CLEP Spanish Language flashcards

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

¿No me digas?

An informal rejoinder expressing surprise or disbelief, roughly 'You don't say!' or 'Really?' Used with peers in casual conversation, not in formal register.

Lo siento mucho

A sympathy rejoinder used to express condolence or regret after hearing bad news. It is appropriate in both formal and informal contexts and often precedes an explanation.

Claro que sí

An emphatic agreement rejoinder meaning 'Of course' or 'Absolutely.' It confirms the interlocutor's statement and is common in both formal and informal exchanges.

¡Qué va!

A colloquial rejoinder of disagreement or dismissal, meaning 'No way!' or 'Come on!' It contradicts the previous statement and is used mainly in informal speech among friends.

Con mucho gusto

A polite acceptance rejoinder meaning 'With pleasure.' It is used to agree to a request or invitation and signals willingness in formal and semiformal contexts.

Ojalá

A rejoinder expressing a strong wish or hope, often followed by the subjunctive (Ojalá llueva). It signals the speaker desires an outcome that is uncertain or not under their control.

No estoy de acuerdo

A direct disagreement rejoinder meaning 'I don't agree.' It is neutral in register and often introduces a counterargument with pero or sino que.

¿Verdad?

A tag question seeking confirmation, equivalent to 'Right?' or 'Isn't it?' It invites the listener to agree and is common in informal conversation at the end of a statement.

Registro formal e informal

The choice between tú and usted, and between colloquial and polite rejoinders, must match the relationship and setting implied by the speaker's words in the prompt.

Identificar la relación

In dialogue tasks, determine who is speaking to whom by address forms (tú, usted, señor, cariño) and vocabulary; this narrows the correct answer about roles and setting.

Marcadores de tiempo

Words such as ayer, entonces, de repente, mientras, and al final order narrative events. Recognizing them helps answer sequence questions about what happened first or last.

Pretérito vs. imperfecto

In narratives, the pretérito marks completed actions and the imperfecto marks background, habits, or ongoing states. Tense shifts reveal which event is foregrounded.

Intención del hablante

Discourse markers such as pues, bueno, sin embargo, and por eso reveal whether the speaker contrasts, concedes, or concludes. They guide inference questions about attitude and purpose.

Detalles numéricos

Prices, times, and dates are frequent detail questions. Listen for approximations (cerca de, sobre las tres, más o menos) and correct them against exact figures in the options.

Distractores por asociación

Wrong options often repeat a word from the passage but change the relationship, place, or outcome. Verify each option against what was actually said, not just the vocabulary.

Estructura narrativa

Narratives typically move from setting and characters to conflict and resolution. Questions often ask about the problem, the turning point, or the final outcome.

Roles en el diálogo

Track who asks, proposes, refuses, or decides. Questions usually target the second speaker's reaction or the outcome of the exchange, not the opening line.

Inferencia controlada

Inference answers must be supported by textual evidence. Reject options that are generally true but not stated or implied by the passage, even if they sound plausible.

Género textual

Identify whether the reading is an anuncio, carta, artículo, instrucciones, or correo. Each genre has predictable organization and typical question types such as purpose or detail.

Idea principal

The main idea is often stated in the first or last sentence of a paragraph. Supporting details answer who, what, when, where, why, and how without replacing the central claim.

Falsos amigos

Cognates that differ in meaning: actual means 'current,' realizar means 'to carry out,' and largo means 'long.' Choose the meaning that fits the sentence's syntax and collocations.

Referencia pronominal

Trace el, la, los, las, este, ese, aquel, su, and relative pronouns que, quien, cuyo back to the nearest antecedent that agrees in gender and number.

Propósito del autor

Evaluative adjectives, rhetorical questions, and contrast markers (sin embargo, no obstante) signal the author's stance. Purpose questions ask whether the text informs, persuades, or entertains.

Conectores causales

Porque, ya que, debido a, and por lo tanto link cause and effect. Recognizing them helps answer questions about why something happened or what resulted.

Secuencia cronológica

Primero, luego, después, finalmente, and al mismo tiempo order events. Sequence questions require matching each step to its correct position in the passage.

Subjuntivo tras duda

Expressions of doubt, emotion, or unreal condition (ojalá, es posible que, si tuviera) trigger the subjunctive. Grammar items test mood consistency within the sentence.

Concordancia gramatical

Adjectives agree with nouns in gender and number, and verbs agree with subjects. Agreement errors are common distractors in reading comprehension items.

Vocabulario en contexto

Choose the meaning that fits the sentence's syntax and collocations, not the most common dictionary sense. Context often narrows a polysemous word to one interpretation.

Tono del texto

Tone is revealed by word choice: sarcastic, neutral, enthusiastic, critical. Identify evaluative language and punctuation such as exclamation marks to determine the author's attitude.

Detalle vs. inferencia

Detail questions ask for information stated explicitly; inference questions require a conclusion drawn from evidence. Mixing the two strategies leads to wrong answers.

Palabras de transición

Addition (además), contrast (sin embargo), and consequence (por lo tanto) markers show how ideas connect. They guide questions about the relationship between sentences.

Instrucciones y anuncios

Instructional and advertising texts use imperatives and conditional offers. Questions often ask what action the reader should take or what condition applies.