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DELTA Module One study materials
DELTA Module One study resources

DELTA Module One practice questions

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Question 1Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

In phonology, which term describes the smallest contrastive unit of sound that can distinguish meaning, such as /p/ versus /b/ in 'pat' and 'bat'?

  1. Morpheme
  2. Phoneme Correct answer.
  3. Allophone
  4. Syllable

Explanation

A phoneme is an abstract sound unit whose substitution changes meaning, demonstrated by minimal pairs like 'pat' and 'bat'. Allophones are variant realisations of one phoneme, while morphemes are units of meaning.

Question 2Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A teacher presents the sentence 'She has been living here since 2010' and asks learners what the form tells us about the action. Which concept does this primarily explore?

  1. Lexical field
  2. Cohesion
  3. Grammatical aspect Correct answer.
  4. Register

Explanation

The present perfect continuous expresses aspect: it presents an action as ongoing and incomplete up to the present. Aspect concerns how a speaker views the internal temporal structure of a situation, distinct from tense alone.

Question 3Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which description best matches the term 'gradable adjective' as used in a language-analysis task?

  1. An adjective that is either fully true or not true at all, such as 'dead'
  2. An adjective that can take comparative and superlative forms and be modified by 'very' Correct answer.
  3. An adjective that must always follow a linking verb
  4. An adjective that functions as a noun in a sentence

Explanation

Gradable adjectives describe qualities on a scale, so they accept comparatives, superlatives and degree modifiers like 'very'. Non-gradable adjectives such as 'dead' or 'unique' do not normally scale in this way.

Question 4Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

In a lesson, learners read a text and decide which of three headings best summarises each paragraph. Which reading sub-skill is being practised?

  1. Gist reading Correct answer.
  2. Transcoding
  3. Intensive reading
  4. Scanning

Explanation

Matching paragraphs to headings requires understanding the main idea rather than every detail, which is gist or skimming reading. Scanning would involve searching for specific information.

Question 5Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which term describes the process by which a learner restructures their internal rule system after noticing that an existing hypothesis does not fit the target language?

  1. Fossilisation
  2. Accommodation Correct answer.
  3. Transfer
  4. Monitoring

Explanation

Accommodation is the Piagetian-inspired term for modifying existing cognitive structures when new input conflicts with them. Fossilisation refers to persistent errors, transfer to influence from another language.

Question 6Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A teacher asks learners to underline every example of the past simple in a short narrative, then discuss why the writer chose that tense. Which approach to grammar does this most closely reflect?

  1. Test-teach-test
  2. Total Physical Response
  3. Guided discovery Correct answer.
  4. Presentation, practice, production

Explanation

Learners examine authentic examples and work out the rule with teacher support, which is the defining feature of guided discovery. PPP and TTT begin with explicit presentation or testing rather than inductive noticing.

Question 7Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which pair of words forms a minimal pair suitable for demonstrating the phonemes /ɪ/ and /iː/?

  1. Cat and cut
  2. Light and write
  3. Ship and sheep Correct answer.
  4. Thin and thing

Explanation

'Ship' and 'sheep' differ only in the vowel, contrasting the short /ɪ/ with the long /iː/. The other pairs contrast different vowels or consonants and so do not isolate the target contrast.

Question 8Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A teacher plans a 'jigsaw' activity in which each group reads a different section of a text and then shares information. What is the main pedagogical rationale?

  1. It ensures every learner reads every section in detail
  2. It reduces the amount of reading learners must do
  3. It allows the teacher to correct pronunciation individually
  4. It creates an information gap that requires learners to communicate meaningfully Correct answer.

Explanation

Jigsaw tasks divide information so that learners must exchange content, creating a genuine information gap and a communicative purpose. The reading load per learner is reduced, but that is a by-product rather than the rationale.

Question 9Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which cohesive device is used in 'She bought a new laptop. The device was expensive.'?

  1. Conjunction
  2. Ellipsis
  3. Cataphoric reference
  4. Lexical cohesion through a superordinate Correct answer.

Explanation

'The device' refers back to 'a new laptop' using a more general word, an instance of lexical cohesion via a superordinate term. Reference, ellipsis and conjunction are grammatical cohesive devices.

Question 10Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

In a needs analysis for an English for Academic Purposes course, which information is most directly relevant to designing the syllabus?

