Sign Language Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Sign Language facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What does widened eyes paired with raised brows modify in ASL when used as a non-manual marker? → Adjectives or adverbs to intensify their meaning
2. What is the 'oralist' approach to deaf education? → Educating deaf students using only spoken language and lip-reading, without sign language
3. What is the primary difference between ASL and Signed Exact English (SEE)? → SEE follows English grammar word-for-word, while ASL has its own grammar
4. Which ASL letter requires a movement (a hook of the pinky) rather than a static handshape? → J
5. What is the ASL sign for 'MOTHER' typically located near? → The chin
6. In ASL, where is time typically established in a sentence? → At the beginning of the sentence
7. Which ASL letter is formed by holding the hand flat with all four fingers together and the thumb extended to the side? → B
8. What is 'Deaf Gain'? → The idea that Deaf people and sign languages contribute unique value to humanity
9. What is 'contact signing' (sometimes called Pidgin Signed English)? → A variety that blends ASL signs with English word order and mouthing
10. What does 'ASL gloss' refer to? → A written representation of ASL using English words in capital letters
11. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires what for Deaf individuals in workplaces? → Employers must provide reasonable accommodations, including sign language interpreters
12. What does 'open captioning' mean? → Permanent captions visible to all viewers that cannot be turned off
13. What is the role of 'indexing' (pointing) in ASL grammar? → It establishes or refers to a referent in signing space
14. Which of the following correctly describes a 'compound sign' in ASL? → Two separate signs combined to create a new meaning
15. How is the number 100 signed in ASL? → Sign 1 followed by the letter C
16. What is the role of a 'Certified Deaf Interpreter' (CDI)? → A Deaf person who is certified to interpret between ASL and spoken English
17. What was the Milan Conference of 1880 known for in Deaf history? → A resolution banning sign language in schools in favor of oral methods
18. How do non-manual markers contribute to the prosody of ASL? → They mark sentence boundaries, stress, and rhythmic patterns in signing
19. How is 'NIGHT' signed in ASL? → Cover one hand with the other and tilt both downward
20. How do you sign 'MORNING' in ASL? → Bend the forearm upward from the elbow like a rising sun
21. Which of the following is an example of a non-manual marker indicating negation in ASL? → A sideways head shake produced simultaneously with the signed statement
22. What is 'tactile ASL' primarily used for? → A form of ASL used by deaf-blind individuals who feel the signer's hands
23. What does the term 'CODA' stand for in the Deaf community? → Child Of Deaf Adults
24. What does this sign in the image mean? → 8
25. Which ASL letter involves touching the fingertips of all four fingers to the thumb, forming a flattened O shape? → E
26. In ASL, how are numbers 1-5 typically oriented when counting? → Palm facing outward away from the signer
27. What does the term 'initialized sign' mean in ASL? → A sign that uses the handshape of the first letter of the English word
28. In ASL fingerspelling, which letter is formed by extending all five fingers upward with the palm facing out? → B
29. How is 'NOON' (12:00 PM) typically signed in ASL? → Hold the dominant forearm straight up vertically on the non-dominant palm
30. Which of the following is an example of a 'directional verb' in ASL? → GIVE