CA POST flashcards

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

i before e rule

Spell i before e except after c, or when the combination sounds like "ay" as in neighbor and weigh; common exceptions include seize, either, weird, and leisure.

Doubling final consonant

Double a final consonant before a suffix starting with a vowel when the word ends in one vowel plus one consonant and the last syllable is stressed, as in begin becoming beginning.

Dropping silent final e

Drop a silent final e before a suffix beginning with a vowel (make becomes making); keep the e before a consonant suffix (hope becomes hopeful) and after soft c or g.

Changing y to i

When a word ends in a consonant plus y, change the y to i before most suffixes (carry becomes carried, happy becomes happiness), but keep the y before -ing.

Plurals ending in o

Most nouns ending in o take -es (potatoes, heroes), but words ending in a vowel plus o or shortened forms take -s (radios, photos, pianos).

-able versus -ible

-able usually attaches to a complete English root word (readable, comfortable); -ible usually attaches to Latin roots that are not free-standing English words (visible, possible).

Definition context clue

A definition clue restates an unfamiliar word's meaning directly, often set off by commas, dashes, or phrases such as "that is" or "in other words."

Contrast context clue

A contrast clue signals an opposite meaning through words such as but, however, unlike, or on the other hand, letting a reader infer the unknown word by reversing the known idea.

Denotation versus connotation

Denotation is a word's literal dictionary meaning; connotation is the emotional or cultural association it carries, as with "thrifty" (positive) compared to "stingy" (negative).

Common prefix meanings

Prefixes change meaning: pre- before, post- after, anti- against, bene- good, mal- bad, mis- wrongly, sub- under, and trans- across.

Common root meanings

Roots carry core meaning: -dict- say, -ject- throw, -scrib- or -script- write, -port- carry, -cred- believe, and -aud- hear.

Suffixes and part of speech

Suffixes signal part of speech: -tion and -ment form nouns, -ous and -ful form adjectives, -ize and -ify form verbs, and -ly forms adverbs.

Antonym clues in sentences

When a sentence pairs a known word with an unknown one using "not," "rather than," or "instead of," the two are near opposites, so negate the known word to find the meaning.

Topic versus main idea

The topic is the subject stated as a word or phrase; the main idea is a full-sentence claim about that topic, usually placed in the first or last sentence.

Implied main idea

When no sentence states the main idea, add up the details, ask what single point they all support, and state that unstated point in your own words.

Author's purpose categories

Purpose is usually to inform (facts, neutral tone), persuade (opinion, call to action), or entertain (narrative, figurative language); identify it from tone and structure.

Tone versus mood

Tone is the author's attitude toward the subject, revealed by word choice; mood is the feeling the writing creates in the reader.

Supporting detail test

A detail supports the main idea only if removing it weakens the main idea; details that are interesting but unrelated to the claim are not support.

Standard for valid inference

A valid inference must be logically required by the text, not merely possible; if the passage would still be true without it, it is not supported.

Chronological signal words

Words such as first, before, subsequently, meanwhile, and finally mark sequence, so events can be ordered by locating these markers instead of guessing.

Cloze connector logic

Contrast connectors (but, although, whereas) signal an opposite idea; cause-effect connectors (therefore, because, as a result) signal a consequence; addition connectors (moreover, also) signal continuation.

Cloze subject-verb check

To fill a verb blank, find the subject, ignore prepositional phrases between it and the verb, and match number: a singular subject takes the -s form in the present tense.

Cloze pronoun agreement

A pronoun blank must match its antecedent in number and gender; collective nouns such as team or committee take a singular pronoun when acting as one unit.

Cloze tense consistency

A verb blank must match the tense established by surrounding verbs unless a time word such as "by 1990" or "next year" signals a deliberate shift.

Cloze collocation pairing

Some blanks test fixed word partnerships such as make a decision, take responsibility, draw a conclusion, or meet a deadline; only one option forms the idiomatic pairing.

Cloze elimination order

Eliminate options that are grammatically impossible first (wrong part of speech, agreement, or tense), then choose among the grammatically valid options by meaning.

Comma splice

Joining two independent clauses with only a comma is a splice; repair it with a period, a semicolon, or a comma plus a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or so.

Dangling modifier

An introductory modifier must describe the subject of the main clause; in "Walking to the car, the keys dropped," the modifier dangles because the keys were not walking.

Parallel structure

Items joined by and, or, or in a series must share grammatical form: all nouns, all gerunds, or all infinitives, never a mixture of forms.

Agreement across interrupting phrases

Prepositional phrases and parenthetical clauses between subject and verb do not change the verb's number, so "The list of items is" is correct and "are" is not.

Concision substitutions

Prefer the shortest wording that preserves meaning: replace "due to the fact that" with because, "at this point in time" with now, and "in the event that" with if.

Active versus passive voice

Active voice names the doer before the verb ("The officer wrote the report") and is preferred unless the doer is unknown, unimportant, or deliberately de-emphasized.