  1. The academic writing genres and lecture-listening tasks students must perform Correct answer.
  2. Students' preferred learning styles
  3. The teachers' preferred teaching methods
  4. The school's marketing objectives

Explanation

EAP syllabus design is driven by target-situation needs, particularly the genres and tasks students will encounter. Learning-style preferences and institutional objectives are secondary considerations.

Question 11Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which statement about the productive skill of writing is most consistent with a process approach?

  1. Learners write a timed essay in one sitting with no revision
  2. Learners focus only on the final product's accuracy
  3. Learners plan, draft, receive feedback and revise across several stages Correct answer.
  4. Learners imitate model texts and copy their structure exactly

Explanation

A process approach emphasises recursive stages of planning, drafting, feedback and revision. Product approaches focus on imitation of models and final accuracy.

Question 12Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A student says 'I goed to the park' instead of 'I went'. Which phenomenon does this illustrate?

  1. Communication strategy of avoidance
  2. Overgeneralisation of a regular rule Correct answer.
  3. First language transfer
  4. Fossilised error

Explanation

The learner applies the regular past-tense '-ed' rule to an irregular verb, a classic overgeneralisation. Transfer would require influence from the first language, and fossilisation implies a persistent, resistant error.

Question 13Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which activity is most likely to develop learners' strategic competence in speaking?

  1. Copying sentences from a model paragraph
  2. Drilling minimal pairs in isolation
  3. Practising paraphrase and circumlocution when a word is unknown Correct answer.
  4. Completing a gap-fill with prepositions

Explanation

Strategic competence involves managing communication breakdowns, for example by paraphrasing or describing a missing word. Drills and gap-fills target accuracy of specific forms, not communicative strategies.

Question 14Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which feature distinguishes a 'restrictive' relative clause from a 'non-restrictive' one in English?

  1. A restrictive clause must come before the noun it modifies
  2. A non-restrictive clause cannot use 'who'
  3. A non-restrictive clause is set off by commas and adds extra, non-defining information Correct answer.
  4. A restrictive clause is always introduced by 'which'

Explanation

Non-restrictive clauses are marked by commas or intonation and provide supplementary information, whereas restrictive clauses identify the noun and are not separated by commas.

Question 15Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A teacher wants to check whether learners can use the target structure accurately under controlled conditions. Which assessment task is most appropriate?

  1. A group project presentation
  2. A free discussion on a familiar topic
  3. A gap-fill in which learners supply the correct verb form Correct answer.
  4. A listening comprehension with multiple-choice items

Explanation

A gap-fill is a controlled, discrete-item task that isolates accuracy of a specified form. Free discussion and presentations assess fluency and would not reliably elicit the target structure.

Question 16Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which term describes the way a teacher adjusts their language, such as simplifying vocabulary and slowing delivery, to make input comprehensible to learners?

  1. Elicitation
  2. Teacher talk Correct answer.
  3. Concept checking
  4. Instruction checking

Explanation

Teacher talk refers to the modified register teachers use, including simplification, repetition and slower pace. Elicitation, concept checking and instruction checking are specific interactional techniques.

Question 17Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

In a lesson on 'some' and 'any', the teacher uses a picture of an empty fridge and a full fridge to establish meaning. Which stage of a presentation sequence does this represent?

  1. Contextualisation and meaning conveyance Correct answer.
  2. Controlled practice
  3. Freer production
  4. Review and testing

Explanation

Using visuals to establish a clear situation and convey meaning is the contextualisation stage of presentation. Practice and production stages come later in the sequence.

Question 18Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which of the following best describes a 'false friend' in vocabulary learning?

  1. A word borrowed directly from another language with the same meaning
  2. A word that looks similar across two languages but differs in meaning Correct answer.
  3. A word that learners consistently misspell
  4. A word with more than one dictionary definition

Explanation

False friends are cognates that appear similar in form but carry different meanings, such as 'actual' in English and Spanish. They can mislead learners who assume equivalence.

Question 19Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A teacher asks learners to record new vocabulary in a notebook with the word, its part of speech, a collocation and an example sentence. Which principle of vocabulary learning does this mainly support?

  1. Phonological decoding
  2. Deep processing of lexical items Correct answer.
  3. Incidental acquisition through reading
  4. Rote memorisation of word lists

Explanation

Recording multiple aspects of a word encourages elaboration and deep processing, which supports retention better than isolated word lists. Incidental acquisition occurs through exposure, not deliberate recording.

Question 20Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which statement most accurately describes the role of 'noticing' in second language acquisition?

