Iwate Entrance English key terms

The single most important point a whole passage makes about its topic. It is broader than any one detail and is usually stated in the first or last paragraph, or must be inferred from all paragraphs together.

A fact, example, reason, or statistic inside a passage that explains, proves, or illustrates the main idea. Questions often ask which detail is stated or which one is NOT mentioned.

A conclusion a reader draws from clues in the text rather than from a directly stated sentence. The answer must be logically supported by the passage, not by personal opinion or outside knowledge.

A pronoun or short phrase such as it, they, this, or the former that points back to an earlier noun or idea. Exam questions ask what the word refers to, so you must check number, gender, and logic in the surrounding sentences.

A group of sentences about one point, usually beginning with a topic sentence and developed with supporting details. Recognizing where a new paragraph starts helps you follow the structure of a long English passage.

The sentence that states the controlling idea of a paragraph, most often its first sentence. Skimming topic sentences gives a fast outline of a passage before you answer detail questions.

Reading quickly for the general sense of a passage, letting your eyes pass over details. Use it first to learn the topic, structure, and writer's purpose before reading questions.

Moving your eyes quickly over a text to find one specific piece of information, such as a name, date, or number, without reading every word. Useful for detail questions with clear keywords.

Information in the same sentence or nearby sentences that helps you guess the meaning of an unknown word, such as a definition, an example, a contrast, or a cause-and-effect relationship.

A word with a meaning close to another word, for example big and large. Vocabulary questions often ask you to choose the synonym that best replaces an underlined word in the passage.

A word with the opposite meaning to another word, for example generous and selfish. Contrast clues using but, however, or unlike often signal that an antonym appears nearby.

The natural combination of words that native speakers use together, such as make a decision or heavy rain. Grammar and vocabulary sections test whether you know which verb, preposition, or noun normally goes with another word.

A verb combined with an adverb or preposition that creates a new meaning, such as give up, look after, or turn down. The particle cannot be understood literally, so learn each one with its object pattern.

A short word such as in, on, at, by, or for that shows the relation between a noun and another part of the sentence. English preposition choice is often idiomatic and must be memorized in phrases.

The verb form that shows when an action happens, such as present, past, or future, and whether it is simple, progressive, or perfect. Time expressions like yesterday, since, or by then usually decide the correct tense.

The rule that a verb must match its subject in number and person, for example The list of names is long. Long phrases between subject and verb often hide the true subject in exam sentences.

A verb form used as an adjective or in a verb phrase, such as the present participle writing and the past participle written. Participial phrases at the start of a sentence must relate to the subject that follows.

The base form of a verb with to, as in to read, used after certain verbs, adjectives, and nouns. Some verbs take a gerund instead, so the pattern after each verb must be learned.

The -ing form of a verb used as a noun, as in Swimming is good exercise or I enjoy reading. It can be the subject, object, or object of a preposition in a sentence.

A word such as who, which, that, or whose that introduces a clause describing a noun, as in the book that I bought. Choose it by asking whether the noun is a person, a thing, or possessive.

A group of words containing its own subject and verb. An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence, while a dependent clause cannot and must be attached to a main clause.

A word that joins words, phrases, or clauses, such as and, but, because, or although. Coordinating conjunctions join equal parts; subordinating conjunctions make one clause depend on another.

A task in which you arrange scrambled sentences or clauses into a logical, grammatical order. Look for pronouns, time words, and linking adverbs, since these show what must come before or after.

The way sentences in a text are tied together so it reads as one unit, using pronouns, repeated words, synonyms, and linking expressions. Cohesive devices are the main clues for reordering and paragraph-insertion questions.

The Japanese pattern in which the topic is marked by wa and then commented on, as in Zoo wa doubutsuen desu. English often expresses this with a subject and verb, so translators must decide whether wa means the subject or something else.

Rewriting a text in another language while keeping its meaning, tone, and natural word order in the target language. A good Japanese-to-English answer sounds like original English rather than word-for-word conversion.

Translating each word or phrase separately in the original order, which often produces unnatural English. Examiners deduct marks for it when a natural English expression exists, such as using there is for arimasu.

Saying the same idea in different words while keeping the meaning. In translation and summary tasks, paraphrasing helps you avoid copying the Japanese structure and produces more natural English.

One or two sentences in an essay introduction that state your position and the main reasons you will develop. A clear thesis gives the whole essay a direction and is usually required for full marks in free writing.

A short plan listing the main points and supporting ideas of a composition before you write. Spending a few minutes on an outline prevents repetition and keeps paragraphs in a logical order.

An expression such as however, therefore, for example, or in addition that shows the relation between ideas. Using them correctly makes a composition easier to follow and raises the score for organization.

The number of words in a piece of writing. Free-writing tasks usually set a minimum, so count carefully; falling far short loses marks, and padding with repeated ideas does not help.

Listening for the overall message and situation rather than every word. Before details, ask who is speaking, where, why, and what the main point is, which is often enough to answer the first questions.

Listening to catch specific information such as times, prices, names, or reasons. Read the question options before the audio plays so you know which kind of information to wait for.

An answer option that sounds related to the audio or passage but is wrong, often because it repeats a word from the text while changing the meaning. Check each option against what was actually said.

Writing brief keywords, numbers, or symbols while listening so you can answer questions after the audio ends. Use abbreviations and spacing rather than full sentences, since you cannot pause the recording.