MATSEC IM Italian key terms

Guided reading and commentary of a written passage: identifying theme, structure, tone and the author's choices. In the MATSEC IM Italian paper it is the standard task for the comprehension and literature sections.

The central idea or subject a text develops, stated briefly and abstractly (for example love, emigration, war). Distinguish it from the plot, which is the sequence of events, and from the message, which is the author's stance.

The chain of events in a narrative, in the order they are told, including turning points and the ending. A summary of the trama should be short and factual, without personal opinion or commentary.

A shortened restatement of a text in your own words, keeping the main information and cutting examples and repetition. Exam summaries usually carry a word limit, so selection of key points matters more than style.

Rewriting a passage in simpler, modern wording while keeping its full meaning, often used for poetry or older prose. It is not a summary: nothing is omitted, but difficult syntax and vocabulary are explained.

The level of formality of language, from colloquial to formal or literary. Identifying the registro helps explain the relationship between characters and the intended audience of a text.

Saying the opposite of what is meant, or letting context create a gap between words and reality. In commentary questions, you must point to the exact words that create the ironic effect and explain the intended meaning.

A deliberate deviation from ordinary expression used for effect, such as similitudine, metafora, anafora or personificazione. Naming the figure is not enough: you must quote it and explain the effect it creates.

A comparison stated without like or as, replacing one thing with another that shares a quality, as in 'il mare di cemento'. It differs from similitudine, which keeps an explicit comparative word.

An explicit comparison introduced by come, simile a, or pare, for example 'correva come il vento'. It makes a description vivid and is one of the easiest figures to identify in unseen passages.

A figure in a narrative, described through actions, speech and the narrator's comments. A character analysis should cover role, traits, development and relationship to the theme, supported by short quotations.

The techniques an author uses to build a character: direct description, behaviour, dialogue, other characters' opinions, or the character's own thoughts. Noting whether it is direct or indirect strengthens commentary answers.

The voice that tells the story, which is not the same as the author. The narrator may be internal or external, reliable or not, and may know everything or only what one character knows.

The perspective from which events are presented, such as first person, third person limited, or omniscient. Changing the punto di vista changes what the reader can know at any moment.

The idea or attitude the author wants the reader to take away, often implied rather than stated. In commentary, support your reading of the messaggio with evidence from the text, not with personal opinion alone.

Linking words that signal logical relations: causa (poiché), conseguenza (quindi), contrasto (tuttavia), aggiunta (inoltre). Correct use of connettivi is a common criterion in marking written production.

The way sentences are tied together through connectors, pronouns, repetition and consistent verb tenses so a text reads as one unit. Coesione is assessed in essays and summaries alongside accuracy of grammar.

The logical consistency of a text: ideas follow a clear order, each paragraph develops one point, and nothing contradicts what was said earlier. A coherent essay answers the question directly without digressions.

The mood used for doubt, wish, opinion, emotion and after certain conjunctions such as benché, affinché, purché. Forms include che io sia, che io abbia, che io fossi, and the choice of tense depends on the main verb.

The rules matching the tense of a subordinate clause to the tense of the main clause, for example 'penso che sia partito' versus 'pensavo che fosse partito'. Errors here are frequent in composition and gap-fill tasks.

Conditional sentences of three types: reality (se piove, resto a casa), possibility (se piovesse, resterei), and impossibility in the past (se avesse piovuto, sarei rimasto). Each type has fixed tense pairings.

A pronoun joining a clause to a noun, such as che, cui, il quale, chi, and quello che. Choosing the right form and placing prepositions correctly before cui is regularly tested in grammar exercises.

Object pronouns such as mi, ti, lo, la, ci, vi, li, le (direct) and gli, le, loro (indirect). Their position before the verb, and combination with particles like ne and ci, is a core grammar point.

Short particles replacing a phrase: ne for 'of it/them' or partitive quantity, ci for place or previously mentioned ideas. Idiomatic verbs such as andarsene and volerci also depend on them.

Verbs that combine with a particle and change meaning, such as andarsene, fregarsene, cavarsela, farcela, volerci and metterci. They are common in informal texts and must be learned as fixed units.

The narrative past tense used in literature and historical writing for completed events far from the present, for example 'nacque', 'decise', 'partirono'. Recognition matters for reading literary passages, even if active use is limited.

The tense expressing an action completed before another past action, formed with avevo or ero plus the past participle: 'avevo già mangiato quando arrivò'. It often appears with già, appena and prima.

Reporting speech without quotation marks, which requires shifting pronouns, possessives and tenses: 'Vengo domani' becomes 'Disse che sarebbe venuto il giorno dopo'. Time and place expressions also change.

The vocabulary range a candidate controls, including synonyms, collocations and topic-specific words. In the exam, lexical precision and variety are assessed separately from grammatical accuracy.

A word with similar meaning, or its opposite, used to avoid repetition and to show understanding in paraphrase tasks. Choosing the right synonym depends on register and collocation, not just dictionary meaning.

A fixed expression whose meaning cannot be worked out word by word, such as 'in bocca al lupo' or 'prendere in giro'. Idioms are tested through matching and completion and enrich written production.

A letter to an institution, editor or employer, opening with Gentile or Egregio and closing with Distinti saluti or Cordiali saluti. It avoids contractions and uses the formal Lei consistently throughout.

Conventional phrases that begin and end a written message, such as 'Gentile Signora,' or 'In attesa di un suo riscontro, porgo cordiali saluti'. Using the wrong formula for the register is penalised in writing tasks.

A short digital message with a clear subject line, greeting, body and closing. In the exam, an email task usually specifies recipient, purpose and points to include, so all prompts must be covered.

A short structured essay presenting an argument with introduction, developed paragraphs and conclusion. It requires a clear thesis, supporting examples and connectors, and should answer the prompt rather than narrate personal anecdotes.

A text that takes a position and defends it with reasons and evidence, often acknowledging an opposing view before refuting it. Phrases like 'da un lato... dall'altro' and 'tuttavia' organise the argument.

The skill of extracting information from spoken Italian, such as announcements, interviews or dialogues. In the exam, audio is usually played twice and questions may require note-taking, not full transcription.

The skill of reading a passage and answering questions on detail, inference, purpose and vocabulary in context. Answers should be based strictly on the text, with quotation where the question asks for evidence.