LanguageCert C2 Mastery flashcards

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

Multiple matching (Listening Part 3)

A task type where a set of statements must be matched to speakers or extracts. Each option is normally used once, and topic overlap alone is insufficient for a match.

Distractor by lexical recycling

A wrong option that repeats a word or phrase heard in the recording while the correct option expresses the same idea in different words. Recognising paraphrase defeats it.

Self-correction marker

A phrase such as 'or rather' or 'what I meant was' signalling that the speaker is revising what was just said. The revised information, not the original, is the answer.

Word-limit completion

An item instructing candidates to write no more than a stated number of words. Exceeding the limit or inserting ungrammatical forms forfeits the mark even if the idea is right.

Attitude question

A listening item asking how the speaker feels or what they imply rather than what they state. The answer is inferred from tone, evaluative adjectives and concession structures.

Negative stem item

A question asking which option is NOT mentioned or is disagreed with. Three options are confirmed in the text and one is absent or contradicted.

Numbers corrected mid-sentence

A pattern in which a speaker states a figure then revises it. The final figure is normally the credited answer; the first is a deliberate trap.

Gapped-text cohesion (Reading Part 3)

A task inserting sentences into a text. Correct insertion depends on pronoun reference, lexical chains and discourse markers linking the sentence to what precedes and follows.

True-but-irrelevant distractor

A reading option that states something accurate about the world or the text's topic but does not answer the specific question asked. It must be rejected.

Reversed cause and effect

A distractor that swaps the roles of cause and result stated in the passage. Checking which entity acts on which exposes the reversal.

Generality mismatch

A matching error where a statement and a text share a topic but differ in scope, such as a specific example against a general claim. Level of generality must align.

Lexical inference item

A question requiring the meaning of a word or phrase in context. Connotation and irony in the surrounding clause override the word's dictionary sense.

Text-order strategy

The observation that multiple-choice questions on a single long text usually follow the order of the passage, allowing answers to be located sequentially rather than by full re-reading.

Absolutes as distractor signal

Options containing always, never, all or only are suspect when the passage uses hedged language such as tends to, often or in most cases.

Task fulfilment criterion

A writing assessment criterion measuring whether every bullet of the rubric is addressed, the genre is correct and the reader's needs are met. Omitted content caps the score.

Register control

Matching language to the specified audience and genre. Formal reports and letters exclude contractions and slang; informal tasks penalise stilted Latinate phrasing.

Nominalisation

Turning verbs or adjectives into nouns, as in 'the implementation of the policy'. It compresses information and is a marker of advanced academic written style.

Inversion after negative adverbials

Placing the auxiliary before the subject after openers such as 'Not only' or 'Rarely', for example 'Not only did costs fall'. It evidences grammatical range at C2.

Cohesion by referencing

Linking ideas through pronouns and summary nouns such as 'this approach' or 'the former' rather than repeated conjunctions. It signals advanced textual control.

Genre conventions in reports

Structural expectations such as a title, headed sections, an introduction and recommendations. Meeting them contributes to task fulfilment and organisation scores.

Word-count band boundary

The rule that falling below the stated minimum loses task-fulfilment marks, while large overshoot consumes time and increases error density.

Salutation and sign-off pairing

Formal letters opening 'Dear Mr Smith' close 'Yours sincerely'; unnamed recipients opening 'Dear Sir or Madam' close 'Yours faithfully'. Mismatches are penalised.

Fluency and coherence criterion

A speaking rating covering continuity of speech, appropriate pace and the logical linking of ideas into a coherent extended turn and discussion.

Long turn structure

A planned two-minute monologue built as position, two developed reasons, a concession and a conclusion. The structure prevents mid-turn breakdown under time pressure.

Interactive competence

The ability to initiate, hold and yield turns, respond to a partner's points and repair misunderstanding. It is scored alongside accuracy and range in the speaking test.

Hedging in speech

Softening claims with expressions such as 'tends to', 'arguably' or 'to some extent'. It signals nuanced command and is valued in discussion tasks.

Past counterfactual

A hypothetical about an unreal past, formed with 'would have' plus past participle or an inverted conditional. It demonstrates advanced grammatical range in discussion.

Self-repair

Correcting one's own error mid-utterance. Brief, smooth repair does not harm fluency scores; repeated abandonment of sentences does.

Spoken discourse markers

Expressions such as 'that said' or 'to be fair' that organise informal speech. They differ from written linkers and signal natural spoken register.

Prosodic intelligibility

The extent to which stress, rhythm and intonation make meaning clear. Misplaced sentence stress affecting comprehension lowers the pronunciation score more than segmental slips.

Precise collocation

The habitual pairing of words, as in 'a vested interest' or 'draw a distinction'. Accurate collocation distinguishes C2 lexical resource from merely wide vocabulary.