Stanford 10 flashcards

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

Main idea

The central point a passage makes about its topic; it is often stated in a topic sentence and is broader than any single supporting detail.

Inference

A conclusion a reader draws by combining clues in the text with prior knowledge; it is not stated directly in the passage.

Context clue

Words, phrases, or sentences around an unfamiliar word that suggest its meaning, such as a definition, example, synonym, or contrast.

Fact vs. opinion

A fact can be checked or proven true, while an opinion expresses a belief, feeling, or judgment and often contains words like best or should.

Author's purpose

The reason an author writes a text, usually to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain; the purpose shapes the text's tone and structure.

Sequence

The order in which events or steps happen in a text, often signaled by words such as first, next, then, and finally.

Compare and contrast

A text structure that shows how two or more things are alike and different, signaled by words such as similarly, unlike, both, and whereas.

Theme

The underlying message or lesson about life that a literary work conveys, usually implied rather than stated outright by the author.

Order of operations

The agreed sequence for evaluating expressions: parentheses first, then exponents, then multiplication and division left to right, then addition and subtraction left to right.

Area of a rectangle

The number of square units inside a rectangle, found by multiplying its length by its width, written as A = length × width.

Perimeter

The distance around a closed plane figure, found by adding together the lengths of all of its sides.

Mean (average)

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

Percent to decimal

Divide the percent by 100 and drop the percent sign; for example, 45% becomes 0.45 and 7% becomes 0.07.

Adding fractions

Rewrite the fractions so they share a common denominator, add the numerators, and keep that denominator unchanged in the answer.

Triangle angle sum

The three interior angles of any triangle add to 180 degrees, so knowing two angles determines the measure of the third.

Circumference

The distance around a circle; it equals pi multiplied by the diameter, or two times pi times the radius.

Subject-verb agreement

A singular subject takes a singular verb and a plural subject takes a plural verb; phrases between the subject and verb do not change its number.

Pronoun-antecedent agreement

A pronoun must match its antecedent in number and gender, so a singular noun takes a singular pronoun such as he, she, or it.

Comma in a series

Separate three or more items in a list with commas; the final comma before and or or is optional but should be used consistently.

Its vs. it's

Its shows possession, as in the dog wagged its tail, while it's is a contraction meaning it is or it has.

Active vs. passive voice

In active voice the subject performs the action; in passive voice the subject receives it, usually formed with a form of be plus a past participle.

Adjective vs. adverb

Adjectives describe nouns and pronouns, while adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs and often end in the suffix -ly.

Run-on sentence

Two or more independent clauses joined without correct punctuation or a conjunction; fix it with a period, semicolon, or comma plus conjunction.

Possessive apostrophe

Add apostrophe-s to a singular noun to show possession; for a plural noun already ending in s, add only the apostrophe.

i before e rule

Spell ie in most words such as believe and piece, but use ei after c as in receive, and in words sounding like ay as in weigh.

Doubling final consonant

Double the final consonant before a suffix beginning with a vowel when a one-syllable word has one vowel and ends in one consonant, as in run to running.

Drop silent e

Drop a silent final e before a suffix that begins with a vowel, as in make to making, but keep it before a consonant suffix such as -ment.

Change y to i

Change a final y to i before adding a suffix unless the suffix itself begins with i, as in happy to happiness but cry to crying.

Plurals of -f words

Some nouns ending in f or fe change to ves in the plural, such as leaf to leaves and knife to knives, while others simply add s.

Their, there, they're

There indicates a place, their shows possession, and they're is the contraction of the two words they and are.

Silent letters

Some words contain letters that are written but not pronounced, such as the k in knee, the b in thumb, and the w in write.

Adding -es

Add es to form the plural of words ending in s, x, z, ch, or sh, producing forms such as boxes, churches, and dishes.