WBBSE Madhyamik Tamil (First Language) key terms

Literary prose, as opposed to verse. In this exam it names the prose-lesson section, whose passages are read for theme, character and the writer's purpose rather than for metre or rhyme.

A single prescribed prose or poetry text in the syllabus. Questions ask about its content, author, central idea and the values it teaches, so each lesson must be studied as a whole unit.

The writer of a prescribed lesson. Candidates should know the name, period and general background of each author, and be able to match authors to their texts in objective questions.

The central idea or message a lesson conveys, such as service, patriotism or self-reliance. Answers about theme state the idea and support it with an incident or line from the text.

A person portrayed in a prose lesson or story. Character questions ask for traits supported by the character's actions, words and how others respond, not merely for a list of adjectives.

An event in a lesson or story. Candidates are often asked to narrate an incident in order or explain its importance to the plot, so sequence and consequence both matter.

A condensed statement of a passage's main points, written in the candidate's own words. A good summary keeps the order of ideas, omits examples, and stays within the word limit set by the question.

Poetry, the second section of the paper. Candidates study prescribed poems for meaning, imagery, rhythm and the poet's message, and must be able to explain individual lines in prose.

A single prescribed poem. Questions cover the poet, the situation described, the moral, and the meaning of selected lines, so memorising the text alone is not enough.

The composer of a prescribed poem. Candidates should know each poet's name and be able to connect the poet's outlook to the theme of the poem being studied.

A figure in which one thing is compared to another using words such as போல, ஒப்ப and அன்ன. Identifying the two things compared and the point of likeness is what earns marks.

A figure that states one thing is another without a comparison word, as when a king is called a lion. The identification is implied, and the image must be explained in the answer.

Any deliberate ornament of language, such as simile, metaphor or alliteration. Questions ask candidates to name the figure used in a given line and justify the naming with a reason.

A narrative text, including the non-detailed reader's longer pieces. Story questions test plot order, character motive and the lesson drawn, and reward accurate recall of events.

A text in the non-detailed reader that is read for enjoyment and general understanding rather than close language study. Questions are usually broad: narration, character and moral.

A full-length work, or the book from which a lesson is taken. Knowing the source work and its author helps in questions that ask where a prescribed passage comes from.

The rules of the language, examined in the Ilamaiyal section. It covers letters, words, sentence structure and prosody, and is tested mainly through application rather than definition alone.

A single written character of the Tamil script. Grammar questions classify letters as உயிர், மெய் or உயிர்மெய் and ask how many letters a given word contains.

A combined letter formed when a consonant joins a vowel, such as கா or கி. Counting these correctly is essential in questions that ask for the letter count of a word.

A meaningful unit of language made of letters. Grammar exercises classify words by origin and form, for example as தனித்தமிழ், வடசொல் or கூட்டுச்சொல், and ask for their correct written shape.

The basic, indivisible element from which a word is built by adding prefixes or suffixes. Identifying the root helps in explaining word formation and in correcting wrongly split words.

An element added after a root or stem to form a new word or show grammatical function, as in படித்தான். Questions ask candidates to separate root and suffix and to name the resulting form.

The grammatical relation of a noun to other words in a sentence, marked in Tamil by eight case suffixes. Exercises ask candidates to identify the case of a marked noun and the suffix that shows it.

A group of words expressing a complete idea. Grammar questions ask candidates to expand, combine or correct sentences, and to identify whether a given group is a complete sentence or a fragment.

The task of finding and correcting a mistake in spelling, agreement or word choice in a given sentence. Answers should show the corrected form and briefly state the rule that was broken.

A structured piece of writing on a given topic, with an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion. Marks depend on relevant points, logical order, correct language and staying on topic.

A group of sentences developing one point. In composition, each paragraph should open with a topic sentence and be linked to the next, which is what examiners look for in essays.

A written message in the prescribed format, either personal or formal. Marks are given for correct layout, salutation and closing, clear purpose, and polite, appropriate language.

A formal written request, usually to an office or authority. It needs a subject line, a clear statement of the request, supporting reasons and a respectful closing, all in formal register.

The required arrangement of parts in a piece of writing, such as the order of address, date, salutation and signature in a letter. Marks are lost when the expected layout is not followed.

The sense a word, line or passage carries. Comprehension answers must give the meaning in context rather than a dictionary gloss that ignores how the word is used in the passage.

The stock of words a candidate knows and can use. It is tested through matching words to meanings, opposites, synonyms and filling blanks in sentences drawn from the prescribed texts.

A word with the opposite meaning to another, such as இன்பம் and துன்பம். Questions ask for the opposite of a given word, and the answer must match the same part of speech.

A word with a meaning close to another, such as மனம் and உள்ளம். Answers should fit the context of the sentence, since near-synonyms are not always interchangeable.

Rendering a passage from one language into another while keeping the meaning and tone. In this paper it usually means translating short English sentences into Tamil using correct grammar and natural idiom.

Reading a given passage and answering questions on it. Answers should be in the candidate's own words, drawn from the passage, and written as complete sentences rather than single words.