ESPA Concours key terms

Recent national and international events, usually from the past year, that a candidate is expected to know and discuss with context rather than just headlines.

The set of decisions and actions taken by a government or public body to address a problem, including laws, funding choices, and implementation measures.

Familiarity with how public bodies, administrations, and organisations are structured, what they are responsible for, and how decisions move through them.

An approach to economic and social progress that meets present needs while preserving resources and options for future generations, often cited in policy debates.

A conclusion drawn from evidence in a text even though the author does not state it directly; the reader supplies the logical link.

The central point a passage is built around, which the supporting sentences explain, illustrate, or defend; distinct from any single detail.

The attitude an author conveys through word choice and structure, such as critical, neutral, ironic, or sympathetic, which shapes how a statement should be read.

A shortened restatement that keeps the essential points of a text and drops examples and repetition, used to check whether a reader has understood it.

Rewording a passage in your own vocabulary while preserving its meaning, a common way to test comprehension without allowing copied wording.

A comparison of two quantities showing how many times one contains the other, written with a colon or as a fraction such as 3:4.

An equation stating that two ratios are equal, used to scale values up or down, for example to convert a recipe or a budget to a different size.

The increase or decrease of a value expressed as a share of its original amount, calculated by dividing the difference by the starting value.

A mean in which each value contributes according to its importance or frequency, rather than all values counting equally.

Reading numbers from tables, charts, or graphs and answering questions about them, including comparisons, totals, and trends, without being misled by scale.

A form of deductive argument with two premises leading to a conclusion, where the conclusion must follow if the premises are accepted as true.

Reasoning that moves from general statements to a necessary conclusion; if the premises hold, the conclusion cannot be false.

The property of an argument whose conclusion follows necessarily from its premises, regardless of whether those premises are actually true.

An unstated premise an argument depends on; if it is false, the reasoning collapses even when the stated evidence is accurate.

Identifying the rule that generates a series of numbers or shapes and using it to predict the next item, a staple of abstract reasoning tests.

Spotting regularities such as rotation, alternation, or growth across a set of figures and using them to explain what comes next.

A comparison asserting that two pairs of items relate in the same way, as in 'hand is to glove as foot is to shoe'.

The level of formality in language suited to a situation, ranging from casual speech to formal administrative writing, chosen according to audience and purpose.

The quality that makes a text hang together, achieved through logical ordering of ideas and clear links between sentences and paragraphs.

The linking of sentences through devices such as pronouns, conjunctions, and repeated terms, so the reader can follow who and what is being discussed.

A word or phrase such as 'however', 'therefore', or 'in addition' that signals the logical relation between two ideas.

Agreement between sentence elements, especially subject and verb in number and person, a frequent source of error in written French and English.

Choosing the most appropriate response to a workplace scenario by weighing priorities, rules, colleagues' needs, and the public interest.

Principles expected of civil servants, including integrity, impartiality, accountability, and service to citizens above personal advantage.

A situation where a personal, financial, or family interest could improperly influence a professional decision, requiring disclosure or withdrawal.

Consistently acting honestly and according to stated rules, including when no one is watching and when honesty carries a personal cost.

Referring a problem to a higher level of authority when it exceeds your remit, risk threshold, or competence, rather than handling it silently.

The formal line of authority through which instructions pass and problems are reported within an organisation.

A short spoken or written account of why you want the role and how your background fits it, supported by concrete examples rather than general claims.

A structure for answering behavioural questions by describing the Situation, Task, Action, and Result, keeping the answer concrete and time-bounded.

Paying full attention to a speaker, noting the substance of the question, and reflecting or clarifying before answering, rather than rehearsing a reply.

An oral assessment conducted by several interviewers at once, often from different departments, each probing a different aspect of suitability.