Test Terminology Flashcards
Stative verb
states of feelings (I thought/ wanted/ wished for/ hated/
loved)
Dynamic verb
physical actions (I ran/ skipped/ hopped away)
Deontic modal verb
express certainty or
compulsion.
Epistemic modal verb
express possibility and choice
Modal verb
type of auxiliary verb. Express certainty (will), compulsion (must), possibility (might), choice (could/can)
Auxiliary verb
helping verb (am/is/has)
Modifiers (pre and post)
a word (noun or adjective) that modifies a sentence/ adds to the sense of the head noun (large family home)
Superlative adjective
expresses the highest degree of quality (the weather was the best on Saturday)
Comparative adjective
end in –er or have more in front of them (the weather was better the next day)
Abstract nouns
do not physically exist, ideas and emotions (love, anger, honour, faith, dignity)
Concrete nouns
things that physically exist (table, cat, chair, map)
Pronouns
a word which stands in place of a noun or noun phrase (usually to avoid repetition of the noun)
Low frequency words
words that appear more rarely, such as specialist terms from a field, e.g. medicine
High frequency words
words that appear often in everyday speech
Latinate
the use of words derived from Latin rather than those originating in Old English, e.g. suspend rather than hang.
Jargon
specialist terminology
Ellipsis
three omission or slurring [eliding] of one or more sounds or syllables - e.g. gonna = going to; wannabe = want to be; wassup = what is up
Taboo language
a word that should be avoided because it is considered to be wrong, embarrassing or unpleasant
Dysphemism
the substitution of a more offensive or disparaging word or phrase for one considered less offensive. Dysphemism is the opposite of euphemism
Euphemism
the substitution of a polite expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt
Idiom
a form of common non-literal expression (e.g. “I was dead on my feet”)
Standard English
the form of English widely recognised and accepted as ‘correct’.
Vulgarism
a word, phrase, or expression that is used widely but is regarded as nonstandard, unrefined, coarse, or obscene.
Contraction
words or phrases that have been shortened by removing one or more letters.
Slang
unconventional words or phrases that express either something new or something old in a new way
Lexical field
identifies the main subject matter of a text (e.g. food in a recipe, money in an article on economics)
Semantic field
a pattern of words with similar meanings found across a text or texts (e.g. bolt, trap, cage)
Collocation
two or more words that are often found together in a group or phrase with a distinct meaning (e.g. over the top, fish and chips, back to front)
Simple sentence
Has only one clause and must contain a verb
Compound sentence
Links two or more clauses using the conjunction ‘and’ or ‘but’
Complex sentence
Contains two or more clauses, one of which is a subordinate clause, which are linked together with conjunctions such as ‘by’, ‘because’, ‘when’, ‘while’ and ‘although’ (called subordinating conjunctions)
Minor sentence
A phrase or a subordinate clause being used as a complete sentence
e.g. Back home now.
Great cake, that.
Complex-compound sentences
Has at least one subordinate clause and a number of coordinate clauses (clauses beginning with coordinating conjunctions ‘and’, ‘but’ ‘or’
Declarative sentence
A statement that gives information
Interrogative
A question
Imperative
A command
Tag question
A declarative or imperative with a short clause (tag) on the end to turn it into a question
Exclamatory
Contains an exclamation mark at the end of the sentence
Subordinate clause
A subordinate clause does not make sense on its own and needs to be paired with a main clause to form a complete sentence. It must also contain a verb
Conditional subordinate clause
These provide a condition: If you don’t complete your homework, you’ll get a detention. Don’t phone unless it’s an emergency
Temporal subordinate clause
These relate to time: When it’s 12 o’clock, we’ll take a break.
After the break, we’ll work on the presentation
Active and passive voice
In active voice the subject of the sentence comes first and is the do-er of an action (Sarah broke the window)
In passive voice either the subject is the done to rather than the do-er (the window was broken by Sarah) or is removed from the sentence (the window was broken)
Triad
A pattern of three words or phrases (I came, I saw, I conquered)
Syntactic parallelism
When a writer or speaker repeats a sentence structure (If we build it, they will come. If they come, we will succeed)
Syndetic/Asyndetic
Syndetic listing is items in a list connected by a connective (I bought the food and the wine and the dessert!)
Asyndetic listing is items in a list connected by a comma or semi colon (I bought the food, wine, dessert…)
Main clause
A main clause can form a complete sentences on its own.
It must contain a verb
Coordinate clause
A coordinate clause is a main clause in a compound or compound-complex sentence
Stranded co ordinate clause
This is a co ordinate clause on its own in a sentence without another main clause to accompany it
Concessive subordinate clause
These concede something: Even though I couldn’t afford it, I booked the holiday
Although I don’t agree with her, I respect her views.
Subordinate clause of reason
These provide a reason: Because the train was late, Sam missed the concert.
Since you didn’t reply to my message, I thought your weren’t coming.
Relative subordinate clause
These add additional information and start with a relative pronoun: This is the woman who won the big cash prize
Kate, who had been off sick for some time, was behind on the work.
The exams, which happened last week, went really well.
Left branching sentences
Lengthy information before the subject of the sentence : Disorientated, dazed, discombobulated and peering through the narrow gap anxiously, Charlie wondered if it was safe out there.
