PNG Grade 8 English flashcards

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

Skimming

Reading quickly to grasp the general idea of a text, usually by looking at the title, headings, and first sentences of paragraphs.

Scanning

Reading rapidly to locate specific information such as a date, name, or number without reading every word in the passage.

Main idea

The central point a paragraph or passage is about; every other sentence supports or explains it, and it can usually be stated in one sentence.

Inference

A conclusion reached by combining evidence in the text with general knowledge; it is not stated directly but must be supported by details.

Fact versus opinion

A fact can be checked or proven true, while an opinion is a personal belief or judgement often signalled by words like should, best, or beautiful.

Context clue

Information in the surrounding sentence that helps a reader work out the meaning of an unfamiliar word, such as a definition, example, or contrast.

Topic sentence

The sentence, usually first in a paragraph, that states the paragraph's main idea and controls what the supporting sentences will explain.

Writing process

The stages a writer moves through: planning, drafting, revising ideas, editing for grammar and spelling, then publishing or presenting the final text.

Narrative structure

A story pattern of orientation, complication, and resolution, usually told in past tense with characters and a setting.

Persuasive writing

Writing that states a clear position and supports it with reasons and evidence, often answering a counter-argument before a strong conclusion.

Cohesion

The linking of sentences and paragraphs through pronouns and connectives so ideas flow logically rather than standing as isolated statements.

Formal letter layout

The standard arrangement of sender's address, date, receiver's address, salutation, body paragraphs, closing, and signature used in official correspondence.

Subject-verb agreement

The rule that a singular subject takes a singular verb and a plural subject takes a plural verb, ignoring phrases that come between them.

Active voice

A sentence construction in which the subject performs the action, as in the boy kicked the ball, making writing direct and clear.

Passive voice

A construction in which the subject receives the action, formed with a form of be plus past participle, as in the ball was kicked.

Reported speech

Indirect speech that reports what someone said without quotation marks, usually shifting the tense back, as in she said she was tired.

Sentence fragment

A group of words punctuated as a sentence but missing a subject, a finite verb, or a complete thought, so it cannot stand alone.

Comparative and superlative

Forms showing degrees of comparison: short adjectives add -er and -est, longer ones use more and most, and some are irregular.

Homophone

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

Prefix

A letter group added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning, such as un- meaning not or re- meaning again.

Suffix

A letter group added to the end of a word that often changes its word class, such as -ness forming nouns or -ful forming adjectives.

Consonant doubling rule

When a one-syllable word ends in consonant-vowel-consonant, the final consonant doubles before a vowel suffix, as in running and bigger.

Synonym and antonym

A synonym is a word with a similar meaning to another, while an antonym is a word with the opposite meaning.

Climax

The point of greatest tension or turning point in a story, after which the conflict begins to be resolved toward the ending.

Theme

The underlying message about life or human nature that a literary work explores, expressed as a full statement rather than a single word.

Simile and metaphor

A simile compares two things using like or as, while a metaphor states that one thing is another without using comparison words.

Personification

A figure of speech giving human qualities or actions to non-human things, such as the wind whispering through the trees.

Alliteration

The repetition of the same initial consonant sound in nearby words, often used in poetry to create rhythm and emphasis.

Foreshadowing

A hint or clue early in a text that suggests what will happen later, building suspense and preparing the reader for the outcome.

Active listening

Listening that involves full attention, eye contact, and checking understanding by paraphrasing or asking clarifying questions.

Turn-taking

The speaking convention of waiting for a pause, acknowledging the previous speaker, and making one clear contribution before others respond.

Oral presentation structure

An opening greeting and topic statement, two or three main points with examples, then a conclusion and invitation for questions.

Intonation

The rise and fall of a speaker's voice, which signals meaning such as a question, doubt, agreement, or emphasis on a key point.