CA POST PELLETB key terms

A conclusion reached by combining stated details with background knowledge rather than reading it directly. Police reports often require readers to draw this from facts and behavior described.

Stated clearly and directly in the text so no guessing is needed. A fact is explicit when the passage says it outright rather than suggesting it.

Suggested or hinted at but not stated directly, so the reader must infer meaning from clues in the passage or context.

The central point that a paragraph or passage is mostly about, often stated in a topic sentence or summarized near the end.

A sentence that states the main point of a paragraph, usually near the beginning, and signals what the rest of the paragraph will explain.

A specific fact, example, or reason that explains or backs up the main idea of a paragraph, passage, or report.

To restate the main points of a passage briefly in your own words while leaving out minor details and examples.

To restate a sentence or short passage in different words while keeping the original meaning fully clear, complete, and unchanged.

Nearby words, phrases, or sentence structure that help a reader figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word in a passage.

To examine two or more things to show how they are alike, often using words such as both, similarly, or like.

To examine two or more things to show how they differ, often using words such as however, unlike, or whereas.

Arrangement of events in the order they happened in time, often signaled by dates or words like first, then, and finally.

A relationship in which one event makes another happen; the cause explains why something occurred, and the effect is the result.

A statement that can be verified or proven true with evidence, such as a date, measurement, or direct observation in a report.

A statement of belief, judgment, or feeling that cannot be proven true or false and may vary from person to person.

A writing quality that makes meaning easy to understand because words are precise, sentences are organized, and references are clear.

Using the fewest words needed to express an idea clearly in a sentence or report, avoiding repetition, empty phrases, and unnecessary details.

Unnecessary repetition of words or ideas that adds length to writing without adding meaning or clarity. Readers may see the same point stated twice.

Sentence structure in which the subject performs the action, as in 'The officer wrote the report.' It is often clearer and more direct than passive voice.

Sentence structure in which the subject receives the action, often using a form of 'to be' plus a past participle, as in 'The report was written.'

A word, phrase, or clause that describes or limits another word; it should be placed near the word it describes to avoid confusion.

A descriptive phrase that does not clearly attach to the word it is meant to describe, often because the intended subject is missing from the sentence.

Using matching grammatical forms for items in a list or comparison, such as all nouns, all verbs, or all phrases of the same type.

The rule that a verb must match its subject in number, so singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs.

The relationship between a pronoun and the noun it stands for; unclear reference confuses readers about who or what is meant.

The noun or noun phrase that a pronoun replaces or refers to in a sentence, such as 'officer' in 'The officer lost his radio.'

A group of words punctuated as a sentence but lacking a subject, a verb, or a complete thought and cannot stand alone.

Two or more independent clauses joined without correct punctuation or a conjunction, making the sentence hard to follow and confusing to readers.

A word or phrase that shows how ideas connect, such as however, therefore, or meanwhile, helping readers follow the writer's logic.

The quality of writing that flows logically so each sentence connects clearly to the next and the overall message is easy to follow.

A word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word, such as 'quick' and 'fast' in a sentence.

A word that means the opposite of another word, such as 'hot' and 'cold'; recognizing these helps clarify contrast in a sentence.

The emotional or cultural feeling a word carries beyond its dictionary meaning, such as the negative tone of 'sneaky' compared with 'quiet.'

The literal, dictionary meaning of a word, without the feelings or associations it may suggest to readers. It is the opposite of connotation.

A word part added to the beginning of a root word that changes its meaning, such as 'un-' meaning not or 'pre-' meaning before.

A word part added to the end of a root word that changes its meaning or grammatical form, such as '-less' or '-tion.'

One of two or more words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings, such as 'their,' 'there,' and 'they're.'

A reading exercise in which words are removed from a passage and the reader must choose the word that best completes each blank using context.