Aomori Entrance English cheat sheet

Numbers, times, and prices are usually stated once; write digits immediately and check for a correction cue such as "actually" or "no, wait".

Question types recur: what/when/where/who/why, true-or-false about a statement, and choosing the picture or action that matches.

Direction words decide the answer: "next to", "across from", "behind", "between" map onto positions, not distances.

When two speakers disagree, the second speaker's statement is normally the correct answer; the first is the distractor.

Signal words for the answer: "but", "so", "because", "the thing is" - the key information follows them.

Dates and days: listen for ordinal endings (-st, -nd, -th) and for weekday vs. weekend contrasts.

If a word is unknown, keep listening; the meaning is often recoverable from the next sentence or from tone of voice.

In picture-selection items, eliminate options that contradict one heard detail before choosing between the rest.

Short passages of 50-120 words usually carry one main-idea question plus one detail question; answer the main idea from the first and last sentences.

Detail answers must be traceable to one specific sentence; if no sentence supports it, the option is a distractor.

Pronouns (it, they, this, one) point backward to the nearest matching noun; resolve them before answering reference questions.

Words like "all", "never", "only", "must" in an option are usually wrong unless the passage states them exactly.

Notices, signs, and e-mails: identify sender, receiver, purpose, and required action - those four cover most items.

Time and condition clauses (if, unless, when, until) change the meaning; read the clause before deciding the action.

Vocabulary-in-context: substitute each option into the sentence and keep the one that preserves the sentence's logic.

For longer passages, read the questions first, then scan for the keyword in the question; answers appear in passage order for ordered question sets.

Paragraph-role questions: first paragraph often sets the topic, middle paragraphs give examples or reasons, last paragraph gives conclusion or opinion.

Information transfer (tables, charts, schedules): match the row and column labels first, then fill only the cell that satisfies every condition.

When two data sources are compared, the answer is the value satisfying both; a value from only one source is a trap.

Inference answers must follow necessarily from stated facts; a plausible real-world fact not in the passage is not the answer.

Numbers in transfer tasks: check units (yen, minutes, people) and whether the question asks for a total, a difference, or a rate.

Cause-and-effect chains: locate the connector (because, therefore, as a result) to decide which event is cause and which is result.

Tense agreement: a time expression (yesterday, since 2020, tomorrow, by next week) fixes the tense; match the verb to it.

Subject-verb agreement: the verb agrees with the head noun, not with a phrase between them (The box of pens is...).

Participles: -ing describes the cause or an active noun (the exciting news); -ed describes the receiver or feeling (I was excited).

Relative pronouns: who for people, which for things, where for places, whose for possession; omit the pronoun only when it is the object.

Conditionals: if + present, will + verb (real); if + past, would + verb (unreal); if + had + past participle, would have + past participle (past unreal).

Preposition collocations must be memorized as chunks: interested in, good at, afraid of, arrive at/in, depend on, look forward to + -ing.

Infinitives after want, decide, hope, plan; gerunds after enjoy, finish, stop, mind, practice, and after prepositions.

Comparatives: as ... as for equality, -er/more for difference, the ... the ... for parallel change (The more you read, the faster you read).

Reordering: find the fixed frame first - subject + verb, or a question word + auxiliary + subject - then place modifiers around it.

Connector order follows logic: however and but contrast; therefore and so conclude; for example follows a general statement.

Time and reason clauses can precede or follow the main clause, but the clause marked by because, when, or if stays intact as a unit.

Dialogue completion: the reply must answer the preceding line's function - a question gets an answer, an offer gets acceptance or refusal plus reason.

Response matching: "How about ...?" is answered with "Sounds good" or a counter-suggestion, not with "Yes, I am".

Punctuation gives the structure away: a comma before a blank often signals a subordinate clause or a direct address.

Pronoun and article clues lock order: a noun introduced with "a" comes before the same noun referred to with "the" or "it".

A 3-part frame covers most prompts: state the topic, give two supporting reasons with examples, close with a restatement or opinion.

Answer every element of the prompt; missing one required point (e.g., a reason or a number) costs more than a grammar slip.

Use a fixed connective set: First / Second / For example / Also / However / In conclusion - one per paragraph boundary.

Keep sentence length moderate; a short correct sentence scores higher than a long sentence with broken agreement.

For opinion prompts, commit to one side and support it; mixed opinions need an explicit "however" and a final position.

Word-count prompts: aim 10-15% above the stated minimum, and count only full sentences that answer the task.

Self-check order: verb tense, subject-verb agreement, plural -s, articles, then spelling of frequent words (because, friend, receive).

Listen-then-answer tasks: take keyword notes (numbers, names, actions) during the audio; the answer is written after listening, not during.

Read-then-write tasks: reuse the passage's key nouns and verbs in your response; the grader checks content points against the source.

Chart or graph plus text: state the trend in words (rose, fell, stayed the same) and attach the figure, e.g., "rose from 20 to 35".

Summary tasks: one sentence per main point, no new information, and no copied full sentences longer than about eight words.

E-mail reply tasks: open with a greeting, answer each question asked, close with a set phrase; salutation and closing are scored.

When a task combines listening and reading, trust the written source for exact figures and the audio for the speaker's intention.

