NSSCO English First Language 6095 flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Explicit meaning

Information stated directly and unambiguously in the text, so a reader can point to the exact words that carry the meaning without needing to infer anything.

Implicit meaning

Meaning suggested rather than stated outright, inferred by the reader from word choice, tone, detail selection, and what the writer chooses to leave unsaid.

Fact versus opinion

A fact is a statement that can be independently verified; an opinion expresses a judgement, belief, or evaluation that cannot be proved true or false.

Writer's attitude

The stance a writer takes towards the subject, revealed through connotative vocabulary, intensity of phrasing, and which details are emphasised or omitted.

Summary in own words

A condensed restatement of the source's main points using fresh vocabulary and sentence structures, excluding examples, repetition, and any personal opinion.

Skimming versus scanning

Skimming is fast reading for gist or overall structure; scanning is searching a text for specific information such as a name, date, or key term.

Relevance filtering

The process of retaining only points that directly answer the question set, discarding background, illustration, and tangential detail even if interesting.

Distinct point count

Each separate idea counts once; two sentences that restate the same claim in different words still earn credit for only a single point.

Rule of three

A rhetorical pattern listing three parallel items, which is memorable and rhythmically satisfying, often used to build persuasive emphasis in speeches and articles.

Sibilance

Repetition of 's' and 'sh' sounds in close proximity, creating a hissing or whispering effect that can suggest secrecy, softness, or menace.

Short sentence effect

A brief sentence placed among longer ones creates emphasis, slows the reader, or builds tension by abruptly halting the established rhythm.

Tone versus mood

Tone is the writer's attitude towards the subject or reader; mood is the emotional atmosphere the text creates in the reader.

Feature spotting

Naming a language device without explaining its effect on the reader, which earns limited credit because analysis requires the link to meaning.

Structural turning point

The moment a text shifts direction, perspective, or tone; identifying it helps explain how the writer sequences information to shape response.

Letter conventions

Formal letters require sender and recipient addresses, a date, an appropriate salutation, structured paragraphs, and a matching sign-off such as 'Yours faithfully'.

Article conventions

A headline, an engaging opening, subheadings or paragraph breaks for navigation, and a conclusion, written in a register suited to the named readership.

Speech conventions

Direct address to the audience, rhetorical devices, signposted sections, and an explicit call to action, delivered in a register that builds rapport.

Report conventions

Headings, an impersonal and factual tone, findings presented objectively, and recommendations; personal anecdote and emotive language are excluded.

Counter-argument and rebuttal

A persuasive structure that states the opposing view fairly, then dismantles it with evidence, which strengthens credibility more than ignoring objections.

Register in transactional writing

The level of formality chosen to suit the specified audience and purpose; it must stay consistent throughout and match the form's conventions.

Narrative arc

The shape of a story: exposition establishes situation, rising action builds complication, climax provides the turning point, and resolution settles the outcome.

Show, don't tell

Conveying emotion or character through concrete physical detail and action rather than naming the feeling directly, which engages the reader's imagination.

Sensory imagery

Description appealing to sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste, which makes a setting vivid and locates the reader physically inside the scene.

Syntactic variety

Deliberately mixing sentence lengths, openings, and structures so prose avoids monotony and demonstrates control over rhythm and emphasis.

Comma splice

Two independent clauses joined only by a comma; the error is corrected with a full stop, semicolon, or coordinating conjunction.

Semicolon and colon

A semicolon links two related independent clauses; a colon introduces a list, explanation, or quotation that follows a complete clause.

Dangling modifier

An introductory participle phrase whose implied subject differs from the main clause's subject, producing an unintended and often absurd meaning.

Subject-verb agreement

The verb must match its true subject in number, ignoring intervening prepositional phrases that may contain a differently numbered noun.

Apostrophe rules

Apostrophes mark possession or omission: singular possessive adds 's, plural possessive adds ' after the s, and 'it's' always means 'it is'.

Connotation

The associations and emotional colouring a word carries beyond its literal meaning, which shapes the reader's attitude towards what is described.

Collocation

The conventional partnership between words, such as 'heavy rain' rather than 'strong rain', which marks natural and accurate language use.

Presentation signposting

Spoken markers such as 'Firstly', 'Turning now to', and 'To conclude' that make a talk's structure audible and easy for an assessor to follow.