MDCAT English Syllabus

What is the difference between 'used to + verb' and the present simple for habits?

'Used to + base verb' expresses a past habit or state no longer true (I used to smoke). The present simple expresses a current habit (I smoke).

Which tense is used in the main clause of a first conditional, and which in the 'if' clause?

The 'if' clause uses the present simple, and the main clause uses 'will + base verb' (If it rains, we will stay home).

What tenses form the second (unreal present) conditional?

The 'if' clause uses the past simple, and the main clause uses 'would + base verb' (If I had money, I would travel).

In vocabulary, what is a synonym and what is an antonym?

A synonym is a word with the same or similar meaning (big/large). An antonym is a word with the opposite meaning (hot/cold).

What is a homophone? Give an example.

A homophone is a word pronounced the same as another but differing in meaning and often spelling. Examples: their/there/they're; to/two/too.

What is the difference between denotation and connotation?

Denotation is a word's literal dictionary meaning; connotation is the emotional or cultural association it carries (e.g., 'childish' vs 'childlike').

What is a prefix and how does it change a word? Give an example.

A prefix is added to the front of a root to modify meaning. Example: 'un-' in 'unhappy' negates 'happy'; 're-' in 'rewrite' means again.

What is a suffix and what can it change? Give an example.

A suffix is added to the end of a root and often changes the word's part of speech. Example: '-ness' turns adjective 'kind' into noun 'kindness'; '-ly' makes an adverb.

Distinguish the commonly confused words 'affect' and 'effect'.

'Affect' is usually a verb meaning to influence (The weather affects mood). 'Effect' is usually a noun meaning result (The effect was clear).

What is a context clue and why is it useful in vocabulary questions?

A context clue is information in surrounding text (definition, example, contrast, or synonym) that helps infer an unknown word's meaning without a dictionary.

What is the difference between 'principal' and 'principle'?

'Principal' is a head of a school or means main/chief. 'Principle' is a noun meaning a fundamental rule or belief.

Define the main idea of a passage.

The main idea is the central point or overall message the author wants to convey; it is what the passage is mostly about, broader than any single detail.

What is a topic sentence and where is it usually found?

A topic sentence states the main idea of a paragraph and is most often the first sentence, though it can appear at the end or middle.

How does the main idea differ from the topic of a passage?

The topic is the general subject in a word or phrase (e.g., 'pollution'), while the main idea is the complete statement the author makes about that topic (e.g., 'Pollution harms urban health').

What strategy helps identify the main idea when there is no explicit topic sentence?

Read the whole passage, note the recurring subject, summarize each paragraph, and ask 'What point do all the details support?' The implied main idea is that unifying point.

What are supporting details in a passage?

Supporting details are the facts, examples, statistics, reasons, and explanations that develop, prove, or clarify the main idea.

Name three common types of supporting details.

Examples/illustrations, facts and statistics, reasons/explanations, definitions, descriptions, and expert quotations are all common supporting details.

What signal words often introduce supporting details or examples?

For example, for instance, such as, in addition, furthermore, specifically, to illustrate, and namely.

How can you locate a specific supporting detail quickly in a reading passage?

Scan for keywords from the question, use signal words, and check the sentences immediately around the topic sentence where details cluster.

What is an inference in reading comprehension?

An inference is a logical conclusion drawn from stated evidence plus reasoning; it is information implied but not directly stated in the text.

What is the difference between an inference and a directly stated fact?

A stated fact is written explicitly in the text, while an inference must be figured out by combining textual clues with prior knowledge and logic.

What formula summarizes how to make a valid inference?

Text evidence + prior knowledge/logic = inference. A valid inference stays within what the clues reasonably support and is not pure speculation.

How can you tell an author's tone as an inference?

Infer tone from word choice (connotation), imagery, and detail selection; e.g., harsh, critical words suggest a disapproving tone while praising words suggest an admiring tone.

In sentence completion, what should you do before choosing an answer for a blank?

Read the whole sentence for meaning and clue words (contrast, cause, continuation), predict a word that fits logically and grammatically, then match it to the options.

What do contrast signal words like 'although' or 'however' tell you about a sentence-completion blank?

They signal that the missing word should contrast with or oppose another part of the sentence, indicating an opposite or unexpected idea.

What is sentence correction and what error types does it commonly test?

Sentence correction identifies and fixes grammatical errors, testing subject-verb agreement, verb tense, pronoun reference, parallelism, modifiers, and preposition/article usage.

What is a misplaced modifier and how is it corrected?

A misplaced modifier is a word/phrase positioned so it seems to describe the wrong element. It is corrected by placing it next to the word it truly modifies (e.g., 'Walking home, I saw the dog' not 'Walking home, the dog...').

What is parallel structure (parallelism) in a sentence?

Parallelism means using the same grammatical form for items in a list or comparison (She likes reading, writing, and painting — all gerunds), ensuring balance.

What is paragraph completion and what should the added sentence do?

Paragraph completion asks you to insert the sentence that best fits a gap; the chosen sentence must maintain the paragraph's logic, coherence, tone, and topic flow, connecting the preceding and following ideas.

Which transition words help maintain coherence when completing a paragraph?

Additive (moreover, also), contrast (however, on the other hand), cause-effect (therefore, consequently), and sequence (first, next, finally) transitions preserve logical flow.