These terms describe actions you perform in reading, listening, writing and speaking. Each entry gives a plain meaning, an original example, the term students confuse it with, and a page to learn more. The exam is in English, so the English terms stay as they are.
The English, BM and Chinese concept bridge lets you look terms up in all three languages.
Reading and listening terms
1. Scanning. Moving your eyes quickly to find a named detail, such as a date or a price. Example: Finding “Saturday” in a notice to see when a class starts. Confused with skimming, which is reading quickly for the general idea. See reading for specific information.
2. Skimming. Reading fast to get the gist of a text. Example: Glancing at headings and first lines to decide what an article is about. Confused with scanning. See reading for main ideas.
3. Main idea. The central point a text makes. Example: In a text about cycling to school, the main idea may be that it saves time and money. Confused with a detail, a smaller fact that supports it.
4. Detail. A specific fact, such as “the route takes twenty minutes”. Confused with the main idea. A detail can be true without being the point of the text.
5. Distractor. A wrong option that looks right because it reuses words from the text. Example: The text says “tickets are cheaper on weekdays”, and an option says “tickets cost more at weekends”, which reuses the words but changes the claim. See reading for specific information.
6. Inference. A conclusion you draw from clues when the text does not state it. Example: “She checked her watch again and again” suggests she is worried about time. Confused with a guess, which has no support in the text. See vocabulary and inference.
7. Attitude (viewpoint). How a speaker or writer feels about something. Example: “It was quite a good film, I suppose” shows a lukewarm attitude. Confused with an opinion stated plainly, because attitude is often shown by word choice and tone. See listening for viewpoint.
8. Correction (in listening). A speaker changes a detail they just gave. Example: “Meet at six, sorry, I mean seven.” The answer is seven. Confused with a repeated detail, where the speaker says the same thing again. See listening for detail.
Writing and language terms
9. Purpose. The reason you are writing, often more than one in a single task. Example: An email that must thank, ask a question and suggest a date has three purposes. Confused with topic, which is only the subject matter. See email communication.
10. Audience. The person or group you are writing or speaking to. Example: A message to a headteacher and a message to a cousin need different wording. Confused with purpose.
11. Register. How formal or informal your language is. Example: “I would be grateful if you could confirm” (formal) and “Can you tell me?” (informal). Confused with tone, the attitude the writing carries, such as polite, enthusiastic or firm.
12. Linking word (connective). A word that joins ideas, such as “however” or “because”. Example: “I wanted to go; however, it rained.” Confused with a preposition, which introduces a noun. See speaking organisation.
13. Paraphrase. Restating an idea in your own words while keeping the meaning. Example: “The shop closes early on Fridays” becomes “On Fridays the shop shuts before the usual time.” Confused with copying with one word changed. See sentence building and paraphrase.
14. Summary. A shorter version that keeps only the points relevant to the task. Confused with paraphrase, which may be as long as the original. The summary selection and paraphrase studio separates the two.
15. Extending an answer. Adding a reason, example or result to a short reply. Example: “I like football” becomes “I like football because it keeps me active, and I play with friends every Saturday.” Confused with repeating the same idea in new words. See speaking interaction.
16. Proofreading. Checking finished writing for slips in spelling, punctuation and grammar, one issue at a time. Confused with redrafting, which changes content and order. See spelling, punctuation and proofreading.
Two routes, not two meanings
The codes 0510 and 0511 also create a pair that is easy to confuse. In 0510 the speaking test is an oral endorsement.
In 0511 it counts towards the grade. Check your own entry, and see the assessment guide.
How to use this page
Pick three terms you mix up. Write your own one-line example for each, and try them on a short text from the original practice hub. If two still feel alike, online one-to-one English as a Second Language tuition gives you a teacher to test the difference against your own answers.