USTET key terms

A question that asks how one pair of words or ideas is related, then asks you to find a second pair with the same relationship.

A reasoning problem with two or more premises and a conclusion; you decide whether the conclusion must be true if the premises are true.

A list of numbers that follows a hidden rule; you find the rule and use it to predict the next number or the missing one.

The skill of spotting a repeated rule, shape, or order in a set of items so you can predict what comes next.

A set of items in which all but one share a common feature; you identify the item that does not belong.

Drawing a conclusion that must follow from given statements, using rules of reasoning rather than personal opinion or guesswork.

The ability to picture, rotate, fold, or arrange shapes in your mind to solve a visual problem.

A puzzle in which letters, numbers, or symbols are replaced using a rule; you must decode a message or apply the rule to new text.

A word that means nearly the same as another word in a given context, such as big and large. Writers use synonyms to avoid repeating the same word.

A word that means the opposite of another word, such as hot and cold. Antonyms help show contrast between ideas.

The grammar rule that a verb must match its subject in number and person, so a singular subject takes a singular verb.

The rule that a pronoun must match the noun it refers to in number, gender, and person, so readers know exactly who or what is meant.

A word or phrase that describes another word or phrase. A misplaced modifier attaches to the wrong word and makes the sentence confusing.

Using the same grammatical form for items in a list or comparison so the sentence sounds balanced and clear.

The feeling or association a word carries beyond its literal meaning, such as the negative tone of cheap compared with inexpensive.

The literal, dictionary meaning of a word, separate from the feelings or associations the word may suggest to readers.

A comparison of two quantities by division, often written as a to b or a:b, showing how many times one value contains another.

An equation that says two ratios are equal, such as 2/3 = 4/6. It is used to solve for an unknown value.

A number written as a part of 100, using the percent sign; 25% means 25 out of every 100.

The arithmetic average of a data set, found by adding all the values and dividing the sum by the number of values.

The middle value in an ordered data set. If there is an even number of values, it is the average of the two middle values.

The value that appears most often in a data set. A set can have one mode, several modes, or no mode at all.

A number between 0 and 1 that measures how likely an event is, where 0 means impossible and 1 means certain.

An arrangement of a group of items in which the order matters, such as the different ways three runners can finish a race.

A whole number greater than 1 that has exactly two factors: 1 and itself, such as 2, 3, 5, and 7.

A testable statement or prediction that an experiment can support or reject, based on observations and prior knowledge.

The factor in an experiment that the scientist deliberately changes or manipulates in order to observe its effect on another factor.

The factor in an experiment that is measured or observed; it responds to changes in the independent variable.

The process by which green plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make glucose and release oxygen.

The process cells use to release energy from glucose; it uses oxygen and produces carbon dioxide and water.

The type of cell division that produces two genetically identical daughter cells, used for growth, repair, and asexual reproduction.

The mass of a substance per unit volume, telling how much matter is packed into a given amount of space.

A scale from 0 to 14 that measures how acidic or basic a solution is, with 7 being neutral.

The central point that a passage is mostly about; it is the idea that the supporting details explain or prove.

A fact, example, reason, or description that explains, develops, or proves the main idea of a passage.

A conclusion a reader draws by combining evidence in the text with reasonable background knowledge, even when the author does not state it directly.

The writer's attitude toward the subject or audience, revealed through word choice and details rather than stated directly.

The reason a writer creates a passage, such as to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain something to the reader.

A brief restatement of the main points of a passage, written in your own words and leaving out minor details.

A word, phrase, or sentence near an unfamiliar word that helps you figure out its meaning from the surrounding text.