  1. Noticing refers to the automatic use of a form without awareness
  2. Noticing is the same as the learner's innate language acquisition device
  3. Conscious attention to a form in input may be necessary for it to be processed and acquired Correct answer.
  4. Noticing only occurs during formal grammar lessons

Explanation

Noticing, associated with Schmidt, holds that learners must consciously attend to a feature for it to be processed. It can occur in any input-rich context, not only formal instruction.

Question 21Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A teacher analyses the sentence 'The book was written by the author' and notes that the agent is present but the focus is on the book. Which grammatical concept does this illustrate?

  1. Nominalisation
  2. Fronting of the object
  3. Thematisation through passive voice Correct answer.
  4. Clefting

Explanation

The passive allows the object of the active clause to become subject and theme, shifting focus to the book. Nominalisation converts verbs or adjectives into nouns, clefting splits a clause, and fronting moves an element to initial position without changing voice.

Question 22Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which approach to syllabus design organises content around the functions and notions learners need to express, such as 'requesting' and 'describing past events'?

  1. Lexical syllabus
  2. Task-based syllabus
  3. Structural syllabus
  4. Notional-functional syllabus Correct answer.

Explanation

A notional-functional syllabus is organised around meanings (notions) and communicative purposes (functions). A structural syllabus lists grammar items, a lexical syllabus lists words, and a task-based syllabus lists tasks.

Question 23Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A learner consistently produces 'He don't like it' in spontaneous speech but corrects it when asked to check written work. What does this most clearly indicate?

  1. A first-language transfer error only
  2. Complete fossilisation of the third-person -s
  3. An inability to understand the rule at all
  4. A gap between acquired and learned knowledge, with the monitor operating only under certain conditions Correct answer.

Explanation

The pattern fits Krashen's distinction between acquired and learned systems: conscious knowledge can be used to monitor written output but is unavailable in fluent speech. Fossilisation would imply no self-correction even when focused.

Question 24Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

In discourse analysis, what does 'turn-taking' refer to?

  1. The conventions by which speakers manage who speaks and when in interaction Correct answer.
  2. The grammatical structure of an individual sentence
  3. The number of words a speaker produces in a conversation
  4. The use of formal vocabulary in academic writing

Explanation

Turn-taking concerns the interactional system of allocating and negotiating speaking turns, including transition points and overlap. It is a conversational, not a sentence-level, concept.

Question 25Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A teacher notices learners can form the present perfect accurately in exercises but avoid it in conversation, preferring the past simple. Which explanation best fits this observation?

  1. The form does not exist in their interlanguage
  2. The learners are using a communication strategy of circumlocution
  3. The learners have acquired the form fully but chosen a different register
  4. The learners have declarative knowledge but limited proceduralised use of the form Correct answer.

Explanation

Accurate controlled production with avoidance in free use suggests knowledge that has not yet become automatic, a gap between declarative and procedural knowledge. Full acquisition would show use in spontaneous speech.

Question 26Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

In Module One terminology, what does 'concept checking' primarily establish about a newly presented language item?

  1. Whether learners can pronounce it at natural speed
  2. Whether learners can spell it without support
  3. Whether learners have understood its meaning and use Correct answer.
  4. Whether learners can produce its written form accurately

Explanation

Concept checking questions are used after presentation to confirm that learners have grasped meaning and use rather than form alone. They are typically closed, simple questions that reveal misunderstanding quickly. Form and pronunciation are checked through separate procedures such as drills and dictation.

Question 27Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A teacher writes on the board: 'If I had known, I would have come.' Which label correctly describes this sentence?

  1. Second conditional
  2. Third conditional Correct answer.
  3. First conditional
  4. Mixed conditional

Explanation

The third conditional uses 'if' plus past perfect in the conditional clause and 'would have' plus past participle in the main clause, referring to an unreal past situation. A mixed conditional would combine time frames, for example a past condition with a present result. The first and second conditionals use present and past simple forms respectively.

Question 28Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which term describes the smallest unit of sound that can distinguish meaning in a language, such as /p/ in 'pin' versus /b/ in 'bin'?

  1. Phoneme Correct answer.
  2. Morpheme
  3. Allophone
  4. Syllable

Explanation

A phoneme is an abstract sound unit whose substitution changes meaning, as with /p/ and /b/ in 'pin' and 'bin'. Allophones are variant realisations of the same phoneme that do not change meaning. Morphemes are minimal units of meaning, and syllables are phonological units of organisation.

