Okinawa Public High School Entrance Examination - English key terms

A verb form made with have or has plus the past participle. It describes actions or states that began in the past and still matter now, or past experience when the exact time is not given.

A sentence pattern in which the receiver of the action becomes the subject, formed with a form of be plus the past participle, as in "The window was broken by a boy."

A word such as who, which, that, or whose that begins a clause describing a noun and shows which person or thing is meant, as in "the girl who won."

An -ing verb form used as a noun, so it can be a subject, an object, or the word after a preposition, as in "Swimming is fun" or "I enjoy reading."

The base form of a verb, usually written with to in front of it, used after certain verbs and adjectives or to express purpose, as in "I want to go."

A helper verb such as can, must, should, or may that adds ideas like ability, permission, duty, or possibility. It is followed by the base form of the main verb.

The form of an adjective or adverb used to compare two things, usually made by adding -er or by putting more in front, as in "taller" and "more careful."

The form of an adjective or adverb that picks out one member of a group as the most or least extreme, made with -est or most, as in "the tallest boy."

A noun for something that can be counted one by one. It has a plural form and can take a or an, for example "book," "apple," or "idea."

A noun naming a mass, material, or idea that is not counted item by item. It has no plural and takes no a or an, for example "water," "information," or "advice."

The rule that a verb must match its subject in number: a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb.

A word that joins words, phrases, or clauses, such as and, but, because, or although, and shows how the joined parts relate to each other.

A short word placed before a noun or pronoun to show place, time, direction, or another relation, such as in, on, at, to, or with.

One of the small words a, an, or the used before a noun. A and an are indefinite, while the points to something the listener or reader already knows.

A question placed inside a longer sentence, using normal word order and no question mark, as in "Do you know where he lives?" It sounds softer and more polite.

Telling what someone said without repeating their exact words, usually moving the tense and pronouns one step back, as in "She said she was tired."

A sentence with an if-clause and a result clause, used for real possibilities, imaginary situations, or regrets, depending on which verb forms the writer chooses.

A word that has almost the same meaning as another word. Questions often ask which choice is closest in meaning to a word taken from the passage.

A word whose meaning is opposite to another word, such as hot and cold. Spotting them helps with matching tasks and with questions about contrast.

The central point that a paragraph or passage is built around. The other sentences explain, prove, or illustrate it, and it is often stated first or last.

A conclusion a reader draws by combining clues in the text with everyday knowledge, even though the writer never states that conclusion directly.

A hint in the words and sentences around an unknown word, such as a definition, example, contrast, or result, that helps a reader guess its meaning.

To restate an idea in your own words while keeping the meaning the same. It is used to check understanding and to answer questions without copying the passage.

Reading a passage quickly to catch its general topic and shape without stopping for details, often done before answering questions about the whole text.

Moving the eyes quickly over a text to find one specific item, such as a name, date, or number, while ignoring the rest of the words.

A word or phrase such as first, however, or for example that shows how ideas connect, helping a reader follow the order and logic of what is written.

The rise and fall of a speaker's voice across a sentence. It signals whether the sentence is a statement or a question and can show surprise, doubt, or friendliness.

The back-and-forth pattern of conversation, in which one person speaks and then the other, marked by pauses, questions, and short phrases like "Well" or "By the way."

Understanding the main point or purpose of a short spoken passage without catching every word, which is the first thing to aim for before answering detail questions.

An ask made softer with could you, would you mind, or please, so the other person does not feel ordered and can refuse without embarrassment.

The phrases used to say you are willing to do something for someone, such as "Shall I carry that?" or "Can I help you?", plus polite ways to accept or refuse.

An ask for someone to join an event or activity, often with "Would you like to...?", and the replies that accept, decline with a reason, or ask for more details.

Asking a speaker to repeat, slow down, or explain, using phrases like "Pardon?" or "What do you mean?", and the clearer explanation that follows.

The phrases used to say sorry for a mistake or for causing trouble, such as "I'm sorry I'm late," often followed by a reason and a promise or offer to fix things.

The sentence, usually first in a paragraph, that states the paragraph's main point and tells the reader what the rest of the paragraph will explain or prove.

An example, reason, fact, or short anecdote added after a main point to prove or explain it, and to make an answer or opinion more convincing.

A word or phrase that links one sentence or paragraph to the next, showing addition, contrast, cause, or time order so the writing is easy to follow.

A short plan made before writing that lists the points in the order they will appear, so the finished paragraph or essay has a clear shape and no repeated ideas.

To read your own writing slowly, checking spelling, grammar, punctuation, and word choice, and fixing mistakes before handing the paper in.