AP SSC English (Third Language) flashcards

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

Main idea of a passage

The central point that covers all paragraphs of the passage. It must be broad enough for the whole text yet narrow enough to exclude topics the passage never discusses.

Inference in reading

A conclusion the passage supports without stating it directly. A valid inference needs textual evidence; an answer that adds outside information is not an inference but an assumption.

Vocabulary in context

Deciding a word's meaning from its sentence rather than its first dictionary sense. Substitute each option into the sentence and keep the one that preserves the original meaning.

Pronoun reference question

A question asking what a pronoun such as it, they or this refers to. Find the nearest preceding noun that agrees in number and fits the meaning of the sentence.

Author's tone

The attitude the writer conveys, such as appreciative, critical, sarcastic or objective. Tone is judged from word choice and sentence style, not from the topic alone.

Present perfect tense use

Formed with have or has plus the past participle. It links a past action to the present and pairs with since for a starting point and for for a duration.

Past perfect tense use

Formed with had plus the past participle. It marks the earlier of two past actions, so the later action usually appears in the simple past.

Passive voice formation

The active object becomes the subject, followed by the correct tense of be and the past participle, with by plus the agent if needed. Intransitive verbs cannot be made passive.

Reported question word order

A reported question uses statement order with no do, does or did and no question mark. 'Where do you live?' becomes 'He asked where I lived.'

Reported imperative

Reported with told, asked or ordered plus an object and a to-infinitive. Negatives use not to plus the base verb, as in 'She told me not to go.'

Third conditional form

If plus past perfect in the condition clause, and would have plus past participle in the result clause, as in 'If I had studied, I would have passed.'

Subject-verb concord traps

Each, every, either and neither take a singular verb. 'One of the boys is' is singular, while 'a number of boys are' is plural.

Relative pronoun choice

Who refers to people, which to things, whose to possession, where to place and when to time. Defining clauses take no commas; non-defining clauses are set off by commas.

Synonym matching strategy

Match the part of speech first, then the shade of meaning and register. Words like famous and notorious share a field but differ in approval, so they are not interchangeable.

Antonym by prefix

Many opposites are formed with prefixes such as un-, in-, im-, il-, ir- and dis-. Test the prefixed form before choosing, since some words have no true opposite.

Word form families

One root yields noun, verb, adjective and adverb forms, as in beauty, beautify, beautiful and beautifully. The blank's grammatical position decides which form is correct.

Idiom: a blessing in disguise

An apparent misfortune that eventually turns out to be beneficial. It describes a hidden benefit, not a literal blessing or a disguise.

Idiom: to beat about the bush

To avoid coming to the main point and talk around it. It describes evasive speech, not physical movement or gardening.

Phrasal verb: give up

To stop doing something or to surrender. It differs from give in (yield), give away (donate or reveal) and give out (distribute or become exhausted).

One-word substitute: philanthropist

A person who loves mankind and works for human welfare, often through charitable giving. It is distinct from a philosopher, who studies ideas, and a philatelist, who collects stamps.

Formal letter subscription

Yours faithfully closes a letter beginning Dear Sir or Madam, while Yours sincerely closes one addressed to a named person. Reversing the pair is a standard error.

Notice format

The word NOTICE, the issuing body's name, the date, a short heading, a body of about fifty words covering who, what, when and where, and the writer's name and designation.

Message writing format

Date and time at the top, the addressee's name, a brief body with only essential details, and the sender's name at the end. No salutation or subscription is used.

Topic sentence

The first sentence of a paragraph that states its controlling idea. The remaining sentences support it with reasons or examples, and a closing sentence rounds it off.

Essay structure

An introduction stating the position, body paragraphs each developing one idea with an example, and a conclusion that restates the position in fresh wording without new points.

Report writing features

A title, reporter's name and date, then objective findings in past tense and passive voice, ending with a conclusion or recommendation. Personal opinion is excluded from news reports.

Dialogue writing conventions

One speaker per line, the name followed by a colon, natural contractions, and no quotation marks around lines. The exchange needs a greeting, an exchange of ideas and a closing.

Show, don't tell in stories

Revealing character and feeling through actions, speech and detail rather than direct labels. Instead of saying a character was nervous, describe trembling hands and a breaking voice.

Simile versus metaphor

A simile compares using like or as, as in 'brave as a lion'. A metaphor states that one thing is another, as in 'he is a lion in battle'.

Personification in poetry

Giving human qualities to non-human things, as when the wind whispers or the moon smiles. It differs from a simile because no like or as appears.

Poem speaker versus poet

The speaker is the voice created within the poem and need not share the poet's identity, age or opinions. Questions about attitude refer to the speaker unless the poet is named.

Non-detailed character question

Answer with one named trait plus a supporting incident from the text. A trait alone earns partial credit; the incident must actually demonstrate that quality.