PSLCE English key terms

The most important point a passage makes about its topic. It is broad enough to cover all the supporting details but narrow enough to exclude unrelated information.

A fact, example, reason, or statistic that explains or proves the main idea. Details answer questions such as who, what, when, where, why, and how.

A conclusion a reader draws by combining stated information with logic and experience. It is not printed directly in the text but must be justified by evidence there.

A sentence, usually first in a paragraph, that states the paragraph's central point. The remaining sentences develop, illustrate, or explain that statement.

The reason a writer produces a text, such as to inform, persuade, entertain, or instruct. Recognizing the purpose helps a reader judge how to interpret the content.

The attitude a writer expresses toward the subject or audience, revealed through word choice and sentence style. Tone may be serious, humorous, critical, sympathetic, or neutral.

The order in which actions or incidents occur in a narrative or process. Signal words such as first, next, then, and finally mark the order for the reader.

A reading pattern that examines similarities and differences between two or more subjects. Words such as similarly, unlike, both, and whereas signal this structure.

Information in surrounding words, sentences, or paragraphs that helps a reader work out the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Clues include definitions, examples, contrasts, and restatements.

A word that means nearly the same as another word in a particular context. Exact duplicates are rare, so synonyms usually differ in shade of meaning or formality.

A word that expresses a meaning opposite to another word, such as hot and cold. Antonyms help readers define words through contrast.

A meaningful group of letters attached to the front of a base word that changes its meaning, as un- in unhappy or re- in rewrite. Prefixes do not usually change a word's part of speech.

A meaningful group of letters added to the end of a base word that changes its meaning or part of speech, as -ful in hopeful or -ness in kindness.

The core part of a word that carries its basic meaning and remains after prefixes and suffixes are removed. Knowing common roots helps a reader decode unfamiliar vocabulary.

The emotional or cultural association a word carries beyond its literal meaning. For example, thrifty sounds approving while stingy sounds critical, though both describe careful spending.

The literal, dictionary meaning of a word, separate from any emotional shading. Denotation is the neutral core that connotation colors.

One of two or more words that sound alike but differ in spelling or meaning, such as their, there, and they're, or to, too, and two.

One of two or more words spelled alike but differing in meaning or pronunciation, such as bow (a weapon) and bow (to bend), or lead (a metal) and lead (to guide).

The rule that a verb must match its subject in number and person. A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb.

A singular noun naming a group of people or things, such as team, family, or committee. In American English it usually takes a singular verb when the group acts as one unit.

The requirement that a pronoun match the noun it refers to in number, gender, and person. In The dog lost its collar, dog is the antecedent and its agrees with it.

The form a pronoun takes according to its grammatical role: subjective (I, he, she, they), objective (me, him, her, them), or possessive (my, his, her, their).

A descriptive phrase that does not clearly attach to the word it is meant to describe, often because the intended subject is missing from the main clause. It leaves the sentence confusing or illogical.

A word or phrase placed too far from the element it describes, so the sentence suggests the wrong meaning. Moving the modifier next to its target usually corrects the problem.

A group of words punctuated as a sentence but lacking a subject, a complete verb, or a complete thought. It cannot stand alone as a grammatical sentence.

Two or more independent clauses joined without correct punctuation or a conjunction. It can be fixed with a period, semicolon, or comma plus coordinating conjunction.

A specific run-on error in which two independent clauses are joined by only a comma. A period, semicolon, or comma with a coordinating conjunction corrects it.

A group of words containing a subject and a verb that expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence.

A group of words with a subject and verb that cannot stand alone because it begins with a subordinating word such as because, when, or although.

A punctuation mark used between two closely related independent clauses, or between items in a list that already contain commas. It signals a stronger pause than a comma but weaker than a period.

A punctuation mark that introduces a list, an explanation, or a quotation after a complete clause. What follows the colon should relate directly to what precedes it.

A punctuation mark with two jobs: showing possession (the teacher's desk) and marking omitted letters in contractions (don't, it's). It never forms a simple plural.

The grammatical form showing ownership or close association, usually created by adding an apostrophe and s to a noun. Plural nouns ending in s generally take only an apostrophe.

A shortened form made by combining words and replacing omitted letters with an apostrophe, such as cannot becoming can't or they are becoming they're.

The use of uppercase letters for proper nouns, the first word of a sentence, titles, and the pronoun I. It signals grammatical boundaries and distinguishes specific names from general terms.

The name of a specific person, place, organization, or thing, such as Maria, Kingston, or the Red Cross. Proper nouns are capitalized, unlike common nouns.

A word or phrase that links ideas and shows their relationship, such as however, therefore, in addition, or finally. Transitions guide a reader through the logic of a text.

A sentence, usually near the start of an essay, that states the central claim the writer will develop. It controls the essay's organization and focus.

The quality of a paragraph in which every sentence develops one central point. Sentences that drift to unrelated topics break unity and should be removed or moved.

A fact is a statement that can be verified; an opinion expresses a belief, judgment, or feeling. Distinguishing them is essential for evaluating arguments and for writing objectively.