Minnesota NES Essential Academic Skills (EAS) key terms

The central point a passage is written to convey, usually stated or strongly implied in one or two sentences. Everything else in the text supports, explains, or illustrates it.

Specific facts, examples, statistics, or reasons an author supplies to explain or prove the main idea. Recognizing which details are essential versus incidental helps you answer comprehension questions accurately.

A conclusion drawn from evidence in the text plus reasonable background knowledge, rather than stated outright. Valid inferences must be defensible from what the passage actually says.

The reason a writer produces a text: to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain. Identifying purpose shapes how you interpret tone, word choice, and which details are emphasized.

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

The emotional or cultural associations a word carries beyond its literal meaning. Words with similar dictionary meanings can differ sharply in connotation, affecting how a reader receives a statement.

The literal, dictionary meaning of a word, independent of emotional associations. Distinguishing denotation from connotation prevents misreading an author's intent.

Surrounding words, phrases, or sentence structure that help a reader determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Types include definition, example, contrast, and cause-effect clues.

A sentence, usually near the beginning of a paragraph, that states the paragraph's central point. It signals what the rest of the paragraph will develop or support.

A word or phrase such as however, therefore, or in addition that shows the relationship between ideas. Transitions signal contrast, cause, sequence, or emphasis within and across paragraphs.

The structure an author uses to arrange ideas, such as chronological order, comparison-contrast, cause-effect, problem-solution, or description. Recognizing the pattern helps you locate key information quickly.

A fact can be verified with evidence; an opinion expresses a belief, judgment, or preference. Passages often blend both, so readers must judge which claims are supported and which are evaluative.

A slant or preference that shapes how information is selected and presented, sometimes without the author's awareness. Detecting bias requires attention to loaded language, omitted viewpoints, and one-sided evidence.

A sentence that states the central argument of an essay and previews how it will be developed. It typically appears in the introduction and governs the content of every body paragraph.

The quality of a paragraph in which every sentence develops one controlling idea. Sentences that drift to unrelated points break unity and should be revised, moved, or deleted.

The quality that makes writing flow logically, achieved through clear organization, transitions, and consistent point of view. Coherent writing lets a reader follow ideas without confusion.

A group of words punctuated as a sentence but lacking a subject, a complete verb, or an independent clause. Fragments must be joined to another clause or expanded into a full sentence.

Two or more independent clauses joined without correct punctuation or a conjunction. Comma splices are a common form; repair them with a period, semicolon, or coordinating conjunction.

A group of words containing a subject and a verb that can stand alone as a complete sentence. Recognizing independent clauses is essential for fixing fragments and run-ons.

A clause with a subject and verb that cannot stand alone because it begins with a subordinating word such as because, although, or when. It must attach to an independent clause.

One of the seven connectors for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so, used to join words or independent clauses of equal grammatical rank. A comma precedes one when it links two independent clauses.

A word such as because, although, while, or since that introduces a dependent clause and shows its relationship to the main clause. It signals cause, contrast, time, or condition.

The grammatical rule that a verb must match its subject in number and person. Intervening phrases and inverted sentence order often hide the true subject and cause errors.

The requirement that a pronoun match its antecedent in number and gender. Indefinite pronouns such as everyone and each are singular, which frequently trips up writers.

The use of matching grammatical forms for items in a list or comparison, such as all infinitives or all gerunds. Parallelism makes writing clearer and easier to read.

A word, phrase, or clause that describes another element in a sentence. A misplaced or dangling modifier attaches to the wrong word and creates confusing or unintentionally comic meaning.

A sentence construction in which the subject performs the action, as in the committee approved the plan. Active voice is usually more direct and concise than passive voice.

A construction in which the subject receives the action, formed with a form of be plus a past participle. It suits writing when the actor is unknown or unimportant.

A comparison of two quantities by division, often written as a fraction, with a colon, or in words. Ratios allow scaling and are the basis for proportions and unit rates.

An equation stating that two ratios are equal. Solving a proportion usually involves cross-multiplication, which is useful for scaling recipes, maps, and similar figures.

A rate expressed per one unit of a given quantity, such as miles per hour or cost per ounce. Unit rates make comparisons between different-sized packages or speeds straightforward.

A ratio comparing a number to 100, meaning per hundred. Percent problems are solved with the relationship part equals percent times whole, often written as a decimal multiplier.

The agreed sequence for evaluating expressions: parentheses, exponents, multiplication and division left to right, then addition and subtraction left to right. Following it ensures a single correct value.

A mathematical phrase combining numbers, variables, and operation symbols without an equals sign. Expressions are evaluated or simplified rather than solved.

A mathematical statement asserting that two expressions are equal, containing an equals sign. Solving an equation means finding values of the variable that make the statement true.

An equation whose graph is a straight line, typically written as y equals mx plus b, where m is slope and b is the y-intercept. It represents a constant rate of change.

The measure of steepness of a line, calculated as the change in y divided by the change in x between two points. Slope expresses the constant rate of change of a linear relationship.

The arithmetic average of a data set, found by adding all values and dividing by the number of values. The mean is sensitive to extreme values or outliers.

The middle value of a data set arranged in order, or the average of the two middle values when the count is even. Unlike the mean, it resists distortion by outliers.

The value or values appearing most frequently in a data set. A set may have one mode, several, or none if all values occur equally often.

A number from 0 to 1 expressing how likely an event is, computed for equally likely outcomes as favorable outcomes divided by total outcomes. Probabilities of all outcomes sum to one.

The measure of the surface enclosed by a two-dimensional figure, expressed in square units. Common formulas include length times width for rectangles and pi times radius squared for circles.

The total distance around the outside of a two-dimensional figure, found by adding side lengths. It is measured in linear units, unlike area.

The amount of three-dimensional space a solid occupies, measured in cubic units. For a rectangular prism it equals length times width times height.

The ability to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information using digital technologies. It includes judging source credibility and using tools responsibly and effectively.

The trustworthiness of a source or author, judged by credentials, evidence quality, currency, and potential bias. Credible sources cite verifiable information and are accountable for their claims.

Presenting someone else's words, ideas, or data as your own without proper attribution. It includes copying text, paraphrasing too closely, and failing to cite sources.

A formatted reference identifying the source of information or ideas, typically including author, title, and publication details. Consistent citation lets readers locate sources and avoids plagiarism.

Legal protection giving creators exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, and adapt their original works for a limited time. Using protected material generally requires permission or a legal exception.

A limited legal allowance to use copyrighted material without permission for purposes such as teaching, criticism, or news reporting. Courts weigh purpose, nature, amount used, and market effect.

Uniform Resource Locator, the address identifying a web page or file on the internet. Its domain suffix and structure can offer clues about a site's origin and reliability.

A symbol or keyword used to refine a web search, such as quotation marks for exact phrases, minus to exclude terms, or site: to limit results to one domain. Operators improve search precision.

An organized, searchable collection of records or articles, often subscription-based and accessed through a library. Databases typically offer more vetted, citable content than open web searching.

An original document or artifact created at the time of an event, such as a letter, data set, or eyewitness account. Primary sources offer direct evidence rather than secondhand interpretation.

A work that interprets, analyzes, or summarizes primary sources, such as a textbook, review article, or biography. Secondary sources provide context but depend on the accuracy of their sources.

The trail of data a person leaves online through searches, posts, purchases, and site visits. It can persist indefinitely and affect reputation, privacy, and future opportunities.

A fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information by impersonating a trustworthy entity through email, text, or fake websites. Warning signs include urgency, mismatched links, and requests for credentials.