Bagrut English cheat sheet

Short informational passages usually follow one structure: topic sentence, supporting details, brief conclusion; the main idea is normally stated in the first or last sentence.

Narrative passages (short stories, anecdotes) answer WHO, WHAT HAPPENED, WHERE, WHEN, and WHY; sequence words (first, then, finally, after that) mark the plot order.

A main-idea question asks what the whole text is about; a detail question asks about one stated fact. If an answer is true but covers only one sentence, it is a detail, not the main idea.

Signal words for contrast: but, however, although, yet, on the other hand. Signal words for cause: because, since, therefore, as a result, so.

Pronouns refer back to the nearest suitable noun that agrees in number and gender: 'it' to a singular thing, 'they' to a plural noun, 'this' to the preceding idea.

Inference in a short text must be supported by at least one stated clue; a conclusion that needs outside knowledge the passage never implies is wrong.

Tone words for short texts: neutral, humorous, sympathetic, critical, nostalgic. A single emotional adjective does not make the whole text emotional.

When two answers seem correct, choose the one that covers more of the passage without adding information not written in it.

Longer articles usually place the thesis in the introduction and restate it in the conclusion; body paragraphs each carry one sub-claim with evidence.

Reports contain data, findings, and recommendations; distinguish the finding (what was observed) from the recommendation (what should be done) and from the method (how it was studied).

Literary excerpts: track character, setting, conflict, and change. A character's change between the beginning and end is a common question target.

A paragraph's function can be: introducing the topic, giving an example, presenting an opposing view, conceding a point, or concluding. Identify the function, not just the content.

Cause-and-effect chains in long texts may be separated by several sentences; link them with because, led to, resulted in, was due to, consequently.

Quotation questions ask why the writer quoted someone: to support a claim, to give expert authority, to show an opposing view, or to illustrate with a personal voice.

Numbers, dates, and names in a longer text are usually detail-question targets; scan for the exact word rather than rereading the whole passage.

Distinguish the writer's own opinion from views the writer reports and rejects; phrases like 'critics claim' or 'some argue' often introduce a view the writer does not hold.

Context clue types: definition (means, refers to, that is), example (such as, for instance), contrast (unlike, in contrast), and cause-result (therefore, as a result).

A synonym answer must fit the same grammatical slot as the original word; a noun cannot be replaced by a verb or adjective.

Reference questions: 'this/these' usually points to the immediately preceding noun phrase or whole clause; 'former/latter' refer to the first and second of two items, respectively.

Cohesion devices: addition (moreover, in addition), contrast (however, nevertheless), result (thus, consequently), sequence (subsequently, meanwhile), concession (although, despite).

Word-formation: prefixes change meaning (un-, dis-, mis-, over-, under-, pre-, post-), suffixes change part of speech (-tion noun, -ive adjective, -ize verb, -ly adverb).

False friends and near-synonyms differ in strength or register: 'big/large/huge/enormous' scale up; 'say/claim/argue/insist' shift from neutral to committed.

Collocations are fixed partners: make a decision, take responsibility, pay attention, draw a conclusion, raise an issue; a grammatically possible but non-standard partner is wrong.

Idioms must be read as a unit; 'break the ice' means start a conversation, not literally crack frozen water, and the surrounding sentence confirms the figurative sense.

Scanning means moving the eyes for a specific target (name, date, number, keyword) without reading every word; skimming means reading first sentences and headings for the gist.

Detail questions are answered by a phrase copied or closely paraphrased from the text; if the exact words are absent, check for a paraphrase before rejecting the option.

Inference rule: the answer must be necessarily true given the text, not merely possible or plausible in real life.

Purpose questions ask why the writer wrote the text: to inform, persuade, warn, entertain, compare, or instruct. The answer is a verb phrase, not a topic.

Tone and attitude are shown by word choice (loaded adjectives), punctuation (exclamation, rhetorical question), and hedging (may, tends to, apparently).

Sequence and time questions: build a short timeline of events with their markers (in 1990, after that, by the time) before choosing an order.

Eliminate options that are too broad, too narrow, contradicted by the text, or true in general but not stated in the passage.

A conclusion question asks what follows from the evidence; a prediction question asks what will probably happen next. Both must stay inside the text's logic.

A short answer restates the key words of the question, gives the answer, and adds one supporting detail; it does not repeat the whole question.

Paragraph structure: topic sentence, two or three supporting sentences with examples or reasons, and a closing sentence that returns to the topic.

Essay structure: introduction with a clear position, body paragraphs each with one argument plus evidence, and a conclusion that restates the position without new arguments.

Register: formal writing avoids contractions, slang, and 'you' as a general subject; use 'people', 'students', or the passive instead.

Cohesive markers in writing: firstly, furthermore, in addition, on the other hand, for example, as a result, in conclusion.

Linking must be logical: 'however' introduces contrast, 'therefore' introduces result; a wrong connector breaks coherence even if the grammar is correct.

Answer length matters: a paragraph question expects a unified paragraph, not a list; an essay question expects several paragraphs, not one long block.

Paraphrase rather than copy: reuse key terms from the source but express the idea in your own sentence structure and vocabulary.

A claim is an assertion the writer wants accepted; evidence is the data, example, or authority offered to support it. Identify which sentence is which.

Evaluate evidence by relevance (does it address the claim?), sufficiency (is one example enough?), and reliability (is the source named and appropriate?).

Common weaknesses in arguments: overgeneralization (all, always, never), hasty conclusion from a small sample, appeal to emotion, and attacking a person instead of the argument.

Correlation is not causation: two things rising together does not prove one causes the other; a third factor may explain both.

Synthesis across two texts: state the point of agreement, the point of disagreement, and the reason for the difference (different data, different purpose, different audience).

Hedged language (may, suggests, tends to, in some cases) is weaker than absolute language (proves, always, everyone); match the strength of your conclusion to the strength of the evidence.

When asked which text is more convincing, name the criterion (stronger data, clearer logic, more credible source) and support the judgment with a specific quotation or detail.

Distinguish fact (verifiable), opinion (a judgment), and inference (a conclusion drawn from facts); a question may ask you to classify a sentence into one of these.