Saga Public High School Entrance Examination - English flashcards

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

Corrected number distractor

In listening items the first number or name spoken is often replaced later by 'actually' or 'I mean'. Record both and keep the final version as the answer.

Contrast signal in listening

Words like but, however, and although usually introduce the information a listening question tests, because the earlier statement is the trap and the later one is correct.

Listening for action items

Station, airport, and school announcements are tested on what listeners must do: departure time, platform or gate, deadline, and items to bring. Note these four categories as you listen.

Speaker feeling inference

When a question asks how a speaker feels, judge from tone and evaluative words such as 'That's a shame' or 'Sounds great' rather than from literal statements of fact.

Main idea versus detail

A main-idea answer summarizes the whole passage. An option that is true only of one paragraph is a detail distractor, even though the text supports it.

Referent resolution rule

For questions about it, they, or this, choose the nearest preceding noun that agrees in number and produces a sensible meaning in the sentence.

Discourse markers for ordering

Sequence and insertion items rely on markers: First, In addition, However, As a result. Their function fixes the logical order of paragraphs or sentences.

Vocabulary in context method

Substitute each option into the original sentence. The correct choice keeps both the grammar and the surrounding logic intact; the others break one of the two.

Absolute-word trap

In true/false and NOT-true reading items, options with always, never, all, or only are usually false because passages rarely support absolute claims.

Present perfect time markers

Use have/has plus past participle with unfinished time or experience (ever, never, since, for). Use past simple with finished markers such as yesterday, last year, in 2010.

Third conditional form

If + past perfect, then would have + past participle. It describes an unreal past situation, as in 'If I had studied, I would have passed.'

Relative pronoun selection

Use who for people, which for things, that for both in defining clauses, and whose for possession. The object pronoun can be omitted in defining clauses.

Causative have and get

Have or get plus object plus past participle means arranging a service: 'I had my hair cut.' Perception verbs see, hear, make, let take a base verb after the object.

Quantifier agreement rules

Much and little go with uncountable nouns; many and few with countable plurals. 'A number of' takes a plural verb; 'the number of' takes a singular verb.

Word-form slot decision

Before filling a blank, identify the part of speech from articles, auxiliaries, and neighboring words, then choose the matching form of the given root word.

Gerund after preposition phrases

Expressions ending in to such as look forward to, be used to, and in addition to take a gerund, not a base verb: 'I look forward to seeing you.'

Email structure conventions

A school email has a greeting, a purpose sentence, body paragraphs, and a closing such as Best regards followed by your name. Keep one topic per paragraph.

Opinion paragraph formula

State your position, support it with two reasons and concrete examples, then restate the position. Each paragraph carries one idea only.

Linking words by function

Addition: also, moreover. Contrast: however, on the other hand. Cause: because, therefore. Example: for instance. Choose by the logical relation, not by length.

Double subject error

Japanese learners often write 'My father he works'. English needs one subject only: 'My father works.' Check every sentence for a repeated pronoun.

Word count conventions

Count hyphenated words as one word, numbers written as digits as one word, and never copy a sentence from the prompt into your own answer.

Capitalization checklist

Capitalize the first word of a sentence, the pronoun I, days, months, countries, languages, and nationalities. End every sentence with a period, question mark, or exclamation mark.

Reply to Would you mind

'Would you mind opening the window?' asks for a favor. Accept with 'Not at all' or 'Of course not'; 'Yes' would mean you do mind.

Polite request forms

Use 'Could you plus base verb?' or 'Would you mind plus gerund?' for requests. Add 'please' and a reason to sound natural in school and travel situations.

Declining an invitation

Refuse politely with 'I'm afraid I can't' plus a reason, then offer an alternative such as 'Maybe next time.' A bare 'No' is too direct for these items.

Telephone set phrases

'May I speak to Ken?', 'Who's calling, please?', 'Hold on a moment', and 'I'm afraid he's out' are the standard formulas tested in phone dialogues.

So and neither agreement

Agree with a positive statement using 'So plus auxiliary plus I' (So do I). Agree with a negative using 'Neither plus auxiliary plus I' (Neither can I). Match the auxiliary.

Directions language

Ask 'How do I get to the station?' Answers use 'Go along this street', 'Turn left at the second corner', and 'It's on your right.'

Plural -s pronunciation

Final -s is /s/ after voiceless sounds (cats), /z/ after voiced sounds (dogs), and /ɪz/ after sibilants such as s, sh, ch (buses, watches).

Past -ed pronunciation

Final -ed is /t/ after voiceless sounds (worked), /d/ after voiced sounds (played), and /ɪd/ after t or d (wanted, needed).

Noun-verb stress shift

Two-syllable words often stress the first syllable as nouns and the second as verbs: RE-cord versus re-CORD, PRE-sent versus pre-SENT.

Sentence stress and weak forms

Content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives) carry stress; function words (a, the, of, to) reduce to weak forms such as /ə/ and /tə/ in connected speech.