Extremadura PAU Foreign Language II - English key terms

Reading a text quickly to grasp its main idea or general topic, ignoring details and unknown words. Useful before answering questions about the author's purpose or the best title for a passage.

Moving the eyes rapidly over a text looking for one specific piece of information, such as a date, a name or a number, without reading everything in order.

The central point a paragraph or whole text is built around. Distractors often repeat a detail from the text, so check that the option covers the passage as a whole.

A conclusion drawn from clues in the text rather than from a sentence stated directly. Inference questions ask what the writer suggests, implies or probably believes.

The feeling or stance a writer conveys through word choice, such as ironic, critical, enthusiastic or neutral. Questions often ask how the author feels about the topic discussed.

A pronoun or adverb such as it, they, this or there that points back (or forward) to something already mentioned. Reference questions ask what a given word refers to in context.

A question type where you decide whether a statement matches the text, contradicts it, or simply is not mentioned. 'Not stated' means the text gives no evidence either way.

Careful, line-by-line reading of a short section to confirm exact meaning, contrasts or quantities. Needed when two answer options look similar and differ only in one word.

An exercise in which one word or short phrase is missing from a sentence or text and must be supplied. Options may be given, or the candidate must choose from a word bank.

A text with numbered gaps; for each gap four options are offered and only one fits grammatically and semantically. Both collocation and grammar usually decide the answer.

Changing a base word into the form the sentence needs, using prefixes and suffixes: happy → unhappy, success → successful, decide → decision. Check the part of speech required by the gap.

A habitual combination of words that native speakers use together, such as make a decision, heavy rain or deeply concerned. Wrong partners sound unnatural even when grammar is correct.

A verb combined with an adverb or preposition that creates a new meaning, e.g. give up, look after, put off. Some are separable (turn the light off) and some are not (look after the child).

A verb followed by a fixed preposition that cannot be separated from it, such as depend on, insist on or apologise for. The preposition must be memorised with the verb.

A word that looks similar in English and Spanish but means something different, e.g. actual (real, not current), sensible (reasonable, not sensitive) or library (not librería).

A letter group added to the front of a word to change its meaning, such as un-, dis-, over-, under- or re-. Common in word-formation tasks: unlikely, misunderstand, rewrite.

A letter group added to the end of a word, often changing its grammatical class: -ness (noun), -ful (adjective), -ly (adverb), -ise (verb). Spelling changes may occur, as in happy → happiness.

Sentences expressing real or hypothetical conditions. First conditional: if + present, will; second: if + past, would; third: if + past perfect, would have + participle. Mixed forms combine time frames.

A structure where the object of the action becomes the subject: The report was written by the team. Formed with the correct tense of be plus the past participle; the agent is optional.

Conveying what someone said without direct quotation, with tense backshift (present → past), pronoun and time changes (today → that day). Questions and commands need special word order and verbs.

Placing the auxiliary before the subject for emphasis or after negative adverbials: Never have I seen such a thing; Not only did she win, but she also broke the record.

A clause introduced by who, which, that, whose or where that describes a noun. Defining clauses give essential information; non-defining clauses add extra information between commas.

The structure have/get + object + past participle, meaning that someone arranges for something to be done by another person: I had my car repaired; she got her hair cut.

A modal verb followed by have + past participle to comment on past events: must have forgotten (certainty), should have studied (regret), could have won (unused possibility).

A word or phrase linking ideas and showing their relationship: however, therefore, moreover, although, despite. Choosing the right connector depends on contrast, cause, result or addition.

The way sentences stick together through linking words, pronouns, synonyms and repetition, so the text reads as one unit rather than separate statements.

The logical organisation of ideas in a text, so each paragraph develops one point and the whole piece follows a clear plan that the reader can follow easily.

Dividing a piece of writing into paragraphs, each with a topic sentence and supporting details. Essential in the essay task, where an introduction, body and conclusion are expected.

The sentence, usually first in a paragraph, that states the paragraph's main point and prepares the reader for the details that follow.

The level of formality appropriate to a situation. An opinion essay needs a neutral to formal register, so avoid slang, contractions and chatty abbreviations.

A structured message with greeting (Dear Sir/Madam), clear purpose, organised body and closing (Yours faithfully / Best regards). Contractions and exclamation marks are usually avoided.

A short piece presenting and supporting a viewpoint on a topic. It needs an introduction stating the position, two or three justified arguments, and a conclusion that restates the view.

An essay presenting arguments on both sides of an issue before reaching a balanced conclusion. Each paragraph usually covers one argument with an example or justification.

Expressing the same idea in different words, often to show understanding or to avoid copying. In summaries, paraphrase rather than lifting whole sentences from the original.

A short restatement of a text's key points in your own words, leaving out examples and minor details. It should keep the original order of ideas and the writer's stance.

Using capital letters at the start of sentences, for proper nouns, days, months, nationalities and the pronoun I. Spanish speakers often forget capitals for languages and nationalities in English.

Marks such as commas, full stops, semicolons and apostrophes that clarify sentence structure. Misused commas create run-on sentences; missing apostrophes confuse possessives and contractions.

Writing words with the correct letters. Frequent errors include doubled consonants (necessary, accommodation), silent letters (knowledge, island) and -ed/-ing changes (preferring, travelled).