Tokyo Metropolitan Public High School Entrance Examination - English flashcards

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

half past seven

A time expression meaning 7:30. In listening items it is often paired with a later correction such as 'actually, make it eight', so compute the final time.

a quarter to nine

Means 8:45, fifteen minutes before nine. Distinguish it from 'a quarter past nine', which is 9:15, when choosing a time in listening tasks.

Why don't we ~?

A suggestion pattern meaning 'Shall we ~?'. The reply 'Sure' or 'That sounds good' accepts it; 'Sorry, but' or 'I'd rather not' refuses it.

the day after tomorrow

Two days from today. In schedule listening items, add two days to the stated date rather than one, which is the common distractor.

final agreed plan

In dialogue listening, the plan confirmed by phrases like 'OK, let's do that'. Earlier suggestions are distractors, so choose the last confirmed plan.

platform and direction

Station announcements state the platform number and the train's destination, as in 'Platform 3, for Shinjuku'. These details are usually said only once.

modal must vs may

In notices, 'must' marks an obligation and 'may' marks permission. The question often asks who is required to act, so the modal decides the answer.

negative question strategy

For 'Which is NOT true?', three choices are supported by the passage and one is not. Check each choice against a specific line before answering.

pronoun reference check

Replace 'it' or 'they' with the nearest matching noun and reread the sentence. If the meaning breaks, the reference is wrong.

main idea vs detail

A choice true of only one sentence is a detail. The main idea must cover the whole passage, so check that every paragraph supports it.

contrast signal words

Words such as 'but', 'however', and 'although' mark a turn in meaning. Answers to inference and main-idea items often sit right after them.

inference wording

Items using 'probably', 'most likely', or 'suggests' ask for a conclusion that follows from the text, not from general knowledge alone.

passage structure pattern

Long passages often move from situation to problem to attempt to result to opinion. Locating the opinion paragraph answers author-purpose questions quickly.

attitude inference

Reactions such as 'I can't believe it' or 'That's too bad' reveal feelings like surprise or disappointment. Read the surrounding exchange, not the single line.

order-of-events item

Number the events as they appear in the passage, then compare with the choices. Wrong choices usually swap two adjacent events.

vocabulary in context

Substitute each candidate meaning into the original sentence and keep only the one that preserves the passage's logic and tone.

dialogue meaning question

Asks what a speaker intends by a line. The meaning is carried by the two surrounding lines, so read them before choosing.

sentence insertion clue

A sentence placed in a blank must connect to both the previous and the following sentence through pronouns, topic words, or logical connectors.

present perfect with since

'Have or has + past participle' with 'since' plus a starting point, as in 'I have lived here since 2020'. It links past to present.

present perfect with for

'For' plus a duration, as in 'She has studied English for five years'. Contrast with past simple plus a finished time like 'yesterday'.

passive voice formation

Be plus past participle, with tense carried by 'be': 'was built', 'is being used', 'has been repaired'. The doer may follow 'by'.

relative pronoun choice

Use 'who' for people, 'which' for things, and 'that' for either in defining clauses. 'Whose' shows possession for people or things.

gerund after prepositions

A verb after a preposition takes the -ing form, as in 'good at drawing' or 'before leaving'. Infinitives do not follow prepositions.

stop doing vs stop to do

'Stop doing' means quit an activity; 'stop to do' means pause in order to start another. The meaning changes with the form.

indirect question word order

In 'Do you know where he lives?', the embedded clause keeps statement order. Do not use 'does' after 'where' in indirect questions.

as ~ as comparison

Marks equality, as in 'as tall as'. The negative 'not as tall as' marks inferiority, and short adjectives add -er for the comparative.

blank word-class test

After an article the blank needs a noun; after 'be' an adjective or participle; before a main verb an adverb. Word class narrows the choices.

three-part composition plan

State an opinion, give two reasons with an example, then restate the opinion. This plan satisfies content and structure scoring in free writing.

concrete example sentence

A personal instance introduced by 'For example, when I was in junior high school, ~'. It earns content points better than a general statement.

visible structure markers

Fixed openers and closers such as 'I think that ~' and 'For these reasons, I believe ~' make the essay's structure clear to the grader.

chart axis and units

Read the axis labels and units before answering. The answer is the value shown on the chart, not an estimate from memory or guesswork.

email action question

Email items usually ask what the reader must do next. Identify sender, receiver, purpose, and the requested action before choosing.

total travel time

Add travel minutes plus transfer waiting time to get the arrival time. A plan that misses the transfer is invalid even if the first train fits.