Question 29Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A teacher plans a lesson around the sequence 'presentation, practice, production'. Which methodological tradition does this most clearly reflect?

  1. Dogme, in which materials emerge from classroom interaction
  2. Presentation-practice-production, associated with a structural, teacher-led approach Correct answer.
  3. Task-based learning, in which meaning-focused tasks drive the syllabus
  4. The lexical approach, in which chunks are the organising unit

Explanation

The PPP cycle presents a discrete language item, then moves through controlled practice to freer production, reflecting a structural syllabus and considerable teacher control. Task-based learning reverses this by beginning with a meaning-focused task and attending to form afterwards. The lexical approach and Dogme organise content very differently from a staged item presentation.

Question 30Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

In the sentence 'She gave him a lift because his car had broken down', what is the function of 'because his car had broken down'?

  1. Adverbial clause of concession
  2. Noun clause acting as object
  3. Adverbial clause of reason Correct answer.
  4. Relative clause modifying 'lift'

Explanation

The clause is introduced by 'because' and answers the question 'why?', so it functions as an adverbial of reason. It does not modify a noun, which a relative clause would do, nor does it fill a noun slot. Concession would be signalled by markers such as 'although' or 'even though'.

Question 31Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which description best captures 'graded language' as used by a teacher in the classroom?

  1. Language graded by a published readability formula for textbook design
  2. Authentic native-speaker speech used without modification
  3. Learner language sequenced according to a structural syllabus
  4. Teacher talk adjusted in complexity, speed and vocabulary to match learners' level Correct answer.

Explanation

Graded language refers to the teacher's in-class adjustment of complexity, pace, vocabulary and articulation so that learners can process input. It is a feature of teacher talk rather than of textbook design or syllabus sequencing. Authentic unmodified speech is the opposite of grading.

Question 32Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A teacher asks learners to read a text quickly to identify the writer's overall opinion without reading every word. Which reading subskill is being practised?

  1. Scanning
  2. Intensive reading
  3. Skimming Correct answer.
  4. Transcoding

Explanation

Skimming is reading rapidly for gist or overall meaning, which matches the task of identifying the writer's general opinion. Scanning is searching for specific details, and intensive reading involves close study of short texts. Transcoding is transferring information between modes, such as text to diagram.

Question 33Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which item correctly pairs a word with the word-formation process that produced it?

  1. 'Brunch' as a blend of 'breakfast' and 'lunch' Correct answer.
  2. 'Brunch' as a back-formation from a longer verb
  3. 'Brunch' as a compound of two full words
  4. 'Brunch' as an acronym from initial letters

Explanation

A blend, or portmanteau, fuses parts of two words, and 'brunch' combines 'breakfast' and 'lunch'. Acronyms are formed from initial letters, such as 'NASA'. Compounds join whole words, such as 'bookshop', and back-formation removes a supposed affix from a longer word.

Question 34Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A teacher wants learners to notice the difference between 'I have been reading' and 'I have read'. Which contrast should the teacher highlight?

  1. Past habit versus future arrangement
  2. Ongoing or recently repeated activity versus a completed result Correct answer.
  3. Present certainty versus past ability
  4. Obligation versus absence of obligation

Explanation

The present perfect continuous typically presents an activity as ongoing or recently repeated, often with attention to duration, while the present perfect simple foregrounds a completed action and its result. Modality and habit are not the relevant contrast here. The teacher should anchor the distinction in context and concept questions.

Question 35Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A teacher elicits 'umbrella' by showing a picture and asking 'What's this?'. Which technique is being used?

  1. Visual elicitation Correct answer.
  2. Translation
  3. Realia
  4. Mime and gesture

Explanation

Visual elicitation uses images or drawings to prompt a target item without the teacher supplying it. Mime relies on physical action, and realia means bringing actual objects into the room. Translation would supply the first-language equivalent instead of prompting from a picture.

Question 36Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which statement best describes the difference between 'accuracy' and 'fluency' work in a speaking lesson?

  1. Accuracy work controls language and targets correct form; fluency work prioritises meaningful communication and flow Correct answer.
  2. Accuracy work excludes feedback; fluency work requires immediate correction
  3. Accuracy work always occurs in pairs; fluency work always occurs in whole-class format
  4. Accuracy work focuses on pronunciation only; fluency work focuses on grammar only

Explanation

Accuracy activities constrain the language learners use so that correct form can be attended to, whereas fluency activities encourage spontaneous, meaning-focused communication with less interruption. Grouping and feedback patterns are separate decisions that do not define the two. Both accuracy and fluency work can address grammar, vocabulary and phonology.

