SLLC Entrance cheat sheet

In a simple declarative sentence, the finite verb agrees with the subject in person and number; intervening prepositional phrases do not change agreement (e.g., 'The list of items is long').

English uses a fixed SVO order in main clauses; inversion occurs after negative adverbials at the start of a clause (e.g., 'Never have I seen such a sight').

The perfect aspect is formed with 'have' + past participle; the progressive with 'be' + present participle; combining them gives 'have been + -ing'.

Passive voice requires a form of 'be' + past participle; only transitive verbs can be passivized (e.g., 'The cake was eaten' but not 'He was slept').

Relative clauses are either restrictive (no commas, essential information) or non-restrictive (set off by commas, extra information); 'that' is used only in restrictive clauses.

Conditional sentences: zero (present + present), first (present + will), second (past + would), third (past perfect + would have + past participle).

Modals do not take -s in the third person singular and are followed by the bare infinitive (e.g., 'She can swim', not 'She cans swim').

Articles: 'a/an' for indefinite singular count nouns; 'the' for specific or previously mentioned referents; zero article for generic plurals and abstract nouns.

Collocations are word pairings that native speakers use together; common verb-noun pairs include 'make a decision', 'take a break', 'do homework'.

False friends are words that look similar across languages but differ in meaning (e.g., English 'actual' means 'real', not 'current').

Phrasal verbs consist of a verb + particle; their meaning is often idiomatic (e.g., 'give up' = quit, 'look after' = care for).

Prefixes change meaning: 'un-', 'dis-', 'in-' (not), 're-' (again), 'pre-' (before), 'mis-' (wrongly); suffixes often change part of speech (e.g., '-tion' noun, '-ize' verb).

Synonyms share core meaning but differ in connotation, register, and collocational range; 'childish' vs 'childlike' shows evaluative difference.

Countable nouns take plural -s and can follow 'many'; uncountable nouns take singular verbs and follow 'much' or 'a little' (e.g., 'information', 'advice').

Idioms are fixed expressions whose meaning cannot be derived from individual words (e.g., 'break the ice', 'hit the books').

Register refers to formality level; academic writing favors Latinate verbs (e.g., 'commence') over phrasal verbs (e.g., 'start off').

Main idea questions ask for the central point; the answer is broad enough to cover the whole passage, not just one paragraph.

Supporting detail questions require locating specific information; the correct answer paraphrases the text, not copies it verbatim.

Inference questions ask what is implied but not stated; the answer must be logically supported by textual evidence.

Vocabulary-in-context questions test the meaning of a word as used in the passage; the correct answer fits the surrounding sentence, not just the dictionary definition.

Author's purpose and tone questions require identifying the writer's attitude (e.g., critical, neutral, enthusiastic) from word choice and sentence structure.

Cohesion refers to how sentences connect through pronouns, conjunctions, and lexical repetition; tracking these links helps locate referents.

Skimming means reading quickly for gist; scanning means searching for specific facts; both are efficient for different question types.

Eliminating answer choices that are too broad, too narrow, or contradicted by the passage improves accuracy on multiple-choice items.

Predict content from the question stems and answer choices before the audio plays; this primes you to listen for specific information.

Listen for discourse markers (e.g., 'however', 'therefore', 'on the other hand') that signal contrast, cause, or conclusion.

In note-taking, use abbreviations and symbols (e.g., '→' for leads to, 'w/' for with) to capture key points without slowing down.

Distinguish main ideas from examples; speakers often introduce examples with 'for instance', 'such as', or 'like'.

Pay attention to intonation and stress; rising intonation can indicate a question or uncertainty, while emphatic stress highlights contrast.

Numbers, dates, and proper nouns are common detail questions; write them down immediately as they are easy to confuse.

Inference in listening requires combining what is said with tone and context; the correct answer is not always explicitly stated.

When a speaker corrects themselves (e.g., 'Actually, it was Tuesday'), the later information is usually the accurate one.

Politeness strategies vary by culture; in many East Asian contexts, indirect refusals and honorifics are preferred over direct disagreement.

High-context cultures rely on shared background and non-verbal cues; low-context cultures value explicit verbal communication.

Common cultural references in English texts include Shakespearean idioms (e.g., 'break the ice'), Greek mythology (e.g., 'Achilles' heel'), and biblical allusions.

Holidays and traditions differ: Thanksgiving (US), Boxing Day (UK), Lunar New Year (East Asia); understanding these aids comprehension of cultural texts.

Forms of address (title + surname vs first name) reflect social distance and formality; misuse can cause offense.

Non-verbal communication (gestures, eye contact, personal space) carries different meanings across cultures; e.g., a thumbs-up is offensive in parts of the Middle East.

Recognize that cultural knowledge questions test familiarity with customs, not stereotypes; answers should reflect observed practices, not assumptions.