CFAT key terms

A word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word. Synonym questions ask you to pick the answer choice closest in meaning to the given word.

A word with the opposite meaning of another word. Antonym questions require selecting the answer choice that most nearly reverses the meaning of the prompt word.

A question presenting a pair of words with a logical relationship and asking you to choose another pair expressing the same relationship, such as part to whole or cause to effect.

A verbal item in which several words share a common category and one word does not belong. You identify the odd word by naming the shared property of the others.

A group defined by a shared feature, such as tools, mammals, or emotions. Recognizing the category that links a set of words is the core move in classification and analogy items.

Information in the surrounding sentence that hints at a word's meaning. Contrasts, examples, and definitions nearby often reveal the intended sense of an unfamiliar word.

A meaningful unit attached to the front of a root word that changes its meaning, as re- in rebuild or pre- in preview. Recognizing prefixes helps you decode unfamiliar vocabulary.

A meaningful unit attached to the end of a root word that alters meaning or grammatical function, as -less in hopeless or -tion in creation. Suffixes often signal a word's part of speech.

The base part of a word that carries its core meaning and to which prefixes and suffixes are added, such as port in transport and portable.

The emotional or implied shading a word carries beyond its literal meaning. Choosing between thin and slender depends on connotation rather than dictionary definition.

The literal, dictionary meaning of a word, stripped of emotional associations. Denotation is the neutral core that connotation colors.

A conclusion drawn from evidence in a passage rather than stated outright. Reading comprehension items often ask what can reasonably be inferred from the text.

The central point a passage conveys, usually supported by details throughout the text. Identifying it requires distinguishing the overall claim from supporting examples.

A fact, example, or reason that backs up a passage's main idea. Questions may ask which detail best supports a stated claim or which one is irrelevant.

The author's attitude toward the subject, conveyed through word choice and phrasing, such as critical, amused, or neutral. Tone questions ask you to name that attitude.

Arranging sentences or ideas so each follows naturally from the last, often by time, cause and effect, or general to specific. Paragraph organization items test this skill.

A word or phrase that links ideas and signals their relationship, such as however, therefore, or meanwhile. Choosing the right transition depends on the logic between sentences.

The ability to mentally rotate, flip, or assemble objects and imagine how they look from another angle. It underlies folded-paper, rotated-figure, and assembly questions.

Imagining an object turned in space without physically moving it, then matching the result to an answer choice. Mirror images are the usual trap in these items.

A reversed copy of a figure, as if seen in a mirror. Mirror images are not the same as rotations and are the most common wrong answer in rotation questions.

A flip of a figure across a line, producing a mirror image. In spatial items, a reflected figure cannot be made to match the original by rotation alone.

Turning a figure around a point by some angle, such as 90 or 180 degrees. The shape and size stay the same; only orientation changes.

Sliding a figure to a new position without turning or flipping it. The figure keeps its orientation, so only its location on the page changes.

Bending paper along a line so one part lies over another. Folded-paper questions ask you to predict the pattern of holes when the sheet is unfolded.

A hole made through folded paper. When the paper is unfolded, each punch appears as multiple holes mirrored across every fold line.

The line left where paper was folded. In unfolding problems, each crease acts as an axis across which punched holes are reflected.

A property of a figure that looks unchanged when flipped or rotated in certain ways. Symmetry helps you predict where holes or pattern pieces will repeat.

A flat pattern that folds up into a three-dimensional shape, such as the unfolded surface of a cube. Net questions ask which box a given pattern produces.

Predicting the assembled cube from a flat net of six squares, tracking which faces end up adjacent or opposite. Opposite faces never share an edge.

A simple shape embedded within a more complex drawing. The task is to locate the outline of the target shape inside the clutter.

Selecting the missing piece that completes a pattern or shape. The correct piece must match both the outline and the internal pattern lines.

A sequence of figures that changes by a consistent rule, such as adding a side or rotating a mark. You identify the rule and choose the next figure.

A comparison of two quantities by division, such as 3 to 4 or 3:4. Ratios let you scale recipes, maps, and mixtures up or down proportionally.

An equation stating that two ratios are equal, such as 3/4 = 9/12. Solving a proportion means finding the unknown value that keeps the ratios balanced.

A part per hundred, so 25% means 25 out of 100 or 0.25. Percent problems often ask for a discount, tax, or percent change.

The sum of a set of values divided by how many values there are, also called the mean. Average problems may ask for a missing value given the mean.

A ratio comparing quantities with different units, such as miles per hour or words per minute. Rate problems often involve distance, time, or work.

A method for solving proportions by multiplying the numerator of one fraction by the denominator of the other, then setting the products equal.

The agreed sequence for evaluating expressions: parentheses, exponents, multiplication and division, then addition and subtraction, left to right. Ignoring it gives wrong answers.

Approximating a value to check whether an answer is reasonable or to choose among answer choices quickly. Rounding numbers before computing saves time on timed tests.

Solving word problems by translating the described situation into operations on numbers. The challenge is choosing the right operation, not the calculation itself.