FTCE ESOL K-12 Exam Questions &
Answers 2025/2026
Universal Grammar - ANSWERSChomsky-no dialect or language is more complex or
sophisticated than the other. We are all born with the capacity to learn any language w/o formal
instruction
LAD - ANSWERSLanguage Aquisition Device
Generative Grammar - ANSWERSset of rules that could be used to produce language
Deep Structure - ANSWERSour ideas, what we mean-derive meaning from social context
Surface Structure - ANSWERSwhat we say or write-literal meaning of words
Natural Order Hypothesis - ANSWERSKrashen- grammatical structures aquired in a predictable
order, independent of the order grammar is taught
Stages of SLA - ANSWERSKrashen-Pre-production (silent period), early production, speech
emergence, intermediate fluency, advanced fluency
Input Hypothesis/Comprehensible Input - ANSWERSKrashen-i+1, language input slightly above
current level yields optimal growth
Affective Filter - ANSWERSKrashen-mental block can be produced by negative factors such as
anxiety, low motivation, self confidence
,Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) - ANSWERSVygotsky-distance between developmental
level and level of potential development. Area between independent performance and assisted
performance
Communicative Competence - ANSWERSlearner's abiity to apply and use grammatical uses,
form correct utterances and know how and when to use them appropriately. The ability to
communicate effectively and to vary communication styles appropriately in various contexts.
Social and pragmatic competence.
Language Interference - ANSWERSeffect of L1 on production of L2
Negative Transfer - ANSWERSinterference of previous learning inprocess of learning something
new
Interlanguage - ANSWERSlanguage system "inbetween" L1 & L2 that student develops while
learning the L2 but is neither L1 or L2
SUP - ANSWERSSocial underlying proficiency (conversational language)
CUP - ANSWERSCommon underlying proficiency - commonalities between L1 & L2, skills, ideas,
concepts that students learn in L1 transfer to L2
BICS - ANSWERSCummins-Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills - social setting language
skills
CALP - ANSWERSCummins-Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency - languatge needed to
acquire academic skills and concepts
, Cummins Quadrant - ANSWERSA-cognitively undemanding/context embedded; B-cognitively
demanding/context embedded; C-cognitively undemanding/context reduced; D-cognitively
demanding/context reduced
Phoneme - ANSWERSclass of speech sounds, ie. /t/ are the smallest unit o sound that affects
meaning.
Monothong - ANSWERSone part vowel
Reduced Vowel - ANSWERSoccurs in unstressed word or syllable -schwa most common
Phonology - ANSWERSorganization of speech sounds
Homophone - ANSWERStwo words pronounced the same but different meaning & spelling, ie.
carrot & carat
Homonym - ANSWERStwo words spelled the same & sound the same, but that mean different
things, ie. left & left
Contrastive - ANSWERSchange of meaning by replacing one sound (phoneme) with another
Non-Contrastive - ANSWERSchange in sound (phoneme) does not change the meaning
Palatization - ANSWERSwhen a consonant becomes like a neighboring sound, ie. [d]->[dЗ], did
you eat
Digraph - ANSWERSsingle sound represented by two letters, ie. siNG -> ŋ
Answers 2025/2026
Universal Grammar - ANSWERSChomsky-no dialect or language is more complex or
sophisticated than the other. We are all born with the capacity to learn any language w/o formal
instruction
LAD - ANSWERSLanguage Aquisition Device
Generative Grammar - ANSWERSset of rules that could be used to produce language
Deep Structure - ANSWERSour ideas, what we mean-derive meaning from social context
Surface Structure - ANSWERSwhat we say or write-literal meaning of words
Natural Order Hypothesis - ANSWERSKrashen- grammatical structures aquired in a predictable
order, independent of the order grammar is taught
Stages of SLA - ANSWERSKrashen-Pre-production (silent period), early production, speech
emergence, intermediate fluency, advanced fluency
Input Hypothesis/Comprehensible Input - ANSWERSKrashen-i+1, language input slightly above
current level yields optimal growth
Affective Filter - ANSWERSKrashen-mental block can be produced by negative factors such as
anxiety, low motivation, self confidence
,Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) - ANSWERSVygotsky-distance between developmental
level and level of potential development. Area between independent performance and assisted
performance
Communicative Competence - ANSWERSlearner's abiity to apply and use grammatical uses,
form correct utterances and know how and when to use them appropriately. The ability to
communicate effectively and to vary communication styles appropriately in various contexts.
Social and pragmatic competence.
Language Interference - ANSWERSeffect of L1 on production of L2
Negative Transfer - ANSWERSinterference of previous learning inprocess of learning something
new
Interlanguage - ANSWERSlanguage system "inbetween" L1 & L2 that student develops while
learning the L2 but is neither L1 or L2
SUP - ANSWERSSocial underlying proficiency (conversational language)
CUP - ANSWERSCommon underlying proficiency - commonalities between L1 & L2, skills, ideas,
concepts that students learn in L1 transfer to L2
BICS - ANSWERSCummins-Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills - social setting language
skills
CALP - ANSWERSCummins-Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency - languatge needed to
acquire academic skills and concepts
, Cummins Quadrant - ANSWERSA-cognitively undemanding/context embedded; B-cognitively
demanding/context embedded; C-cognitively undemanding/context reduced; D-cognitively
demanding/context reduced
Phoneme - ANSWERSclass of speech sounds, ie. /t/ are the smallest unit o sound that affects
meaning.
Monothong - ANSWERSone part vowel
Reduced Vowel - ANSWERSoccurs in unstressed word or syllable -schwa most common
Phonology - ANSWERSorganization of speech sounds
Homophone - ANSWERStwo words pronounced the same but different meaning & spelling, ie.
carrot & carat
Homonym - ANSWERStwo words spelled the same & sound the same, but that mean different
things, ie. left & left
Contrastive - ANSWERSchange of meaning by replacing one sound (phoneme) with another
Non-Contrastive - ANSWERSchange in sound (phoneme) does not change the meaning
Palatization - ANSWERSwhen a consonant becomes like a neighboring sound, ie. [d]->[dЗ], did
you eat
Digraph - ANSWERSsingle sound represented by two letters, ie. siNG -> ŋ
