Tochigi Public High School Entrance Examination - English key terms

The most important point a whole passage or talk is making. It is broader than any single detail and is usually stated in a topic sentence or must be inferred from everything the writer says.

A sentence, often first in a paragraph, that announces what the paragraph is about. Locating it quickly helps you predict the rest of the paragraph's content before reading every word.

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

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

Reading quickly with your eyes moving over the text to find one specific piece of information, such as a time, price, or name, without reading every sentence carefully.

Reading a passage fast to catch its general meaning, often by looking at titles, first sentences, and repeated words. It is used before detailed reading to build a mental map.

Information around an unknown word, such as a definition, example, contrast, or cause, that helps you guess its meaning. Using clues keeps you reading without stopping for a dictionary.

A restatement of a sentence or idea in different words while keeping the same meaning. Correct answer choices on reading tests are frequently paraphrases of lines in the passage.

A word with a meaning close to another word, such as 'big' and 'large'. Recognizing synonyms helps you match a question's wording to a differently worded sentence in the text.

A word with an opposite meaning to another word, such as 'hot' and 'cold'. Contrast signals like 'but' or 'however' often introduce an antonym that reveals a word's meaning.

The noun that a pronoun or pointing word stands for. In 'Ken met Yumi and gave her a book', 'her' refers to Yumi, and tracking referents prevents misreading who did what.

The quality of a text whose sentences and paragraphs connect logically and flow in a clear order. Linking words, repeated key nouns, and consistent pronouns all create coherence.

A word or phrase that shows the relationship between ideas, such as 'because', 'however', 'therefore', or 'for example'. Choosing the right connective depends on whether ideas contrast, cause, or add.

A word that joins words, phrases, or clauses, such as 'and', 'but', 'although', or 'while'. Coordinating conjunctions join equal parts; subordinating ones attach a dependent clause to a main clause.

A clause that cannot stand alone as a sentence and depends on a main clause, often beginning with 'that', 'when', 'if', or 'because'. It adds information but does not carry the sentence's main assertion.

A pronoun such as 'who', 'which', or 'that' that introduces a clause describing a noun. 'The girl who won the race is my sister' uses 'who' to connect the description to 'the girl'.

A verb form used as an adjective or in a reduced clause, such as 'the running boy' or 'a book written in English'. Present participles end in -ing; past participles usually end in -ed or are irregular.

An -ing verb form that works as a noun, as in 'Swimming is fun' or 'I enjoy reading'. Some verbs, like 'enjoy' and 'finish', are followed by a gerund rather than an infinitive.

The base form of a verb with 'to', as in 'to study'. It can follow certain verbs, express purpose, or appear after adjectives; some verbs take an infinitive where others take a gerund.

A sentence pattern in which the subject receives the action, formed with 'be' plus a past participle, as in 'The window was broken by Tom'. It is used when the doer is unknown or unimportant.

The verb form that shows when an action happens, such as present, past, or future. English also marks whether an action is ongoing, completed, or repeated, as in 'is reading' versus 'has read'.

The rule that a verb must match its subject in number: 'She plays' but 'They play'. Long phrases between subject and verb, or words like 'everyone', often make agreement tricky.

The arrangement of subject, verb, object, and modifiers in a sentence. English normally places the subject before the verb and puts adjectives before nouns, which matters in reordering tasks.

Choosing the reply that fits a given social situation, such as answering an invitation, apologizing, or asking for directions. The best answer is natural and polite, not merely grammatically correct.

Filling a missing line in a short conversation so that it responds logically to the previous speaker and leads naturally into the next. Both meaning and grammar must fit the gap.

Choosing language that respects the listener's feelings and social position, using forms like 'Could you...?', 'Would you like...?', or softened refusals. Japanese and English differ in how directly requests and refusals are expressed.

An utterance asking someone to do something, ranging from direct ('Close the door') to polite ('Would you mind closing the door?'). The expected reply usually accepts or gives a reason for declining.

Producing a short English text with the help of prompts such as notes, a situation, or required content points. The task tests clear organization and accurate sentences more than long, complex vocabulary.

A unit of pronunciation containing one vowel sound, such as the three beats in 'com-pu-ter'. Counting syllables helps you place stress correctly and read rhythm in English words.

The extra loudness and length given to one syllable in a word or one word in a sentence. In 'record' the noun stresses the first syllable while the verb stresses the second.

The weak, reduced vowel sound heard in unstressed syllables, like the 'a' in 'about' or the second 'e' in 'problem'. It is the most common vowel sound in spoken English.

A speech sound made with an open mouth and no blockage of airflow, such as the sounds in 'cat', 'see', and 'go'. English spelling often represents one vowel sound with several letters.

A speech sound produced by partly or fully blocking airflow, such as /b/, /s/, or /m/. Pairs like /l/ and /r/ or /s/ and /th/ cause difficulty for Japanese learners and appear in sound-discrimination items.

Two words that differ in only one sound, such as 'light' and 'right' or 'ship' and 'sheep'. Listening and pronunciation questions often test whether you can hear that single difference.

A letter written in a word but not pronounced, such as the 'k' in 'know', the 'b' in 'climb', or the 'l' in 'walk'. Spelling questions often target these unpredictable letters.

The relationship between how a word is written and how it is pronounced. English is irregular, so the same letters can represent different sounds, as in 'read' now and 'read' yesterday.

A regular letter combination that usually produces a particular sound, such as 'ea' in 'bread' or 'igh' in 'night'. Learning patterns helps you predict pronunciation and spell unfamiliar words correctly.

The rise and fall of the voice across a sentence. Falling intonation often marks statements and wh-questions, while rising intonation commonly marks yes/no questions or shows surprise.