Extremadura PAU Foreign Language II - English flashcards

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

Literal comprehension item

A question answerable by locating an explicit statement in the passage. The correct option paraphrases the text; distractors reuse the text's wording while changing a detail such as time, agent or quantity.

Inference item

A question asking what the author implies without stating it. The answer must follow logically from stated evidence; options requiring outside knowledge or overstating the claim are wrong.

Main idea question

Asks for the passage's overall point. The correct option summarises the whole text; a true statement confined to one paragraph is a detail distractor, not the main idea.

Reference resolution question

Asks what a pronoun or phrase such as 'this' or 'such measures' refers to. The answer is normally the nearest preceding noun phrase that matches in number and makes sense.

Vocabulary in context

An item asking the meaning of a word as used in the passage. Test each option by substitution; the correct one preserves the sentence's logic, which may differ from the commonest dictionary sense.

Paraphrase scanning strategy

Locate the answer by searching for synonyms and rewordings of the question stem rather than its exact words, since exam passages almost always express the target idea differently.

'Not mentioned' option

A distractor describing something plausible but absent from the text. Confirm by checking every paragraph for the concept and its synonyms before rejecting or accepting it.

Discourse markers in matching tasks

Connectives such as however, therefore, for instance and in contrast signal the logical relation between paragraphs, letting you order or match sections by their explicit links.

Third conditional form

If + past perfect, then would have + past participle, as in 'If she had studied, she would have passed'. It describes an unreal past situation and its unreal past result.

Second conditional form

If + past simple, then would + base verb, as in 'If I had time, I would travel'. It expresses a hypothetical present or future situation that is unlikely or contrary to fact.

Reported speech backshift

When the reporting verb is past, shift present to past, past to past perfect, will to would and can to could; also shift time and place words such as now to then.

Passive transformation rule

Promote the active object to subject and use the correct form of be plus past participle, keeping the original tense: 'They have sold the house' becomes 'The house has been sold'.

Gerund after prepositions

Prepositions always take an -ing form: interested in learning, good at drawing, instead of waiting, look forward to hearing. The 'to' in 'look forward to' is a preposition.

Used to versus be used to

'Used to + base verb' describes a past habit now finished. 'Be used to + -ing' means be accustomed to something, as in 'She is used to working nights'.

Non-defining relative clause

A clause giving extra information, set off by commas, which never takes 'that': 'My brother, who lives in Cáceres, is a teacher.' Removing it leaves the sentence complete.

Modals of deduction

Must shows strong certainty, may/might/could show possibility, and can't shows impossibility. 'Can't' functions as the negative of 'must', not 'mustn't', in deduction.

Word formation suffixes

Noun endings include -tion, -ment, -ness and -ity; adjective endings include -ous, -ful, -less, -ive and -able. Negative prefixes are un-, in-, im-, ir-, il- and dis-.

Correlative comparative structure

'The + comparative, the + comparative' links two changes: 'The more you practise, the better you become.' Both clauses begin with 'the' plus a comparative form.

Task achievement in writing

The requirement to address every point in the prompt. A missing bullet lowers the score even when the language is accurate, so each instruction needs explicit coverage.

Formal email closing pair

'Dear Sir/Madam' pairs with 'Yours faithfully'; 'Dear Mr Smith' or 'Dear Ms Jones' pairs with 'Yours sincerely'. Mixing the pairs is a register error.

Opinion essay structure

Introduction stating the thesis, body paragraphs each with one idea plus support or example, and a conclusion restating the position without adding new arguments.

Concession linkers

Although and even though precede a clause; despite and in spite of precede a noun or -ing form. They introduce a contrasting point the writer then qualifies.

Contrast linkers

However and nevertheless are sentence adverbs followed by a comma; whereas and while join two clauses; on the other hand introduces an opposing viewpoint in argument.

Result and cause linkers

Therefore and as a result introduce consequences; because, since and owing to introduce causes. Owing to and due to precede nouns, while because precedes a clause.

Word count tolerance

Written tasks state a limit, and examiners penalise answers far below or far above it. Staying within roughly ten per cent of the stated figure avoids both penalties.

Interactive email reply

A reply must answer each specific point the original message raises, acknowledging it with phrases like 'As for the dates' or 'Regarding your question' before responding.

Comma splice error

Joining two independent clauses with only a comma. Fix it with a full stop, a semicolon, or a comma plus a coordinating conjunction such as 'but' or 'so'.

Semicolon and colon use

A semicolon links two related independent clauses without a conjunction. A colon follows a complete clause to introduce an explanation, list or quotation.

Its versus it's

'Its' is the possessive determiner with no apostrophe: 'The company changed its policy.' 'It's' is the contraction of 'it is' or 'it has'.

British spelling conventions

Use -ise verbs such as organise and realise, and -our, -re and doubled-l forms: colour, centre, travelling, cancelled, programme. Consistency matters more than which variety you choose.

Hyphen in compound modifiers

Hyphenate a compound modifier before the noun it describes: a well-known author, a ten-year-old boy. After the noun, drop the hyphen: the author is well known.

Capitalisation rules

Capitalise proper nouns, nationalities, languages, days, months and the pronoun 'I'. Do not capitalise seasons, school subjects (except languages) or generic nouns such as university.