Državna Matura English cheat sheet

Matura reading tasks usually pair one longer text with multiple-choice, true/false, matching-headings or short-answer items; skim the questions first to know which information type to hunt for.

Gist questions (main idea, purpose, title) are answered from the first and last paragraph plus the topic sentence of each paragraph, not from a single detail sentence.

Detail questions follow text order in most task types; if an answer seems to come from an earlier line than the previous answer, re-check the wording.

True/False items hinge on quantifiers and absolutes: all, always, never, only, must, entirely. A single counterexample in the text makes an absolute statement false.

Matching-headings items: a heading must cover the whole paragraph, so reject any heading that matches only one example or one sentence inside it.

Reference words (this, they, it, such, the former) point backwards; resolve them before deciding what a sentence claims.

Vocabulary-in-context items: substitute each option into the sentence and check that the surrounding logic still holds; register and collocation decide between near-synonyms.

Inference items require a conclusion the text supports but does not state; an option that needs outside knowledge or a leap is wrong even if it sounds plausible.

Timing rule: about 1.5 minutes per item; leave the longest text for last only if the section allows choosing order, otherwise move on after 90 seconds on one item.

Task types include multiple choice, matching speakers to statements, gap-fill with a word limit, and true/false; the word limit in gap-fill is strict, so a two-word answer where one word is allowed scores zero.

Answers come in the same order as the questions in almost all tasks; use the pause before each recording to underline the key word in the next two items.

Distractors are built from words heard in the recording but attached to the wrong speaker, time, or place; match the whole proposition, not the keyword.

Numbers, prices, times and dates are usually corrected mid-sentence ("at three - sorry, half past three"), so write the second version.

Signpost phrases mark the answer: "the thing is", "what matters most", "actually", "in the end", "the main reason" typically introduce the correct option.

Speaker-matching tasks: note the speaker's attitude word (enthusiastic, sceptical, resigned) rather than the topic, because all speakers usually discuss the same topic.

Spelling counts in gap-fill; if a name or place is spelled out, copy it letter by letter, and check whether the gap needs a singular or plural form.

Never leave a blank: an unanswered item and a wrong item score the same, so write the most likely option before the recording moves on.

Word-formation items: decide the part of speech from the gap's position (after an article → noun; before a noun → adjective; after a modal → base verb), then apply the correct prefix or suffix.

Common suffix shifts: -tion/-ment/-ness/-ity for nouns, -ous/-ful/-ive/-able/-less for adjectives, -ise/-ify/-en for verbs, -ly for adverbs; spelling changes apply (happy → happiness, decide → decision).

Verb-form items test tense and aspect against time markers: since/for → present perfect; by the time → past perfect; at the moment → present continuous; every day → present simple.

Conditionals: if + present simple → will; if + past simple → would; if + past perfect → would have + past participle. Mixed conditionals pair a past condition with a present result.

Reported speech shifts tense back one step and changes time and place words (now → then, tomorrow → the next day, here → there) unless the reporting verb is present tense.

Passive formation: form of be + past participle; the object of the active sentence becomes the subject, and by + agent is dropped when the agent is unknown or unimportant.

Preposition collocations are fixed and frequently tested: depend on, interested in, capable of, responsible for, succeed in, apologise for, insist on, keen on.

Phrasal verbs in multiple choice: check whether the verb is separable (turn the light off / turn off the light) and whether the particle changes meaning (give up, give in, give away).

Open cloze (one word per gap) usually targets articles, prepositions, pronouns, auxiliaries, comparatives and linking words; test each candidate by reading the whole sentence aloud mentally.

Two-part structure is standard: a guided task (email, notice, short message with content points) and an extended task (essay, article, review, report, letter) with a stated word limit that is penalised both under and over.

All content points in a guided task must be covered explicitly; a missing point caps the task-achievement score regardless of language quality.

Register follows the prompt: formal for letters to institutions and essays (no contractions, no slang), semi-formal for articles and reviews, informal for messages to friends.

Paragraphing rule: one idea per paragraph, a topic sentence first, and a linking word at the start of supporting paragraphs (Firstly, However, In addition, As a result, On the whole).

Assessment criteria are typically content/task fulfilment, organisation and cohesion, range of vocabulary and structures, and accuracy; deliberate use of one advanced structure (inversion, cleft, passive, conditional) raises the range mark if used correctly.

Essays need a clear position: state the thesis in the introduction, give two developed arguments with examples, acknowledge the opposing view in one sentence, restate the position in the conclusion.

Reviews and articles need a hook in the first line and a recommendation or concluding comment; reports need headings and a recommendation section.

Count words roughly by lines (about 10-12 words per handwritten line) and plan 5 minutes for planning, 25 for writing, 5 for checking; check verb endings, articles and plurals first, since these are the most frequent errors.

Avoid memorised chunks that do not answer the prompt; examiners recognise them and they do not earn content marks.

Typical format: a short interview, a picture or prompt-based monologue of about one minute, and a two-way discussion with the examiner or a partner.

