Ehime Entrance English key terms

The central point that a whole passage is written to convey, broader than any single detail. Questions often ask you to choose the sentence that best states it, so you must weigh every paragraph, not just the first line.

A sentence, usually near the start of a paragraph, that announces what that paragraph is about. Locating topic sentences quickly gives you a skeleton outline of a long passage before you answer detail questions.

A fact, example, statistic, or reason that backs up a paragraph's main point. Detail questions ask you to find or distinguish these, so check whether an option is stated in the text or merely sounds plausible.

A conclusion the writer implies but does not state directly. Inference questions reward reading between the lines using evidence in the text, while rejecting options that go beyond what the passage actually supports.

The writer's feeling toward the subject, such as critical, hopeful, neutral, or amused. You judge it from word choice and sentence structure rather than from any single statement, and answers are usually adjectives describing the author.

The job a paragraph does within the whole text, for example introducing a problem, giving a counterargument, or offering a solution. Recognizing function helps you answer questions about why the author included a particular section.

A pronoun or phrase such as it, this, they, or the former that points back to something already mentioned. Reference questions ask what the word refers to, so trace it to the nearest grammatically and logically suitable noun phrase.

The way sentences and paragraphs are linked so the text reads as one connected whole. Connectors like however, therefore, and in addition signal logical relationships, and noticing them helps you follow long passages and answer ordering questions.

Restating a sentence or passage in different words while keeping the same meaning. Exams test this by offering an option that matches the text in sense but not in wording, so compare meanings rather than looking for identical phrases.

A word or phrase with nearly the same meaning as another, such as purchase and buy. Translation and paraphrase tasks often require choosing a synonym that fits the register and grammar of the target sentence.

Rendering each word or structure directly into the other language. It often produces unnatural Japanese or English, so use it only as a first draft and then adjust word order, particles, and idiom to sound natural.

The expression a native speaker would actually use for a given meaning, rather than a word-for-word rendering. Japanese and English differ in how they package information, so aim for the same effect, not the same shape.

The basic English sentence pattern in which the doer comes first, then the action, then what receives it. Japanese typically places the verb last, so rewriting Japanese into English usually means moving the verb forward and supplying a subject.

A subject that Japanese leaves unstated when it is clear from context, but that English normally requires. When translating into English, decide who performs the action and insert I, we, they, it, or another subject as needed.

A structure in which the receiver of the action becomes the grammatical subject, as in The bridge was built in 1900. It is useful when the doer is unknown or unimportant, and Japanese passive forms often translate this way.

Keeping verb tenses logical and stable within a sentence or short passage. Shifting from past to present without a reason is a common error in composition and rewriting tasks, so check each verb against its time reference.

A verb form used as an adjective or to build tenses, such as the -ing form or the past participle. Participial phrases can replace clauses and make English sentences more compact, but a dangling participle creates a confusing error.

A clause that describes a noun, introduced by who, which, that, or whose, as in the book that I borrowed. Japanese uses clauses placed before the noun, so translating between the languages requires reordering.

The arrangement of words and phrases that a language uses to show grammatical relationships. English relies heavily on order, while Japanese marks roles with particles, so rearranging elements is central to translation and rewriting tasks.

A word or phrase that shows the logical link between ideas, such as because, although, moreover, or on the other hand. Choosing the right connector is often the key to sentence-reordering and blank-filling questions.

A word that joins words, phrases, or clauses, such as and, but, or, and while. Distinguish coordinating conjunctions, which join equal parts, from subordinating ones, which attach a dependent clause to a main clause.

A short word such as in, on, at, by, or of that shows relationships of time, place, or manner. Japanese particles rarely map one-to-one onto English prepositions, so memorizing common combinations is essential.

The rules for choosing a, an, the, or no article before a noun. Errors here are frequent in Japanese-to-English writing, especially with generic plurals and abstract nouns, so check whether the noun is specific or general.

A noun that can take a plural form and be counted, such as book or idea. Uncountable nouns like information and advice take no plural and no a or an, and confusing the two is a common error.

A habitual pairing of words that native speakers use together, such as make a decision or heavy rain. Wrong pairings sound unnatural even when the grammar is correct, so learn vocabulary in chunks rather than as isolated words.

A fixed expression whose meaning cannot be worked out from its individual words, such as break the ice or under the weather. Idiom questions test recognition in context, so learn the whole phrase and its typical situation.

A verb combined with an adverb or preposition that creates a new meaning, such as give up or look after. Some are separable and some are not, and the particle often changes the sense completely.

The feeling or association a word carries beyond its literal meaning, such as the difference between cheap and affordable. Word-choice questions often turn on connotation, not just on dictionary definitions.

Information in surrounding words that helps you guess an unfamiliar word's meaning, such as a definition, example, contrast, or cause-effect link. Using clues beats stopping to look words up during a timed reading section.

The task of finding and fixing a grammatical or lexical mistake in a sentence. Scan for subject-verb agreement, tense, articles, prepositions, and word order, since these are the errors most often planted.

A short restatement of a text's main points in your own words, leaving out examples and repetition. A good summary keeps the original's emphasis and order of importance and does not add personal opinion.

Locating specific facts in a longer text or set of notices quickly, often under time pressure. Skim for keywords and numbers first, then read closely only around the place where the answer is likely to be.

Reading quickly for the general sense of a passage, often by looking at headings, first sentences, and key words. It is the right first step before answering main-idea questions or deciding which parts need close reading.

Moving the eyes quickly over a text looking for one specific item, such as a name, date, or number, without reading everything. It saves time on detail and retrieval questions in long passages.

Writing brief keywords, numbers, and symbols during an audio passage to support later answers. Capture the structure and key facts rather than full sentences, and use abbreviations you can read back instantly.

Understanding the overall message of a spoken passage before worrying about details. Ask yourself who is speaking, to whom, and why, since this frames the meaning of individual sentences you might otherwise mishear.

The organization of a short composition into an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. A clear structure with one idea per paragraph and linking words makes free-response writing easier for the reader to follow and score.

A single sentence in the introduction that states your main claim or position. It guides the rest of the composition, and every body paragraph should support it with a reason or example.

A word, phrase, or sentence that moves the reader smoothly from one idea to the next. Transitions like first, in contrast, and as a result make a composition coherent and show how your points connect.