NSSCAS Thimbukushu First Language 8198 key terms

The central point a passage communicates, usually expressible in one sentence. Identifying it requires separating key information from supporting detail, examples and repetition that merely illustrate or extend the point.

A conclusion a reader draws by combining evidence in the text with background knowledge, even though the writer never states it directly. Inferential questions ask what is suggested, implied or likely rather than what is written.

The plain, dictionary-level sense of words exactly as they are written, without figurative extension. Questions about literal meaning are answered directly from statements in the passage, not from interpretation.

Information in the surrounding words, sentence or wider passage that helps a reader work out the meaning of an unfamiliar word, for example a definition, an example, a contrast or a familiar synonym.

A shortened restatement of a text's main points in the reader's own words, keeping essential information and dropping examples, repetition and minor detail. A good summary follows the original's order of ideas.

The reason a writer produces a text, such as to inform, persuade, entertain, instruct or warn. Purpose shapes the choice of content, tone, structure and language throughout the passage.

A fact is a statement that can be verified by evidence; an opinion expresses a belief, judgement or feeling that cannot be proved. Examiners ask candidates to separate the two within a passage.

Reading quickly through a text looking only for specific information such as a name, date or figure, and ignoring everything else. It differs from skimming, which targets the general gist of a passage.

A sentence, usually placed at the start of a paragraph, that states the paragraph's controlling idea and signals what the remaining sentences will explain, illustrate or support.

The quality of a paragraph in which every sentence supports one controlling idea, with no material that belongs in a different paragraph or in a different section of the essay.

The way ideas in a text are arranged in a logical order, so that a reader can follow the reasoning from one point to the next without confusion about sequence, cause or emphasis.

The linking of sentences through connectives, pronouns, repeated key words and consistent reference, so that a text holds together as a single piece rather than a set of separate statements.

The variety of language a writer chooses for a particular situation and relationship, ranging from formal and impersonal to informal and personal. It affects vocabulary, sentence length and the use of contractions.

The writer's understanding of who will read the text, including their age, knowledge, expectations and relationship to the writer. It guides vocabulary, tone, examples and how much explanation is needed.

The final check of a piece of writing for errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar and word choice before it is submitted. It follows editing, which deals with content, organisation and clarity of argument.

A grammatical category that groups Thimbukushu nouns by shared prefix and determines the prefixes taken by verbs, adjectives, pronouns and possessives referring to them. Classes are organised in singular and plural pairings.

The requirement that verbs, adjectives, pronouns and possessives carry a prefix agreeing with the noun class and number of the noun they relate to. Errors of concord are among the most heavily penalised in Thimbukushu writing.

The smallest unit of language that carries meaning or grammatical function, such as a root, a noun-class prefix or a tense marker. Thimbukushu words typically combine several morphemes into one written word.

The grammatical marking of how an action extends in time, for example completed, continuing, habitual or not yet begun. In Thimbukushu it is carried mainly by prefixes and suffixes attached to the verb stem.

The use of pitch, high or low, on a syllable to distinguish meaning or grammatical form, such as one tense from another, rather than to express emotion. It is a feature of spoken Thimbukushu that spelling may not show.

The accepted system for writing a language: which letters represent which sounds, how words are joined or spaced, and where capitals and diacritics are used. Standard Thimbukushu spelling follows fixed written conventions.

Two ways of reporting someone's words. Direct speech quotes them exactly inside quotation marks; indirect speech reports the content from the reporter's viewpoint, with shifts in pronouns, tense and time words.

Voice shows whether the subject performs or receives the action. In the active voice the doer is the subject; in the passive the receiver becomes subject and the doer may be left unstated.

A fixed expression whose meaning cannot be worked out from the individual words and is understood only by speakers of the language. Idioms are common in informal speech and in dialogue in fiction.

A short, fixed traditional saying that states a general truth or offers advice, often built on imagery, contrast and rhythm. Thimbukushu proverbs carry cultural values and are frequently quoted in speech, essays and literature.

The convention by which speakers in a conversation or discussion exchange the floor, signalling when they have finished and allowing others to speak without being interrupted or talked over.

The pattern of rising and falling pitch across a spoken utterance, used to mark questions, statements, lists and emphasis, and to signal attitude such as surprise, doubt or disapproval.

Meaning carried without words, including gesture, facial expression, posture, eye contact, spacing and pace. It can support, modify or contradict the spoken message, and it differs across cultural settings.

Listening with full attention in order to understand, remember and respond appropriately, shown by paraphrasing, asking clarifying questions and giving relevant feedback rather than merely waiting for a turn to speak.

A structured discussion in which two sides present reasoned arguments for and against a motion, supported by evidence and rebuttal of the opposing case, under agreed rules and time limits.

The central idea or insight about life that a literary work explores, such as justice, loss of tradition or courage. It is communicated through events, characters and recurring images rather than stated outright.

The techniques a writer uses to build a character: description, speech, action, other characters' comments and the character's own thoughts. Characters may be flat types or developing individuals.

The arranged sequence of events in a narrative, built from exposition, rising action, climax and resolution, in which each event causes or complicates the next rather than occurring at random.

The time and place in which a narrative unfolds, including its social and cultural surroundings. Setting can establish mood, explain why characters behave as they do, and carry symbolic weight.

The central struggle between opposing forces in a narrative, such as person against person, society, nature or self. Conflict drives the plot forward and reveals what characters value.

The perspective from which a story is told: first person, where a participant narrates; third person limited, where the narrator knows one character's mind; or omniscient, where the narrator knows all.

A figure of speech in which one thing is described as if it were another, without using 'like' or 'as', so that the qualities of the second are transferred to the first.

A gap between what is said or expected and what is actually meant or happens. Verbal irony says the opposite; situational irony reverses expectation; dramatic irony gives the audience knowledge that characters lack.

The use of a concrete object, person or event to stand for a larger abstract idea, so that it carries meaning beyond its literal role in the story and reinforces the work's themes.