Mixed Deck — All TKT Topics Flashcards

A teacher wants students to practice a new grammar structure in a controlled way, maximizing speaking time for each student. Which grouping arrangement would be most effective for this stage of the lesson?

Answer: Pair work

Pair work is the most effective arrangement for maximizing Student Talking Time (STT) in a controlled practice activity. In pairs, every student has the opportunity to speak at the same time, significantly increasing individual practice compared to a whole-class setting where only one student can speak at a time.

A teacher, noticing a student is struggling to answer a question, says, "What's that thing we use to cook eggs in...? It's round... a frying...?" What is the function of the teacher's language?

Answer: Prompting

Prompting is when a teacher provides hints or clues to help a learner remember a word or produce a correct answer. By describing the object and providing the first part of the word, the teacher is prompting the student to say 'pan'.

A teacher is describing language use in a formal academic essay versus a casual text message. Which concept are they illustrating?

Answer: Register

The teacher is illustrating 'register'—the variety of language used in a particular social situation, which varies according to factors like formality, purpose, and the relationship between participants.

What does the term 'connotation' refer to in vocabulary study?

Answer: The emotional or cultural associations a word carries

Connotation refers to the emotional, cultural, or associative meaning a word carries beyond its literal definition. For example, 'home' connotes warmth and safety, while 'house' is more neutral.

What is the primary dual-focus of a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach?

Answer: Learning a subject topic and a foreign language simultaneously.

The core principle of CLIL is its dual-focused approach, where an additional language is used for learning and teaching both content (a curriculum subject like science or history) and the language itself. The other options are components of language learning but do not represent the central, defining feature of CLIL.

In the context of language learning, what is 'comprehensible input'?

Answer: Language that is slightly above the learner's current level but still understandable

Krashen's concept of comprehensible input (i+1) refers to language just beyond the learner's current level — challenging but understandable with context clues.

Which describes 'scaffolding' in a young learner classroom?

Answer: Providing temporary support structures that help learners complete tasks they cannot do alone

Scaffolding is temporary teacher support—such as sentence starters or visuals—that enables young learners to achieve tasks beyond their current independent ability.

What is 'teacher talk' or 'teacher language' in the context of ELT?

Answer: The modified, simplified language and interaction patterns a teacher uses when addressing language learners to facilitate comprehension

Teacher talk refers to the language teachers use with learners — typically modified for clarity, using slower speech, clear pronunciation, simpler vocabulary, and repetition to aid comprehension.

In which approach does the teacher use a text or situation to help learners discover grammar rules for themselves?

Answer: Inductive approach

The inductive approach (discovery learning) presents learners with examples and encourages them to notice patterns and work out the rules themselves.

Which feature of spoken English is illustrated when a speaker says 'gonna' instead of 'going to'?

Answer: Weak form and reduction

'Gonna' is an example of weak forms and reduction in connected speech. Unstressed function words and common phrases are often reduced or weakened in natural spoken English.

What does 'learner-centred teaching' emphasise?

Answer: Placing learners' needs, interests, and involvement at the forefront of classroom decision-making

Learner-centred teaching focuses on the needs, goals, preferences, and active involvement of learners, with teachers acting as facilitators rather than sole authorities.

In the word 'photography', where does the primary stress fall?

Answer: On the second syllable (-TOG-)

In 'photography', the primary stress falls on the second syllable: pho-TOG-ra-phy. This is a key feature of English word stress that learners must master.

2. Stop squandering your time.

Answer: Gerund

In the imperative sentence "Stop squandering your time," the word "squandering" functions as a gerund. A gerund is a verb form ending in "-ing" that acts as a noun. Here, "squandering" serves as the direct object of the verb "stop," referring to the *act* of wasting time.

What is a 'portfolio' as an assessment tool in language learning?

Answer: A collection of a learner's work, selected and organised to demonstrate their achievements, progress, and reflections over a period of time

A language portfolio is a purposeful collection of selected learner work that provides evidence of learning, progress, and self-reflection across a course or period of study.

When grouping young learners for activities, mixed-ability pairs are often recommended because:

Answer: Stronger learners can model language for weaker ones, benefiting both

Mixed-ability pairing allows peer scaffolding: stronger learners consolidate knowledge by explaining, while weaker learners receive accessible language models.

In the phrase 'an old wooden chair,' the adjectives are arranged in a specific order. Which order is CORRECT in standard English?

Answer: opinion before age before material

English adjective order typically follows: opinion → age → size → shape → color → origin → material → purpose.

Which type of reading is used when a student looks for a specific phone number in a directory?

Answer: Scanning

Scanning involves moving quickly through a text to locate specific information such as names, numbers, or dates.

What does 'soft CLIL' and 'hard CLIL' refer to?

Answer: Soft CLIL involves occasional content-focused activities within a mainly EFL lesson; hard CLIL involves the full integration of subject teaching in the target language across extended periods

Soft CLIL refers to language lessons with content elements; hard CLIL refers to full subject teaching delivered in the target language (e.g., geography taught entirely in English).

Which of the following best describes the language function of 'Could you possibly open the window?'

Answer: Making a polite request

'Could you possibly open the window?' is a polite request—the speaker is asking the listener to perform an action (opening the window) using an indirect, polite form.

5. The cake was consumed.

Answer: Passive Voice

The sentence "The cake was consumed" is an example of the passive voice. In this construction, the subject of the sentence (the cake) receives the action rather than performing it. The passive voice is formed using a form of the verb "to be" (was) followed by the past participle of the main verb (consumed), with the agent of the action often omitted or placed in a 'by' phrase.