Numbers, times, and prices are usually stated once; write digits immediately and check for a correction cue such as "actually" or "no, wait".

Question types recur: what/when/where/who/why, true-or-false about a statement, and choosing the picture or action that matches.

Direction words decide the answer: "next to", "across from", "behind", "between" map onto positions, not distances.

When two speakers disagree, the second speaker's statement is normally the correct answer; the first is the distractor.

Signal words for the answer: "but", "so", "because", "the thing is" - the key information follows them.

Dates and days: listen for ordinal endings (-st, -nd, -th) and for weekday vs. weekend contrasts.

If a word is unknown, keep listening; the meaning is often recoverable from the next sentence or from tone of voice.

In picture-selection items, eliminate options that contradict one heard detail before choosing between the rest.

Short passages of 50-120 words usually carry one main-idea question plus one detail question; answer the main idea from the first and last sentences.

Detail answers must be traceable to one specific sentence; if no sentence supports it, the option is a distractor.

Pronouns (it, they, this, one) point backward to the nearest matching noun; resolve them before answering reference questions.

Words like "all", "never", "only", "must" in an option are usually wrong unless the passage states them exactly.

Notices, signs, and e-mails: identify sender, receiver, purpose, and required action - those four cover most items.

Time and condition clauses (if, unless, when, until) change the meaning; read the clause before deciding the action.

Vocabulary-in-context: substitute each option into the sentence and keep the one that preserves the sentence's logic.

For longer passages, read the questions first, then scan for the keyword in the question; answers appear in passage order for ordered question sets.

Paragraph-role questions: first paragraph often sets the topic, middle paragraphs give examples or reasons, last paragraph gives conclusion or opinion.

Information transfer (tables, charts, schedules): match the row and column labels first, then fill only the cell that satisfies every condition.

When two data sources are compared, the answer is the value satisfying both; a value from only one source is a trap.

Inference answers must follow necessarily from stated facts; a plausible real-world fact not in the passage is not the answer.

Numbers in transfer tasks: check units (yen, minutes, people) and whether the question asks for a total, a difference, or a rate.

Cause-and-effect chains: locate the connector (because, therefore, as a result) to decide which event is cause and which is result.

Tense agreement: a time expression (yesterday, since 2020, tomorrow, by next week) fixes the tense; match the verb to it.

Subject-verb agreement: the verb agrees with the head noun, not with a phrase between them (The box of pens is...).

Participles: -ing describes the cause or an active noun (the exciting news); -ed describes the receiver or feeling (I was excited).

Relative pronouns: who for people, which for things, where for places, whose for possession; omit the pronoun only when it is the object.

Conditionals: if + present, will + verb (real); if + past, would + verb (unreal); if + had + past participle, would have + past participle (past unreal).

Preposition collocations must be memorized as chunks: interested in, good at, afraid of, arrive at/in, depend on, look forward to + -ing.

Infinitives after want, decide, hope, plan; gerunds after enjoy, finish, stop, mind, practice, and after prepositions.

Comparatives: as ... as for equality, -er/more for difference, the ... the ... for parallel change (The more you read, the faster you read).

Reordering: find the fixed frame first - subject + verb, or a question word + auxiliary + subject - then place modifiers around it.

Connector order follows logic: however and but contrast; therefore and so conclude; for example follows a general statement.

Time and reason clauses can precede or follow the main clause, but the clause marked by because, when, or if stays intact as a unit.

Dialogue completion: the reply must answer the preceding line's function - a question gets an answer, an offer gets acceptance or refusal plus reason.

Response matching: "How about ...?" is answered with "Sounds good" or a counter-suggestion, not with "Yes, I am".

Punctuation gives the structure away: a comma before a blank often signals a subordinate clause or a direct address.

Pronoun and article clues lock order: a noun introduced with "a" comes before the same noun referred to with "the" or "it".

A 3-part frame covers most prompts: state the topic, give two supporting reasons with examples, close with a restatement or opinion.

Answer every element of the prompt; missing one required point (e.g., a reason or a number) costs more than a grammar slip.

Use a fixed connective set: First / Second / For example / Also / However / In conclusion - one per paragraph boundary.

Keep sentence length moderate; a short correct sentence scores higher than a long sentence with broken agreement.

For opinion prompts, commit to one side and support it; mixed opinions need an explicit "however" and a final position.

Word-count prompts: aim 10-15% above the stated minimum, and count only full sentences that answer the task.

Self-check order: verb tense, subject-verb agreement, plural -s, articles, then spelling of frequent words (because, friend, receive).

Listen-then-answer tasks: take keyword notes (numbers, names, actions) during the audio; the answer is written after listening, not during.

Read-then-write tasks: reuse the passage's key nouns and verbs in your response; the grader checks content points against the source.

Chart or graph plus text: state the trend in words (rose, fell, stayed the same) and attach the figure, e.g., "rose from 20 to 35".

Summary tasks: one sentence per main point, no new information, and no copied full sentences longer than about eight words.

E-mail reply tasks: open with a greeting, answer each question asked, close with a set phrase; salutation and closing are scored.

When a task combines listening and reading, trust the written source for exact figures and the audio for the speaker's intention.