An ELT Glossary A (a-ag) Flashcards
(33 cards)
✅Abstract nouns
➡️ Definition: Refers to an intangible concept, state, or quality that cannot be physically touched or seen.
➡️ Example: Happiness, thought, information, progress.
✅The Acculturation Model
➡️ Definition: The Acculturation Model suggests that successful second language acquisition depends on the learner’s social integration with the target language (TL) group, influenced by factors like the desire to communicate and attitude towards the TL group.
➡️ Example:
A migrant who integrates socially with TL speakers daily is more likely to acquire the language than someone who remains within their own language community.
✅Achievement test
➡️ Definition: This test is given at the end of a course to assess whether learners have successfully learnt the material taught.
➡️ Example: Many coursebooks include an “end of course” test designed to evaluate students’ learning based on the course content.
✅Second Language Acquisition (SLA)
➡️ Definition: Second Language Acquisition (SLA) is the process of developing proficiency in a language other than one’s mother tongue, either through formal learning or natural exposure.
➡️ Example: A student learns grammar rules in a classroom but acquires fluency by speaking with native speakers outside of class.
✅Acquisition vs learning (second language acquisition)
Acquisition is…, while learning is…
➡️ Definition:____ is an unconscious process of developing language ability through natural exposure, while ____ is the conscious study of language rules, often through formal instruction.
➡️ Example:
Acquisition: A child picks up correct grammar by listening to native speakers.
Learning: A student studies grammar rules in a classroom.
✅The Acquisition/Learning Hypothesis
➡️ Definition: One of Krashen’s five hypotheses, which states that acquisition (subconscious, through exposure) and learning (conscious, through formal study) are separate processes. Only acquired language is used fluently and spontaneously, while learning does not impact acquisition.
➡️ Example 1: A learner knows grammar rules (learning) but struggles to use them naturally in conversation (acquisition).
➡️ Example 2: A child in a TL environment acquires language through exposure, while an adult in a classroom is learning the TL.
✅Active Voice
➡️ Definition: A grammatical structure where the subject performs the action described by the verb, with the agent (doer) in the subject position and the patient (receiver) as the object.
➡️ Example: She wrote a letter.
✅Addition
➡️ Definition: A discourse relationship where two or more propositions are linked as being similar or adding to each other.
➡️ Example: I enjoy hiking. In addition, I love camping.
✅Adjacency pairs
➡️ Definition: An adjacency pair is a sequence of two related utterances by two speakers, where the second utterance is a predictable or required response to the first.
➡️ Example:
Speaker 1: “How are you?”
Speaker 2: “I’m fine, thanks.”
✅Adjectival Nouns
➡️ Definition: Adjectives that function as nouns to refer to abstract qualities or groups of people. They are typically preceded by “the” and can be singular or plural.
➡️ Example: The unemployed need more support. (Refers to a group of people; plural.)
✅Adjectives
➡️ Definition: Words that describe nouns or pronouns, referring to things, people, states, actions, or qualities.
➡️ Examples: large, Italian, cold, surprising, occasional
✅Functions of Adjectives
➡️ Definition: Adjectives can serve different grammatical roles in sentences, such as:
1) Premodify nouns: Appearing before a noun to describe it.
2) Act as subject complement: Describing the subject after a linking verb.
3) Act as object complement: Describing the object after a verb.
➡️ Examples:
Premodify nouns: It was an interesting lecture.
Subject complement: He looked ill.
Object complement: She found the place expensive.
✅Attributive adjectives
➡️ Definition: Adjectives that premodify nouns (come before the noun).
➡️ Example:
She has a large house.
✅Predicative adjectives
➡️ Definition: Adjectives that function as complements, appearing after linking verbs or in object complement structures.
➡️ Example 1: The exam seemed easy. (After a linking verb)
➡️ Example 2: She found the exam easy. (As an object complement)
✅What are Adjectives with Restricted Use?
