UEE English key terms

The central point a passage or paragraph is built around, stated or implied. Identifying it means asking what the writer most wants the reader to understand or accept after reading.

A sentence, usually near the start of a paragraph, that announces the paragraph's controlling idea. Other sentences in the paragraph normally develop, illustrate, or qualify it.

A fact, example, statistic, or reason that backs up a broader claim. Distinguishing details from the claim they serve is essential for summary and for judging whether an argument is well evidenced.

A conclusion a reader draws from evidence in the text rather than from an explicit statement. A valid inference must be strongly supported and must not contradict anything the passage says.

The writer's attitude toward the subject, conveyed through word choice and sentence style, for example critical, amused, cautious, or admiring. Tone differs from mood, which is the feeling created in the reader.

The relationship between a pronoun or other pointing word and the noun phrase it stands for earlier or later in the text. Tracking reference prevents misreading sentences with several possible antecedents.

The way sentences and paragraphs are tied together so the text reads as one piece, achieved through linking words, pronouns, repeated vocabulary, and parallel structure. Cohesion concerns surface connections; coherence concerns overall logical sense.

The quality of a text whose ideas are arranged in a logical order that a reader can follow easily. A coherent answer stays on topic and moves from point to point without confusing jumps.

A word or phrase such as however, therefore, in addition, or on the other hand that signals the logical relation between ideas. Choosing the right connective depends on whether the ideas contrast, add, cause, or sequence.

The rule that a finite verb matches its subject in number and person, as in she writes versus they write. Errors often arise with collective nouns, indefinite pronouns, and phrases placed between subject and verb.

The practice of keeping verb tenses logically consistent within a passage, shifting only when the time frame genuinely changes. Unmotivated shifts between past and present are a common error type.

The way a verb form presents an action in relation to time, such as ongoing (progressive) or completed with present relevance (perfect). English combines aspect with tense, giving forms like has been working.

A helping verb such as can, may, must, should, or might that expresses possibility, obligation, permission, or ability. Modals are followed by a bare infinitive and do not take -s in the third person.

A verb form used for hypothetical, wished-for, or demanded situations, as in If I were you or It is essential that he attend. It appears mainly in fixed patterns and after certain verbs of demand and suggestion.

A sentence pattern expressing that one situation depends on another, typically with if or unless. The three common types link present real conditions, unreal present conditions, and unreal past conditions to matching result forms.

A clause introduced by who, which, that, whose, or where that describes a noun. A defining clause identifies which noun is meant and takes no commas; a non-defining clause adds extra information and is set off by commas.

A reduced clause built on an -ing or -ed form, as in Having finished the report, she left. The implied subject of the participle must normally be the same as the subject of the main clause.

A modifier whose intended subject is missing from the sentence, so it appears to describe the wrong noun, as in Walking home, the rain started. Repair it by naming the true subject or expanding the phrase into a full clause.

The use of matching grammatical forms for items in a list or comparison, as in reading, writing, and speaking rather than reading, writing, and to speak. Faulty parallelism is a frequent target in error-correction items.

A singular word naming a group, such as team, committee, or audience. It usually takes a singular verb in formal written English, though British usage sometimes allows a plural verb when members act individually.

A noun that has singular and plural forms and can follow a number, such as chair or idea. Uncountable nouns such as advice or furniture take no plural -s and no indefinite article.

The determiner a, an, or the. The indefinite article introduces a non-specific singular countable noun, while the definite article marks something already known or uniquely identifiable to the reader.

A word placed before a noun to specify quantity or identity, including articles, possessives, demonstratives, and quantifiers like some, each, and enough. Only one central determiner normally occupies this slot.

A word or phrase expressing amount, such as many, much, few, little, a number of, or plenty of. The choice depends on whether the noun is countable or uncountable and on whether the meaning is positive or negative.

A word such as in, on, by, despite, or according to that links a noun phrase to the rest of the sentence, often showing place, time, or manner. Fixed combinations with verbs and adjectives must be learned as units.

A verb combined with an adverb or preposition particle to create a new meaning, such as give up or look into. Some are separable, allowing the object between verb and particle, and some are not.

A habitual pairing of words that native speakers treat as natural, such as make a decision or heavy rain. Collocations are not fully predictable from meaning, so they are tested as vocabulary knowledge rather than grammar.

The emotional or evaluative association a word carries beyond its literal meaning, as with slim versus skinny. Choosing a word with the wrong connotation can make an otherwise grammatical sentence inappropriate.

The direct, dictionary meaning of a word, independent of any emotional colouring. Exam items often ask you to separate a word's denotation from the connotations that make one option unsuitable.

The process of building new words from existing ones using prefixes, suffixes, and compounding, as in unhappy, happiness, or noteworthy. Items usually supply a root word and require the form that fits the grammatical slot.

A bound element attached to the front of a word to change its meaning, such as un-, re-, mis-, or over-. Prefixes usually alter meaning rather than word class, unlike most suffixes.

A bound element attached to the end of a word, often changing its grammatical class, as -ness turns adjectives into nouns and -ize turns nouns into verbs. Correct suffix choice depends on the word's role in the sentence.

The level of formality and the style a text adopts for its audience and purpose, ranging from casual conversation to academic prose. Register affects vocabulary, contractions, and sentence complexity.

A task in which words are removed from a continuous text and the candidate supplies or selects them. Success depends on grammar, collocation, and following the logical flow of surrounding sentences.

A word such as although, because, while, or unless that introduces a dependent clause and shows its relation to the main clause. It determines both the logic and the punctuation of the sentence.

A restatement of a text's meaning in different words, usually shorter and focused on essentials. A good paraphrase preserves the original claim without copying its phrasing or adding interpretation.

A brief account of a text's central points, leaving out examples and minor details. An effective summary is accurate, proportional to the original, and written in the summarizer's own words.

A sentence that states the central claim of an essay and previews how it will be supported. It usually appears at the end of the introduction and governs the content of every body paragraph.

The overall meaning or essential point of a spoken or written message, as opposed to its specific details. Listening items often ask for gist before testing particular facts.