Basque PAU English flashcards

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

Skimming versus scanning

Skimming means reading quickly for the general idea of a text; scanning means searching quickly for one specific piece of information such as a name, date or figure. Use skimming first, then scanning to answer detail questions.

True/false justification rule

In PAU reading tasks, a true/false verdict usually scores only when supported by evidence from the text. Quote a short fragment or give an accurate paraphrase that directly proves the verdict; a bare letter earns nothing.

Lexical substitution item

A question asking for a word or phrase from the text that means the same as a given expression. Supply the exact form as printed, keeping the same part of speech and inflection; paraphrases or changed forms lose the mark.

Pronoun reference question

An item asking what a pronoun such as 'it', 'this' or 'they' refers to. Answer with the antecedent noun phrase, checking number agreement and preferring the nearest compatible phrase in the preceding clause.

Main idea versus detail

A main-idea answer summarises the whole passage in one sentence. A detail answer reports one specific fact traceable to a single sentence. Choosing a detail for a main-idea question is a common error.

Hedged claim

A statement using modals or adverbs such as 'may', 'could', 'tends to', 'arguably'. Hedged claims are weaker than absolutes, so an answer option that turns 'may' into 'definitely' is a distortion and should be rejected.

Inference limit

Inference items allow one logical step beyond the literal text, not a chain of speculation. The correct option must be forced by the evidence; anything merely plausible or drawn from general knowledge is wrong.

Passive transformation

Move the object to subject position, use the correct tense of 'be' plus past participle, and add 'by + agent' only when informative. Example: 'They built the bridge in 1900' becomes 'The bridge was built in 1900'.

Reported speech backshift

When the reporting verb is past, shift present to past, past to past perfect, will to would, can to could, may to might. Pronouns and time markers also shift: now to then, tomorrow to the following day.

Third conditional form

If + past perfect in the condition, would have + past participle in the result: 'If she had studied, she would have passed.' It describes an unreal past situation and its imagined consequence.

Negative adverbial inversion

After an initial negative adverbial, the auxiliary precedes the subject: 'Never have I seen such a storm'; 'Hardly had he arrived when it started raining.' The main verb stays in base or participle form.

Present perfect versus past simple

Use present perfect for past actions with present relevance or unfinished time ('I have lived here since 2010'). Use past simple with a finished time marker ('I lived there in 2010').

Used to versus be used to

'Used to + infinitive' describes a past habit or state that no longer exists. 'Be used to + -ing' means be accustomed to something. 'I used to run' differs from 'I am used to running'.

Causative have

The structure 'have/get + object + past participle' means arranging for a service to be done by someone else: 'I had my car repaired' means someone else repaired it, not me.

False friends in English

Words that resemble Spanish or Basque terms but differ in meaning: 'actually' means in fact, not currently; 'eventually' means finally; 'sensible' means reasonable; 'assist' means help, not attend.

Word formation suffixes

Noun suffixes include -tion, -ment, -ness, -ity; adjective suffixes include -ous, -ful, -ive, -able. Negative prefixes are un-, in-, im-, ir-, il- and dis-. The derived word must fit the sentence slot.

Conditional inversion

Formal conditionals can drop 'if' and invert: 'Had I known' instead of 'If I had known'; 'Were I to accept' instead of 'If I were to accept'; 'Should you need help' instead of 'If you should need help'.

Composition assessment criteria

PAU compositions are marked on task achievement, organisation, range of grammar and vocabulary, and accuracy. Content and language carry roughly equal weight, so an accurate but off-topic script still fails.

Thesis statement

A single sentence in the introduction naming the position the essay will defend. Every body paragraph must support it, and the conclusion restates it in different words without adding new arguments.

Cohesive devices

Linking words that connect ideas: addition (furthermore), contrast (however, whereas, despite), cause (therefore, owing to), example (for instance), concession (although). Vary them and match the grammatical form that follows.

Register in formal letters

Formal letters avoid contractions and slang, open with 'Dear Sir or Madam' when the name is unknown, and close with 'Yours faithfully'. If the name is known, close with 'Yours sincerely'.

Counterargument and rebuttal

An argumentative essay acknowledges an opposing view ('Critics argue that…') and then refutes it with evidence or a logical consequence. Omitting the counterargument weakens task achievement in opinion prompts.

Word count tolerance

When a composition specifies 130–180 words, staying within about ten percent of the limits is safe. A script far below the minimum loses content marks regardless of accuracy, so add a supporting example rather than filler.

Comma splice

Joining two independent clauses with only a comma. Fix it with a full stop, a semicolon, or a conjunction. 'However' and 'therefore' are adverbs, not conjunctions, so they cannot join clauses with a bare comma.

Topic sentence

The first sentence of a body paragraph, stating the one idea that paragraph develops. It should be intelligible without the rest of the paragraph and should connect logically to the previous paragraph.

British versus American spelling

British spelling uses -ise (organise, realise), -our (colour, favour), -re (centre), and doubles the consonant in travelled and cancelled. Keep one variant consistently throughout the script.

Listening distractor design

Wrong options often repeat words heard in the audio but attach them to the wrong speaker, time or quantity. Match the option to the whole utterance's meaning rather than to a single overheard word.

Signposting language

Discourse markers that signal where key information appears: 'however', 'actually', 'the thing is', 'what matters most'. They often precede a correction or a reversal of what was said earlier.

Decoding weak forms

In fast speech, function words reduce: 'going to' sounds like 'gonna', 'want to' like 'wanna', 'kind of' like 'kinda'. Transcribe the full forms in answers, not the reduced pronunciation.

Number stress patterns

Similar-sounding numbers are distinguished by stress: thirteen stresses the second syllable, thirty the first; fifteen versus fifty follows the same pattern. Note the stress to transcribe the correct figure.

Speaker attitude inference

Tone is inferred from evaluative adjectives, intonation and hedges such as 'I suppose', 'not really' and 'to be honest'. Attitude items require this inference, not just literal content matching.

Note-taking during listening

During the first playing, record only keywords, numbers, names and times. Use the second playing to confirm or correct these notes and to fill gaps, rather than trying to write full sentences.