Québec Sec 5 FSL Enriched (635-520) key terms

A single sentence, usually near the end of an introduction, that states the main claim of a text and signals how the argument will be developed.

The opening sentence of a body paragraph that announces the paragraph's controlling idea and links it to the overall argument of the text.

The degree of formality and the choice of vocabulary and grammar a writer or speaker adopts for a particular audience and situation, such as formal essay versus friendly message.

The way sentences and paragraphs are linked so a text reads as one continuous whole, achieved through connectors, pronouns, repeated key words and logical order.

Words and phrases such as however, therefore, in addition, or on the other hand that signal relationships between ideas and guide the reader through a text.

The writer's or speaker's adjustment of content, vocabulary, tone and amount of explanation to suit the knowledge, expectations and relationship of the intended reader or listener.

The reason a text is produced, such as to inform, persuade, entertain, describe, narrate or instruct; it shapes structure, tone and level of detail.

A brief plan listing main ideas and supporting points in order before drafting, used to check that a text has logical structure and adequate development.

The stage of writing in which ideas are put into connected sentences and paragraphs for the first time, prioritising content and organisation over perfect accuracy.

Rereading and reworking a draft to improve ideas, organisation, clarity and word choice, distinct from proofreading, which mainly targets surface errors.

A final careful check of a text for spelling, punctuation, capitalization, agreement and typing errors before it is submitted or published.

Restating a passage's meaning in your own words and sentence structure while keeping the original idea, usually shorter and with the source acknowledged.

A condensed restatement of a text's main points in your own words, omitting examples and minor details and preserving the original order of ideas.

Presenting someone else's words, ideas or structure as your own without quotation marks or acknowledgement; in Québec schools it can lead to serious academic consequences.

Information identifying the source of a borrowed idea or quotation, such as author, title, publisher and year, formatted according to the style the teacher requires.

A word-for-word reproduction of a source's language, enclosed in quotation marks, copied accurately and integrated into your own sentence with a source reference.

The central point a text communicates about its subject, which the supporting details explain, illustrate or prove; often stated in a title or opening paragraph.

A fact, example, statistic, reason or anecdote that develops and justifies a main idea or claim in a text.

A conclusion a reader draws by combining clues in the text with background knowledge, when the information is implied rather than stated directly.

The attitude a writer or speaker conveys toward the subject or audience, such as ironic, sympathetic, critical or enthusiastic, revealed through word choice and sentence style.

The structural plan of a text, for example chronological narrative, cause and effect, comparison and contrast, problem and solution, or description.

Techniques writers use for effect, including metaphor, simile, personification, imagery, symbolism, irony and foreshadowing; recognizing them supports interpretation of literary texts.

An underlying idea about life or human experience explored throughout a literary work, such as loyalty, loss or identity, usually implied rather than stated outright.

Descriptive language appealing to the senses that creates vivid mental pictures and contributes to mood and meaning in a literary text.

The voice that tells a story, which may be a character within it (first person) or outside it (third person), and whose reliability and knowledge affect interpretation.

The perspective from which a story is told, such as first person, third-person limited or omniscient, which shapes what the reader can know and how events are judged.

The competency of reusing ideas, information and language gathered from texts you have read in a new task, such as a letter, debate, presentation or creative response.

Combining information and ideas from two or more sources into a coherent new text that shows relationships between them rather than summarizing each separately.

A deliberate move used in conversation to keep talk going and fair, such as asking a follow-up question, building on a peer's point, or politely disagreeing.

The conversational convention of speaking in alternation, signalling when you are finishing and giving others space to contribute without interrupting.

A request or explanation that removes confusion, as in asking someone to repeat, rephrase or give an example so the message is fully understood.

Softening a claim or disagreement with expressions such as it seems to me, perhaps, or I'm not entirely sure, which protect politeness in discussion and academic writing.

Elements of spoken English beyond individual sounds, including word stress, sentence stress, intonation, rhythm and linking, which affect how easily a listener understands.

The ability to speak at a reasonable pace with few long pauses, linking ideas smoothly even when occasional errors occur, so communication flows without strain.

The rule that a verb matches its subject in number and person, as in she writes versus they write, including tricky cases with collective nouns and indefinite pronouns.

Keeping the tenses of a text logically consistent, shifting only when the time frame genuinely changes, which prevents confusing narratives and arguments.

A word such as although, because, while or unless that introduces a dependent clause and shows how it relates to the main clause.

A sentence made of one independent clause plus at least one dependent clause, useful for showing logical relationships between ideas concisely.

A word that looks similar in French and English but differs in meaning, such as librairie (bookshop, not library) or actually (in fact, not currently).