Question 37Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

In a listening lesson, learners hear a recording of a station announcement twice. Which task type best develops listening for specific information?

  1. Discussing whether the speakers sounded friendly
  2. Completing a table with platform numbers and times Correct answer.
  3. Predicting the content from the title before listening
  4. Writing a summary of the announcement's main message

Explanation

Listening for specific information requires learners to listen selectively and extract discrete details, which completing a table with platform numbers and times does. Predicting is a pre-listening strategy, and summarising targets gist rather than detail. Judging the speakers' manner addresses attitude rather than specific information.

Question 38Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which statement about the role of error correction in a communicative classroom is most defensible?

  1. The decision to correct depends on the aim of the stage, the type of error and the individual learner Correct answer.
  2. Errors should never be corrected because they are a natural part of interlanguage development
  3. All errors should be corrected immediately to prevent fossilisation
  4. Only pronunciation errors merit correction because grammar develops naturally

Explanation

Judicious correction weighs the purpose of the activity, whether the error is systematic or a slip, and learner factors such as confidence. Immediate correction of everything disrupts fluency and can raise anxiety. Ignoring all errors or correcting only pronunciation oversimplifies how interlanguage develops.

Question 39Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A teacher presents the phrase 'Could you possibly...?' for making polite requests. Which description of its form is accurate?

  1. A past tense form used to refer to past time
  2. A passive construction with an omitted agent
  3. An imperative softened by an adverb
  4. A modal auxiliary in a question with a politeness marker and bare infinitive Correct answer.

Explanation

'Could' is a modal auxiliary inverted with the subject, followed by the bare infinitive 'you possibly...', with 'possibly' acting as a politeness softener. The form does not refer to past time here; it expresses present politeness or tentativeness. It is not imperative or passive.

Question 40Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which activity most directly develops learners' ability to infer the meaning of unfamiliar words from context?

  1. Listening to a teacher read a list of new vocabulary aloud
  2. Reading a short article with three highlighted unknown words and choosing likely meanings before checking a dictionary Correct answer.
  3. Completing a gap-fill with words from a given box
  4. Copying definitions of ten new words from a dictionary

Explanation

Inferring from context requires learners to use surrounding clues to hypothesise meaning, and the activity structures this by having them commit to a guess before consulting a dictionary. Dictionary copying and gap-fills with supplied words bypass the inference process. Hearing words read aloud does not require contextual guessing.

Question 41Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which statement most accurately describes the difference between 'formative' and 'summative' assessment in Module One terms?

  1. Formative assessment occurs only at the start of a course; summative assessment only in the middle
  2. Formative assessment is graded; summative assessment is ungraded
  3. Formative assessment informs ongoing teaching; summative assessment measures achievement at the end of a period Correct answer.
  4. Formative assessment is always written; summative assessment is always oral

Explanation

Formative assessment is used during learning to provide feedback and adjust teaching, while summative assessment evaluates achievement, typically at the end of a unit or course. The distinction concerns purpose and timing, not mode or grading. Both can be written or oral and either graded or ungraded.

Question 42Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A teacher wants learners to work out a grammar rule from examples rather than receive it ready-made. Which approach is this?

  1. Audiolingual drilling
  2. Deductive presentation
  3. Grammar translation
  4. Guided discovery Correct answer.

Explanation

Guided discovery leads learners to notice patterns in examples and articulate the rule with teacher support, which is an inductive approach. Deductive presentation states the rule first and then illustrates it. Grammar translation and audiolingual drilling do not centre on learner rule formulation.

Question 43Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

In the sentence 'The committee finally reached a decision after lengthy discussion', which word class does 'finally' belong to?

  1. Preposition
  2. Conjunction
  3. Adjective
  4. Adverb Correct answer.

Explanation

'Finally' modifies the verb phrase 'reached a decision' and indicates time or sequence, which is the function of an adverb. Adjectives modify nouns, prepositions take noun complements, and conjunctions join clauses or phrases. Its position before the main verb is typical of an adverb of time.

Question 44Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which statement best explains why authentic materials can be demanding for lower-level learners?

