conjunction, or separates list items that already contain commas. It signals a close logical link between the parts.

Apostrophe rules

The apostrophe marks possession (the student's book) and contraction (it's = it is). The possessive determiner its takes no apostrophe, a frequent spelling error.

Compound modifier hyphen

A hyphen joins words forming a modifier before a noun, as in a well-known author. After the noun, the hyphen is dropped: the author is well known.

Diacritics in loanwords

Accent marks retained in borrowed words such as café, naïve, and résumé. Careful formal writing keeps them, and omitting them counts as a spelling error.