Maharashtra SSC English - Second/Third Language (MSBSHSE) flashcards

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

Simile

A figure of speech comparing two unlike things using 'like' or 'as', for example 'as brave as a lion'. It makes the description vivid by linking an unfamiliar quality to a familiar image.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that states a comparison directly without 'like' or 'as', calling one thing another, as in 'the classroom was a zoo'. It implies the resemblance instead of announcing it.

Personification

Giving human qualities, actions, or feelings to a non-human thing, such as 'the wind whispered through the trees'. It is used to make description vivid or to express mood.

Alliteration

Repetition of the same initial consonant sound in nearby words, as in 'silly snakes slither slowly'. It creates rhythm and emphasis and is common in poetry and slogans.

Onomatopoeia

A word that imitates the sound it describes, such as buzz, crash, hiss, or murmur. Poets use it to make sound echo sense and to build atmosphere.

Rhyme scheme

The pattern of end rhymes in a poem, shown by letters such as abab or aabb, where identical letters mark rhyming lines. Naming the scheme is a standard appreciation point.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech joining two contradictory words in one phrase, like 'bitter sweet' or 'living death'. The clash of meanings draws attention and expresses complexity.

Hyperbole

Deliberate exaggeration used for emphasis or effect, as in 'I have told you a million times'. It is not meant literally and often conveys strong feeling or humour.

Active to passive voice

The object of the active sentence becomes the subject, and the verb becomes a form of 'be' plus the past participle. 'Ravi wrote the letter' becomes 'The letter was written by Ravi'.

Reported speech backshift

When reporting speech, the tense usually moves one step back: present becomes past, past becomes past perfect. Time and place words also shift, e.g. now to then.

Question tag rule

A question tag repeats the auxiliary of the statement and takes the opposite polarity. 'She is coming, isn't she?' and 'They didn't win, did they?' follow this pattern.

Gerund

A verb form ending in -ing that works as a noun, as in 'Swimming is good exercise'. It can be the subject, object, or object of a preposition.

Infinitive

The base form of a verb preceded by 'to', as in 'to read' or 'to decide'. It can act as a noun, adjective, or adverb and often follows certain verbs.

Degrees of comparison

The three forms of an adjective: positive (tall), comparative (taller), and superlative (tallest). 'Than' signals the comparative; 'the' before the adjective often signals the superlative.

Formal letter layout

Sender's address, date, receiver's address and designation, subject line, salutation, body paragraphs, and formal closing with signature. The subject line is compulsory in formal letters.

Notice format

The word NOTICE at the top, institution name, a short heading, the date, a body of a few lines, and the issuer's name and designation. It is factual and brief.

Report writing format

A headline, the reporter's byline, place and date, then a factual account in the past tense and third person. Reports answer what, when, where, who, and how.

Speech opening

A speech begins with a salutation to the audience, states its purpose, develops two or three points, and ends with a closing remark and thanks.

Dialogue writing

Direct speech exchanges between named speakers, using natural contractions and a minimum of several turns that develop the given topic logically to a conclusion.

Note-making

Recording the main ideas of a passage as headings and sub-headings in point form, using abbreviations with a key. Full sentences are avoided.

Summary writing

A shortened continuous-prose version of a passage, written in the summariser's own words and third person, keeping only the main idea and key supporting points.

Information transfer

Converting data from a passage into a table, chart, or diagram, or the reverse, without adding new facts or personal opinion.

Mind map

A diagram placing the central idea at the centre with branches to sub-topics and key words. It shows relationships between ideas at a glance.

Rapid reading task

Scanning a text quickly for specific details such as names, dates, or numbers, then answering in minimal words. Full-sentence answers are usually unnecessary.

Prose answer structure

State the point, support it with a line from the text, then explain how that line proves the point. Two-mark questions normally need two distinct points.

Character sketch evidence

A character answer draws on three sources: the character's actions, the character's own words, and what other characters say about them.

Theme statement

A theme is expressed as an abstract idea, such as courage in adversity, plus the incident in the text that carries it.

Vocabulary in context

A word's meaning is decided by its surrounding sentence, so the answer must fit the passage rather than a general dictionary sense.

Inference answer

An inference is a conclusion drawn from textual evidence plus a logical step. The answer should show the evidence and the reasoning, not just the conclusion.

Title of a passage

A short noun phrase capturing the main idea of a passage. It should not be a full sentence or a detail from the passage.

Translation by sense

Translation preserves meaning and register rather than word order. Idioms are rendered by the nearest equivalent in the target language, not literally.

Listening task marking

Listening answers are scored for specific information heard, such as names, numbers, and instructions, rather than for a full word-for-word transcription.