Language and Skills Description Flashcards
6 cards from real TKT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Language and Skills Description flashcards as text
What is 'register' in linguistics?
Answer: The variety of language used in a particular social situation or context
Register refers to the variation in language use according to social context — for example, the formal register of a business report versus the informal register of a friendly text message.
What does 'stress-timed rhythm' mean in English phonology?
Answer: The stressed syllables in an English sentence occur at regular intervals, while unstressed syllables are compressed
English is a stress-timed language, meaning the beats (stressed syllables) recur at roughly regular intervals, and intervening unstressed syllables are reduced to fit the pattern.
Which of the following is an example of a 'discourse marker'?
Answer: An expression such as 'firstly', 'on the other hand', or 'to sum up' that organises spoken or written discourse
Discourse markers are words or phrases that signal the structure, direction, or function of a text, helping listeners or readers follow the organisation of ideas.
What is 'intonation' in spoken language?
Answer: The rise and fall of pitch in spoken language, used to convey meaning and attitude
Intonation refers to the patterns of rising and falling pitch in speech. In English, it conveys meaning, attitude, grammatical function (e.g., questions vs. statements), and discourse structure.
What is the difference between 'productive' and 'receptive' vocabulary knowledge?
Answer: Receptive vocabulary is words a learner can understand when reading or listening; productive vocabulary is words they can use in speaking or writing
Receptive vocabulary (passive) refers to words understood on encounter; productive vocabulary (active) refers to words the learner can use appropriately in their own output.
What is the term for a word that sounds the same as another word but has a different meaning and spelling, such as 'hear' and 'here'?
Answer: Homophone
Homophones are words that have the same pronunciation but different spellings and meanings, such as 'hear/here', 'their/there/they're', or 'write/right'.