Maharashtra HSC Persian (MSBSHSE) key terms

Prose writing that is not metrical verse. In this paper it covers essays, short stories and character sketches, so questions ask about plot, theme, character motive and the author's purpose rather than rhythm or rhyme.

Metrical poetry written in lines and couplets. Questions ask the candidate to explain the central idea, identify the poet's tone, and comment on imagery and sound effects rather than to translate word by word.

The central idea or subject a passage develops. A theme answer states the point in one sentence and then supports it with two or three details drawn from the text, not with a summary of the whole passage.

The purpose or intended effect of a text - to advise, to satirise, to praise, to console. Identifying purpose helps choose the right tone word in appreciation and composition questions.

A character in a narrative, judged by what the character says, does and how others react. A good answer names one or two traits and quotes a specific action or line as evidence for each trait.

The conduct or behaviour of a character as shown through actions in the story. Distinguishing conduct from the narrator's commentary prevents answers that merely repeat the author's opinion without textual proof.

The author's manner of expression: sentence length, use of dialogue, repetition, rhetorical questions, formal or colloquial diction. Style questions ask how the manner supports the meaning, not merely to list features.

An explicit comparison using a word such as مانند, مثل or چو, where the shared point of resemblance is stated or clearly implied. The answer must name both things compared and the quality they share.

A metaphor in which one thing is presented as another without a comparison word, so the borrowed image stands directly for the idea. Explain the literal image first, then the intended meaning it carries.

An indirect expression whose figurative meaning is understood while the literal wording is not intended, such as describing a generous person by open hands. It differs from metaphor because no image is transferred onto a new subject.

A rhetorical device or figure of speech, including sound figures such as alliteration and semantic figures such as antithesis. Naming the device is only half the answer; the effect on meaning or mood must also be stated.

The metrical pattern of a poem, built from repeated feet of long and short syllables. Questions may ask the candidate to identify the metre or to explain how a particular foot creates a fast or slow movement.

A word or short phrase repeated identically after the rhyme at the end of each verse. The radīf often carries the emotional key of the poem, so comment on its meaning as well as its sound.

The rhyming element immediately before the radīf, matching in final sound across verses. Rhyme in Persian is judged on the last pronounced consonant and its vowels, not on spelling alone.

One line or hemistich of a verse; two misra' form a بیت. Poetry questions often point to a single misra', so the candidate must locate the exact line before explaining it.

A couplet, the basic unit of Persian verse, made of two misra' that rhyme together in the opening and follow the poem's rhyme scheme afterwards. Counting and quoting by bait keeps answers precise.

A noun or name: a word that denotes a person, place, thing or abstract idea and can take a plural or an ezāfe link. Recognising nouns is the first step in parsing a sentence for grammar questions.

A verb, carrying tense, person and number. In Persian the verb usually comes last, and its ending agrees with the subject, so locating the verb reveals the sentence's tense and subject.

A particle or function word such as از, به, در, که or را, which links other words and carries no independent meaning. Particles control case-like relations and are frequent targets in fill-in grammar items.

The linking vowel -e- (written as a short stroke) joining two nouns, as in کتابِ خوب, meaning 'a good book'. It marks possession, description or material and is often omitted in careless writing, causing meaning errors.

A compound word formed from two or more stems, such as گلستان or خداوند. Compound nouns and adjectives are common in literary prose, and breaking them into parts helps explain their meaning.

A prefix attached to the front of a word to change its meaning, such as نا- in ناامید or بی- in بیگناه. Identifying the prefix and its sense often unlocks the meaning of an unfamiliar word.

A suffix added to the end of a word, such as -گر in کارگر or -مند in دانشمند, often forming an agent or possessor noun. Suffix knowledge supports both vocabulary and word-formation questions.

The object of a verb, the thing acted upon. A definite object is marked by را, while an indefinite object usually takes no marker, so the presence or absence of را is a reliable parsing clue.

The subject, the doer of the action, which determines the person and number of the verb. In passive sentences the logical doer is expressed with از or به دست, and the verb agrees with the grammatical subject.

Tense: past, present or future, shown by the verb stem and its prefixes and endings. The prefix می- marks the imperfective present or past, while خواهد plus the short stem forms the future.

Translation. Passage translation is marked for accuracy of meaning, correct tense and natural target-language order, so literal word-for-word rendering usually loses marks even when every word is understood.

A synonym: a different word with a closely similar meaning, such as دلیر and شجاع for brave. Synonyms are rarely exact, so choose the one whose register fits the sentence and the period of the text.

An antonym: a word of opposite meaning, such as روشن and تاریک. Antonym items test whether the candidate knows the word's precise sense, not merely its general area of meaning.

An idiom or set expression whose overall meaning cannot be built from its individual words, such as دست و پنجه نرم کردن. Idioms must be learned whole and translated by an equivalent expression in the target language.

Colloquial or conversational usage, the everyday spoken register. Literary texts sometimes quote it in dialogue; recognise it as spoken style and avoid using it in formal composition writing.

Skill or proficiency, used in exam instructions about the level of command expected in translation and composition. Instructions using this word signal that fluency and correct structure matter, not just isolated vocabulary.

Composition writing: a structured essay, letter or report produced by the candidate. Marks depend on a clear plan, relevant content, correct grammar and a fitting opening and closing, not on length alone.

An essay or the content of a piece of writing. A good essay answer states the topic, develops two or three points with examples, and closes with a short conclusion that returns to the title.

A letter, in the sense of correspondence. Formal letters follow conventions: salutation, opening enquiry, body paragraphs, closing formula and signature, with an appropriate register of address.

A report: a factual account of an event or situation written for a reader who was not present. It should answer what, when, where, who and why, in chronological order and in neutral language.

A summary that condenses a passage to its main points in the candidate's own words. A summary keeps the original order of ideas, omits examples and repetition, and stays close to one third of the original length.

The title of a passage. A title usually points to the main idea, so an unseen-comprehension question asking for a suitable title expects a short phrase that covers the whole passage, not just its first sentence.

A reference or pointer word such as این, آن, او or چنین that points back to something already mentioned. In unseen passages, resolving what a pointer refers to is a common comprehension question.