  1. They are designed specifically for language teaching purposes
  2. They are always shorter than coursebook texts
  3. They avoid idiomatic language and complex grammar
  4. They contain ungraded lexis, complex syntax and cultural assumptions not matched to the learners' level Correct answer.

Explanation

Authentic materials are produced for real communicative purposes, so their vocabulary, grammar and cultural content are not adjusted to learners' proficiency. This can create processing demands that coursebook texts avoid. Authentic texts are not necessarily shorter, and they are not designed for teaching.

Question 45Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A teacher asks learners to keep a written record of errors they make in spoken production and review it weekly. Which concept does this most directly support?

  1. Translation-based instruction
  2. Summative standardised testing
  3. Learner autonomy and self-monitoring Correct answer.
  4. Teacher-centred presentation

Explanation

Recording and reviewing one's own errors encourages learners to monitor their output and take responsibility for improvement, both features of learner autonomy. It is not a teacher-led presentation technique or a formal test. Translation-based instruction is unrelated to self-monitoring of spoken errors.

Question 46Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which pair best illustrates the difference between 'connotation' and 'denotation'?

  1. 'Cheap' is a homophone of 'cheep', while 'inexpensive' is polysemous
  2. 'Cheap' is a collocation and 'inexpensive' is an idiom
  3. 'Cheap' denotes low price but connotes poor quality; 'inexpensive' denotes low price with a more neutral tone Correct answer.
  4. 'Cheap' and 'inexpensive' are synonyms with identical spelling patterns

Explanation

Denotation is the core referential meaning, while connotation is the evaluative or emotional association a word carries. 'Cheap' and 'inexpensive' share a similar denotation but differ in connotation, which is why the pair illustrates the distinction. Spelling, homophony and collocation are separate lexical matters.

Question 47Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A teacher uses the transcript of a conversation to show learners how speakers signal the end of a turn through intonation and discourse markers. Which area of language study does this address?

  1. Orthographic conventions of written English
  2. Syntactic parsing of complex sentences
  3. Morphology and word formation
  4. Conversational discourse and interactional competence Correct answer.

Explanation

Turn-ending signals, discourse markers and intonation in conversation belong to the study of spoken discourse and interactional competence. Morphology deals with word structure, syntax with sentence structure, and orthography with spelling. The focus here is on how speakers manage interaction.

Question 48Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A learner writes 'The informations were very useful' in an academic essay. Which description best analyses the error?

  1. A collective noun has been used with a plural verb, which is standard in British English
  2. A countable noun has been used with a singular verb, suggesting a subject-verb agreement slip
  3. An uncountable noun has been pluralised and used with a plural verb, suggesting overgeneralisation of countability Correct answer.
  4. A proper noun has been incorrectly capitalised, which is a punctuation error

Explanation

'Information' is uncountable in English, so it cannot take a plural '-s' or a plural verb. The learner has overgeneralised the regular count-noun pattern to an uncountable item. This is a lexical-grammatical error of countability rather than an agreement slip with a correct plural form.

Question 49Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

Which statement best captures the distinction between 'coherence' and 'cohesion' in text analysis?

  1. Coherence concerns the overall logical organisation and relevance of ideas; cohesion concerns the surface links that tie sentences together Correct answer.
  2. Coherence concerns punctuation; cohesion concerns spelling consistency
  3. Coherence is achieved only by cohesive devices; cohesion is achieved only by paragraph length
  4. Coherence applies only to spoken text; cohesion applies only to written text

Explanation

Coherence is the underlying logical unity and relevance of a text, while cohesion refers to explicit surface links such as reference, substitution, ellipsis and conjunction. A text can be cohesive yet incoherent if the ideas do not logically connect. Both concepts apply to spoken and written discourse.

Question 50Module One: understanding language, methodology and resources for teaching

A teacher is designing a lesson to develop learners' ability to use hedging in academic writing. Which set of expressions is most appropriate to teach?

  1. 'It could be argued that', 'this may suggest', 'the evidence appears to indicate' Correct answer.
  2. 'Firstly', 'in addition', 'to conclude'
  3. 'This proves that', 'it is certain that', 'the evidence definitely shows'
  4. 'Because of', 'as a result', 'consequently'

Explanation

Hedging softens claims and expresses appropriate caution, using modals, tentative verbs and expressions such as 'may suggest' or 'appears to indicate'. The second set asserts certainty, which is the opposite of hedging. The other sets are sequencing and cause-effect connectors, which organise text rather than qualify claims.