NSSCAS English Second Language 8202 cheat sheet

Before the recording plays, read the questions and underline the key word in each: question word (who, when, why), number, or comparison.

Answers follow the order of the recording; if you hear the answer to question 5, you have missed 4 - mark it and move on.

Distractors are usually spoken first and corrected later: listen for but, actually, sorry, I meant, on second thoughts.

Numbers, dates, prices and times are often given twice with a correction; write the corrected value, not the first one.

Spelling matters: names, streets and places are usually spelled out, so copy letter by letter rather than guessing the word.

For note-completion, keep the word limit stated (e.g. NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS); articles and numbers count as words.

Signpost words signal structure: firstly, however, the main reason, to sum up, moving on - they mark where the next answer sits.

Inference items use tone and stress, not just content: a rising tone often signals doubt or a polite refusal.

Assessment is typically split across fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation; accuracy errors that do not block meaning cost less than long pauses.

Use a three-part answer for discussion prompts: direct response, reason, brief example or contrast.

Fillers that keep the floor (well, that's a good question, let me think) are preferable to silence, but repeated 'um' lowers fluency marks.

Paraphrase when a word is missing: 'the thing you use to…', 'it's a kind of…' - circumlocution counts as communication.

Back-channel sounds (mm, right, I see) show active listening in paired and group tasks; interrupting with 'Sorry, could I just say…' is acceptable.

For picture or prompt-based tasks, cover all bullet points; an unanswered prompt point caps the content mark.

Pronunciation targets: word stress (PHOtograph vs phoTOgraphy), final consonants, and -ed endings (/t/, /d/, /ɪd/).

Extend answers with tense shift or hypotheticals ('If I had the chance, I would…') to display range without changing topic.

Skim headings, first lines and the final paragraph first to establish topic, purpose and writer's stance before detailed reading.

Question order usually follows text order; locate the paragraph containing the key word, then read the sentence before and after it.

For 'in your own words' items, lifting the original phrase scores zero; change word class or structure while keeping the meaning.

True/False/Not Given: False contradicts the text; Not Given is simply absent - no evidence is not the same as denial.

Matching headings: match the whole paragraph's main idea, not a repeated keyword; one heading is usually a distractor.

Vocabulary-in-context items are answered from surrounding clues (definition, example, contrast), not from a memorised first meaning.

Writer's purpose and tone words: to persuade, to warn, to entertain, ironic, nostalgic, critical - support each choice with a quoted phrase.

Summary-completion gaps must fit grammatically: check whether the gap needs a noun, verb or adjective before choosing the word.

Directed writing (letters, reports, speeches, articles) is marked for audience, purpose and format: salutation and sign-off for a letter, headings for a report, address to the audience for a speech.

Register follows the task: formal letters avoid contractions and slang; articles and speeches may use rhetorical questions and direct address.

Directed-writing tasks often require you to use and develop given material - select, reorganise and add, never copy the notes verbatim.

Extended composition is assessed on content and structure as well as style: a clear plan with 4–6 paragraphs prevents a narrative that sags in the middle.

Paragraph unity rule: one controlling idea per paragraph, opened by a topic sentence and closed by a link or consequence.

Show sentence variety deliberately: a short sentence after two long ones creates emphasis; avoid starting every sentence with 'I' or 'The'.

Descriptive and narrative writing gains marks for sensory detail and specific nouns ('a cracked blue enamel mug') over vague adjectives ('a nice cup').

Argumentative essays need a counter-argument paragraph and a conclusion that restates the position without new evidence; word limits are usually a range, and both under- and over-length are penalised.

Subject–verb agreement traps: 'The number of students is' vs 'A number of students are'; 'each', 'every' and 'neither' take singular verbs.

Tense sequencing: after a past reporting verb, backshift ('He said he was leaving'); after 'if' in unreal conditions use were/would, not was/will.

Articles: a/an by sound (a university, an hour); zero article for general plurals and abstract nouns ('Honesty matters').

Direct-to-reported speech shifts: now→then, today→that day, tomorrow→the next day, this→that, here→there.

Punctuation rules that are tested: no comma splice (use semicolon, full stop or conjunction); apostrophe before s for singular possession, after s for plural (the girls' bags).

Commonly confused pairs: affect/effect, practice (n)/practise (v), advice/advise, its/it's, their/there/they're, fewer (countable)/less (uncountable).

Formation of comparatives: one-syllable add -er/-est; three-syllable use more/most; irregular good–better–best, bad–worse–worst.

Connectors carry meaning: 'however' contrasts, 'therefore' concludes, 'moreover' adds, 'whereas' contrasts within one sentence.

Summary word limits are strict; count words, and do not copy whole sentences - compress by deleting examples, repetitions and figurative language.

A summary keeps only the main points in the order of the original, written in continuous prose with linking words, not a list.

Note-making conventions: headings, indented sub-points, abbreviations and symbols (→, +, =, w/) are acceptable where the task allows notes.

Information transfer tasks (tables, charts, flow diagrams) require the same word class as the column heading: a date column needs a date, a reason column needs a clause.

When transferring from a text to a table, do not add information absent from the source; each cell is checked against the passage.

Selecting relevance: a point is main if removing it changes the meaning of the passage; supporting detail can be dropped without loss.

Paraphrase at phrase level in summaries - change word order, use a synonym, or nominalise ('they decided' → 'their decision').

For charts and graphs, describe trends with the correct verb form: rose steadily, peaked at, levelled off, fell sharply, remained constant.