Most adjectives can be used in both positions:
Attributive (before the noun)
Predicative (after a copulative (linking verb)
However, some adjectives have restricted use and can only appear in one position:
Attributive Only = Can only appear before the noun. -The idea was mere. (❌ incorrect)
Predicative Only = Can only appear after a verb like be, seem, feel, etc. - An afraid man. (❌ incorrect)
✅Adverbials
➡️ Definition: Adverbials are words, phrases, or clauses that modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb. They can be classified into three types:
Adjuncts: Provide additional information about time, place, manner, etc.
Disjuncts: Express the speaker’s attitude or comment on the sentence as a whole.
Conjuncts: Link sentences or clauses together, showing relationships like contrast or addition.
➡️ Examples:
Adjunct: She arrived early. (Time modifier)
Disjunct: Frankly, I don’t care. (Speaker’s attitude)
Conjunct: I wanted to go to the park; however, it was raining. (Links ideas)
✅ Adverbials - Adjuncts
➡️ Definition: Adverbials that are integrated into the clause and provide information about manner, time, place, or reason.
➡️ Example:
He walked slowly out of the room.
✅ Adverbials - Disjuncts
➡️ Definition: Adverbials that express the speaker or writer’s attitude to the proposition in the clause.
➡️ Example: Unfortunately, we were too late.
✅ Adverbials - Conjuncts
➡️ Definition: Adverbials that show the logical relationship between clauses or sentences, such as cause, contrast, or addition.
➡️ Example:
It was pouring with rain. However, he insisted on going out.
- We missed the bus. As a result, we were half an hour late.
2. It was pouring with rain. However, he insisted on going out.
3. I don’t want to go. Besides, I’m busy that day.
✅ Adverb
➡️ Definition: An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, adjective, another adverb, or an entire sentence. Adverbs often answer questions like how, when, where, or to what extent.
➡️ Examples:
Modifying a verb: He spoke slowly. (How did he speak?)
Modifying an adjective: She was really tired. (To what extent was she tired?)
Modifying another adverb: He spoke really slowly. (To what extent did he speak slowly?)
Modifying a sentence: Frankly, I expected him to fail. (What is the speaker’s attitude?)
➡️ Types of Adverbs:
Manner: slowly, fast, clockwise
Place: here, there, locally
Frequency: often, never, sometimes
Time: today, now, then
Intensifying: really, quite, incredibly
Sentence Adverbs: frankly, hopefully, interestingly
Connectives: however, consequently, moreover
➡️ Syntactic Groups:
Adverbs can function as adjuncts, disjuncts, or conjuncts.
Example: He spoke slowly (adjunct).
Example: However, he insisted on going out (conjunct).
✅ Adverbial Clause
➡️ Definition: An adverbial clause is a dependent clause that functions as an adverb, modifying a verb, adjective, or another adverb. It provides information about how, when, where, why, to what extent, or under what condition something happens.
➡️ Examples:
Time: After we finished, we went home. (When did we go home?)
Reason: We left early because it started raining. (Why did we leave early?)
Condition: If you study hard, you will pass. (Under what condition will you pass?)
Purpose: She worked late to finish the project. (Why did she work late?)
✅ Adverb Particle
➡️ Definition: An adverb that is part of a phrasal verb, modifying its meaning. It can occur in both intransitive and transitive phrasal verbs.
➡️ Examples:
Intransitive: The plane took off.
Transitive (separable): She turned off the light / She turned the light off.
✅ The Affective Filter Hypothesis
➡️ Definition: The Affective Filter Hypothesis, part of Krashen’s Monitor Model, suggests that emotional and psychological states affect language acquisition. A high affective filter (negative emotions) blocks input, while a low affective filter (positive emotions) facilitates learning.
➡️ Example: A learner who feels anxious in class may struggle to acquire language because their affective filter is raised.
✅ Affective Variables
➡️ Definition: Psychological factors related to learners’ emotions and attitudes (e.g., motivation, anxiety, self-esteem) that influence language learning. These variables can impact learning either positively or negatively.
➡️ Example 1:
A learner made to feel embarrassed by a teacher’s correction may avoid participating in class due to low self-esteem, hindering learning.
➡️ Example 2:
A learner who feels valued and experiences regular success will be motivated to engage more actively in the learning process.
