PSAT 8/9 key terms

The main point an entire passage is built to communicate. It is broader than a single detail and is usually stated or strongly implied in the introduction or conclusion.

A specific fact, example, or reason that backs up a larger claim in a passage. Details answer questions like who, what, when, or how much.

A conclusion a reader draws by combining stated information with reasonable logic. It is not directly written but must be strongly supported by the text.

A direct quotation or close paraphrase from a passage used to prove a point. Strong answers cite evidence that clearly matches the claim being made.

The skill of choosing the quotation or data that best supports a stated claim. The best evidence is relevant, specific, and directly tied to the point.

A brief restatement of a passage's most important ideas in your own words. A good summary leaves out minor details and keeps the author's main point.

Restating a sentence or idea using different words while keeping the original meaning. It is useful for checking understanding and for citing ideas without quoting.

The attitude an author expresses toward the subject, such as skeptical, admiring, or amused. Tone is revealed through word choice, sentence structure, and punctuation.

The perspective from which a passage is told, such as first person, third person limited, or third person omniscient. It shapes what information the reader can access.

The reason a writer creates a text, such as to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain. Purpose guides which details and structures the author chooses.

A persuasive strategy aimed at the audience, commonly appealing to logic (logos), emotion (pathos), or the speaker's credibility (ethos). Recognizing appeals helps you analyze arguments.

A statement the author asserts as true and then supports with reasons and evidence. In an argument, the claim is the position the writer wants readers to accept.

An opposing view that a writer acknowledges and then responds to. Including one can make an argument seem fairer and more convincing.

A word or phrase that connects ideas and shows how they relate, such as however, therefore, or in addition. Good transitions clarify contrast, cause, or sequence.

The quality of a text whose sentences and paragraphs flow logically and stay connected. Cohesion comes from transitions, repeated key words, and consistent pronouns.

The relationship between a pronoun and the noun it stands for. Clear reference avoids confusion about who or what the pronoun means.

The noun that a pronoun replaces or refers back to. A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number and gender.

The rule that a verb must match its subject in number. Singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs, even when words come between them.

The form of a verb that shows when an action happens, such as past, present, or future. Consistent tense keeps a passage's timeline clear.

A word that joins words, phrases, or clauses, such as and, but, or because. Conjunctions signal the relationship between the ideas they connect.

Marks such as commas, semicolons, and colons that organize sentences and clarify meaning. Correct punctuation helps readers see where ideas begin, pause, and end.

An error that occurs when two complete sentences are joined by only a comma. It can be fixed with a period, semicolon, or conjunction.

A group of words containing a subject and a verb. An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence, while a dependent clause cannot.

An equation whose graph is a straight line, typically written as y = mx + b. In this form, m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.

A measure of how steep a line is, calculated as the change in y divided by the change in x between two points. It describes the rate of change.

The point where a line crosses the y-axis, occurring when x equals zero. In y = mx + b, it is represented by b.

The point where a graph crosses the x-axis, occurring when y equals zero. It is often called the zero or root of a function.

Two or more equations that share the same variables and must be solved together. The solution is the set of values satisfying every equation at once.

A method for solving equations by replacing a variable with an equivalent expression. It is especially useful when one equation already isolates a variable.

An equation of degree two, usually written as ax² + bx + c = 0 with a not equal to zero. Its graph is a parabola.

Rewriting an expression as a product of simpler expressions. For quadratics, factoring can reveal the solutions where the expression equals zero.

The highest or lowest point on a parabola. For a quadratic in standard form, its x-coordinate is found at x = -b / (2a).

The U-shaped curve that is the graph of a quadratic function. It opens upward when the leading coefficient is positive and downward when negative.

A relationship that assigns exactly one output value to each input value. Each input has a single output, though different inputs may share an output.

The domain is the set of all possible input values of a function, while the range is the set of all possible output values. Together they describe where a function is defined.

How much one quantity changes relative to another, often written as a ratio of change in output to change in input. For a line, it equals the slope.

A comparison of two quantities by division, often written as a fraction or with a colon. Ratios are used to scale recipes, maps, and similar figures.

An equation stating that two ratios are equal. Solving a proportion often involves cross-multiplying to find an unknown value.

A rate expressed per one unit of a given quantity, such as miles per hour or cost per item. It makes comparisons between different quantities easier.

A ratio comparing a number to 100, written with the % symbol. Percents are used to express parts of a whole, increases, and decreases.