Understanding Questions: English Vocabulary List

in a way that makes sense based on clear thinking or reasoning

"Logically the answer must be correct."

"Logically the answer must be correct because all of the evidence supports it and there is no counterargument."

in accordance with truth

"Give me the precise time."

"The precise measurements are important for the experiment to be successful."

to express the meaning of something written or spoken with a different choice of words

"Paraphrase the passage in your own words."

"When writing research papers you must paraphrase your sources rather than copying them directly to avoid plagiarism."

to give special attention or importance to something

"Give special attention to this."

"The speaker will emphasize the key takeaways from the presentation for everyone to remember."

to gradually decrease the effectiveness, confidence, or power of something or someone

"His words undermine trust."

"His constant criticism began to undermine her confidence and made her doubt her own abilities."

to reach an opinion or decision based on available evidence and one's understanding of the matter

"I infer this from facts."

"From the evidence presented in the report we can infer that the company is likely to go bankrupt soon."

to use something as a basis for further development

"We can build on this success."

"The young athlete hopes to build on her recent success at the national championships and qualify for the Olympic team next year."

the overall sense of unity, logic, and connectedness in a text or discourse, where the ideas, information, and elements are organized and presented in a clear and meaningful way

"Essay has good coherence."

"The essay has excellent logical coherence and clear structure from the beginning until the very end."

to lessen the value or quality of something

"Noise can detract from peace."

"The constant interruptions from his phone calls began to detract from the focus of the important meeting."

a sentence or group of words from a movie, book, etc. that someone else repeats

"The quotation was inspiring."

"She used a quotation from the speech in her essay."

to explain or show the meaning of something using examples, pictures, etc.

"These examples illustrate the problem well."

"The graph illustrates the relationship between population growth and the increasing demand for natural resources."

having a close connection with the situation or subject at hand

"That is not relevant."

"That information is not relevant to our discussion so please stick to the topic at hand."

a connection that links one subject or idea to another

"Smooth transition is necessary."

"The company made a very smooth transition to the new management system without causing any major problems for employees."

to be or act in accordance with a rule, standard, etc.

"They conform to rules."

"Many teenagers feel pressure to conform to popular trends in fashion and music to fit in with their peers."

the common and proper way of doing something or appearing in a specific context or group

"That is the convention."

"Adhering to industry convention is important for maintaining professional credibility and trust among colleagues."

to change something in a way that suits a new purpose or situation better

"We adapt quickly."

"Organisms must adapt to changing environmental conditions to survive and thrive in their habitats."

to clearly define or state specific details, characteristics, or requirements

"Please specify your preferred delivery date."

"The contract specifies that all payments must be made within thirty days of the invoice date."

the perspective from which the narrator tells a story

"From my point of view, it is a good plan."

"From my point of view we should wait before making a final decision about the move."