Kagawa Entrance English flashcards

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

Main idea

The central claim that all or most paragraphs of a passage support. A correct main-idea answer must cover the whole passage, not a single detail or example.

Paraphrase in detail questions

Correct answer choices usually restate passage information in different words rather than repeating exact wording. Match meaning and scope, then confirm with the relevant sentence.

Inference standard

An inference is valid only when the passage plus commonly known facts forces the conclusion. An option that merely could be true is not supported and should be rejected.

Reference question strategy

For it, this, or they, choose the noun that agrees in number and makes the sentence logical. The nearest preceding noun is frequently a deliberate trap.

Subject-verb agreement rule

The verb agrees with the head noun of the subject, ignoring intervening prepositional phrases. In 'The list of items is long,' the singular head noun list controls the verb.

Present perfect use

Formed with have or has plus the past participle, it connects a past action to the present. It commonly appears with since, for, already, yet, ever, and never.

Past perfect use

Formed with had plus the past participle, it marks the earlier of two past events. The later event takes the simple past tense.

Conditional sentence patterns

Three standard patterns: if plus present with will; if plus past with would; if plus past perfect with would have plus past participle. Mixing these patterns is an error.

Indefinite pronoun agreement

Each, either, neither, everyone, and everything are grammatically singular and take singular verbs and pronouns. Both, few, many, and several take plural forms.

Reported speech tense shift

When reporting speech, move the tense back one step and adjust time and place words: now becomes then, tomorrow becomes the next day, here becomes there.

Common suffix functions

Suffixes reveal part of speech: tion, ment, and ness form nouns; ive, ous, ful, and able form adjectives; ize, ify, and en form verbs; ly forms adverbs.

Collocation

The conventional pairing of words that native usage fixes, such as make a decision, take a risk, do homework, and pay attention. Meaning alone does not determine the partner.

Phrasal verb particles

The particle changes meaning: give up means quit, give in means surrender, give away means donate, and give out means distribute. Learn each combination separately.

Affect versus effect

Affect is normally a verb meaning to influence. Effect is normally a noun meaning a result. Choose by the grammatical slot the sentence requires.

Context clue types

Four common clues: definition, signalled by that is; contrast, signalled by unlike or whereas; example, signalled by such as; cause and effect, signalled by because or therefore.

Raise versus rise

Raise is transitive and needs an object, as in raise your hand. Rise is intransitive and takes no object, as in the sun rises.

Clause versus phrase

A clause contains a subject and a finite verb and can stand as a sentence. A phrase lacks a finite verb, so a phrase alone is a fragment.

Comma splice fix

Two independent clauses joined only by a comma form a comma splice. Repair it with a period, a semicolon, or a comma plus a coordinating conjunction.

Parallel structure

Items joined by and, or, or but must share grammatical form. A list mixing infinitives, nouns, and gerunds is unbalanced and must be rewritten consistently.

Dangling modifier

An introductory participle must describe the subject of the main clause. Otherwise the modifier attaches to the wrong noun and the sentence becomes illogical.

Restrictive relative clauses

A clause essential to identifying the noun takes no commas and may use that. A non-essential clause takes commas and cannot use that.

Misplaced limiting words

Place only, almost, nearly, and even immediately before the word they limit. Moving them changes the meaning of the entire sentence.

Paragraph structure

A paragraph opens with a topic sentence stating a claim, continues with supporting reasons or examples, and closes with a restatement or a link to the next idea.

Thesis statement placement

The thesis normally ends the introduction. It must be arguable and should forecast the order of the body paragraphs so the essay stays coherent.

Transition selection

Match the connector to the logical relation: moreover for addition, however for contrast, therefore for cause, for instance for example, nevertheless for concession.

Formal register markers

Academic writing avoids contractions, slang, and second-person you. It prefers precise verbs over vague ones such as get or do.

Editing pass order

Revise content and organization first, then sentence structure and clarity, then spelling and punctuation. Reversing this order wastes effort on text that may be cut.

Listening distractor pattern

A wrong option often repeats a word heard in the audio while answering a different question. Judge by meaning, not by acoustic familiarity.

Signal words in listening

Words such as however, actually, the thing is, and that's why introduce key information or a correction. The answer usually follows these markers.

Speaker function questions

Items asking why a speaker says something test pragmatic intent: apologizing, requesting, complaining, suggesting, or warning. Identify the act, not the literal content.

Coherence versus cohesion

Coherence is the logical ordering of ideas; cohesion is the surface linking through pronouns, repetition, and conjunctions. Effective text requires both working together.

Summary requirements

A summary keeps the main claim and essential support while deleting examples, repetition, and illustrative detail. It must not add interpretation absent from the source.