Monologue structure that fills the time: describe what is visible, speculate about context and feelings, then give a personal reaction or comparison with your own experience.

Interaction marks come from initiating, responding and asking back; a one-word answer to a discussion question limits the score, so extend each answer with a reason and an example.

Use fillers that buy time in English rather than silence: "That's an interesting question", "Let me think for a second", "What I mean is".

Paraphrase instead of stopping when a word is missing: describe the function ("the thing you use to open a bottle") rather than switching to another language.

Fluency is judged on flow and coherence, not on accent; self-correction is acceptable, but long pauses and restarts reduce the score.

Grammar range targets: at least one perfect tense, one conditional, one passive and one comparative structure across the whole test.

Pronunciation priorities are word stress and final consonants, since misplacing stress (PHOtograph vs phoTOgraphy) causes more misunderstanding than individual sounds.

Scanning is for specific strings (names, dates, numbers); skimming is for gist. Choose the technique from the question type before reading the text again.

Anaphora chains: track what each pronoun refers to across sentences, because detail questions often test the referent rather than the noun itself.

Negative questions ("Which is NOT stated?") require checking three options against the text and eliminating them; the remaining option is the answer even if it feels weak.

Sentence-insertion items: the inserted sentence must fit both the preceding and the following sentence, so check linking words and pronoun reference on both sides.

Paragraph-purpose items use verbs like compare, contrast, illustrate, refute, recommend; match the verb to the paragraph's function, not its topic.

Predict answer type from the gap: a gap after a preposition needs a noun or gerund, a gap before a noun needs an adjective, a gap after "to" needs a base verb.

Numbers trap: teens vs tens (fifteen/fifty) and -ty/-teen stress differ; the stress falls on the second syllable for -teen.

In multiple choice, the correct option is usually a paraphrase of the recording, while distractors repeat exact words from it.

If two speakers disagree, the answer is normally the second speaker's final position, signalled by "but", "actually" or "on second thoughts".

Write answers in the same grammatical form as the prompt; a grammatically impossible answer is wrong even if the meaning is close.

Articles: a/an for first mention and professions; the for unique referents, superlatives and previously mentioned nouns; zero article for general plurals and abstract nouns.

Countable vs uncountable decides much/many, few/little, and a/an; information, advice, furniture, luggage, news and equipment are uncountable.

Modals of deduction: must be (certain), might/could/may be (possible), can't be (impossible); must have + past participle for past certainty.

Gerund vs infinitive: enjoy, avoid, suggest, mind, look forward to take -ing; decide, manage, afford, refuse, promise take to + infinitive; stop, remember, try change meaning.

Relative clauses: who for people, which for things, whose for possession, where for places; omit the relative pronoun only when it is the object.

Comparatives: as ... as for equality, not as ... as for inequality, the + comparative ... the + comparative for correlated change, and double comparatives (more better) are always wrong.

Linking words carry logic: although/despite contrast, therefore/as a result consequence, whereas direct contrast between clauses, in case precaution, unless negative condition.

Word formation traps: un- vs in-/im-/ir-/il- for negatives (unable, invisible, impossible, irregular, illegal); -ed vs -ing adjectives (bored/boring).

Word limits are usually given as a range (e.g. 120-150, 200-250); the examiner stops crediting content beyond the upper limit, so trim rather than add.

Cohesion devices are scored: use a mix of reference (this, such), substitution (one, do so), and conjunctions, not only sentence-initial linkers.

Formal letter conventions: Dear Sir or Madam when the name is unknown, Yours faithfully; Dear Mr Smith, Yours sincerely.

A review must evaluate, not just describe: include what was good, what was weak, and who would enjoy it.

An essay that only lists arguments without a stated opinion loses task-fulfilment marks; the position must appear in the introduction and the conclusion.

Check the five high-frequency error areas in this order: subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, articles, plural -s, and preposition after verb or adjective.

Picture description order: foreground, background, then the people's actions and apparent mood; spatial language (in the foreground, in the background, on the left) structures the monologue.

Speculation language for pictures: "They seem to be", "It looks as if", "She might be about to", "Judging by their expressions".

Discussion strategy: answer, justify, then give an example or a personal anecdote; this three-step pattern reliably extends an answer to 20-30 seconds.

Agreeing and disagreeing language: "I see your point, but", "That's true up to a point", "I'd say the opposite, because".

If you do not understand a question, ask for repetition once ("Could you say that again, please?") rather than guessing; repeated requests for repetition affect the interaction score.

Tense and time marker pairs: already/yet/just with perfect tenses, ago with past simple, for with perfect, since with a point in time, by with perfect or future perfect.

Question tags mirror the auxiliary and reverse polarity: "She doesn't drive, does she?"; "They have left, haven't they?".

Inversion after negative adverbials: Never have I seen, Rarely does he complain, Not only did she win but she also broke the record.

Causative have/get something done for services; make/let + bare infinitive but allow/permit/force + to + infinitive.