NES ESOL EXAM 2025 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
Morpheme - ....ANSWER ...-in a language, the smallest unit that carries meaning;
may be a word or a part of a word (such as a prefix)
Acculturation - ....ANSWER ...-Borrowing culture traits from another group.
Incorporating new traits WITHOUT altering its own culture.
Register - ....ANSWER ...-The form of a language that is appropriate to a given
situation. Varies depending on setting, relationships, linguistic interaction. Often
students learn classroom langauge and are unable to speak in informal settings.
Slang - ....ANSWER ...-Any nonstandard form of a language. Derogative sense
(words & phrases not proper for social interaction). Gives sense of community.
Phonology - ....ANSWER ...-SOUNDS of a langauge. The smallest unit of sound
that can hold meaning is a (phoneme).
Phonemic Awareness vs. Phonics - ....ANSWER ...-Phonemic awareness precedes
phonics instruction.
Phonics = direct correspondence between letters & sounds (require presence of print).
Alphabetic principle.
Both needed as child prepares to read.
....FOR STUDY PURPOSES...©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED... 1
,Phonemes & Graphemes - ....ANSWER ...-Phonetic alphabet /k/. Alphabetic
symbols used to describe phoneme.
Graphemes - an illustrative series of lettesr to describe sounds (phonemes). C in cold. K
in kilogram. Long "i" as in "fly" or "igh" in sigh.
Morphology - ....ANSWER ...-the study of the structure of words. Words are
constructed out of letters. The smallest meaningful unit of a morphological system is a
(morpheme). EX: Boy can stand alone or boys with other letters. (Many English
exceptions: man --- men).
Syntax - ....ANSWER ...-Basic structure of a sentence. Order of words to make
sense.
Phonetics - ....ANSWER ...-The study of the sounds of language. Phones have
distinct properties with respect to production. Real measureable sounds rather than
sound unites (phonemes).
Minimal Pairs - ....ANSWER ...-A pair of words that differ by only a single sound
and are recognized by speakers as different words. i.e. bat/cat or hare/dare
Onset & Rime - ....ANSWER ...-The sound that initiates a syllable while the vowel
& any consonants after the vowel are called the rime.
i.e. "Boy" - "B" is onset, "oy" is rime.
Intra-language - ....ANSWER ...-Concerns the differences within a language, such
as over-generalizations about plurals, tenses,
etc.
....FOR STUDY PURPOSES...©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED... 2
, Inter-language - ....ANSWER ...-transitional system in which a person uses rules
from two or more languages simultaneously
a jumble of rules from both languages
Sociolect - ....ANSWER ...-a social dialect or variety of speech used by a particular
group, such as working-class or upper-class speech.
Idiolect - ....ANSWER ...-an individual's accent and dialect features, as a result of
their personal upbringing and experiences. Be careful not to pre-judge a student due to a
dialect.
Semantics - ....ANSWER ...-Meanings of the words. Denotations (primary
meaning) & Connotations (personal feelings) of words.
Consonant diagraph - ....ANSWER ...-Diagraphs are "voiceless" combinations of
two consonants. Following are examples: st, ch, sh, th, wh.
Pragmatics - ....ANSWER ...-The appropriate use of language in different contexts.
Intuitive understanding of different meanings "Will you go out with me?"
Dialect - ....ANSWER ...-A form of language spoken by people in a particular
region or group.
Zone of Proximal Development - ....ANSWER ...-Describes the difference between
what a person knows & what he would know if given assistance. Vygotsky. The process
of giving temporary aid to facilitate language learning (Scaffolding). Modeling, cues,
encouragement.
....FOR STUDY PURPOSES...©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED... 3
AND ANSWERS
Morpheme - ....ANSWER ...-in a language, the smallest unit that carries meaning;
may be a word or a part of a word (such as a prefix)
Acculturation - ....ANSWER ...-Borrowing culture traits from another group.
Incorporating new traits WITHOUT altering its own culture.
Register - ....ANSWER ...-The form of a language that is appropriate to a given
situation. Varies depending on setting, relationships, linguistic interaction. Often
students learn classroom langauge and are unable to speak in informal settings.
Slang - ....ANSWER ...-Any nonstandard form of a language. Derogative sense
(words & phrases not proper for social interaction). Gives sense of community.
Phonology - ....ANSWER ...-SOUNDS of a langauge. The smallest unit of sound
that can hold meaning is a (phoneme).
Phonemic Awareness vs. Phonics - ....ANSWER ...-Phonemic awareness precedes
phonics instruction.
Phonics = direct correspondence between letters & sounds (require presence of print).
Alphabetic principle.
Both needed as child prepares to read.
....FOR STUDY PURPOSES...©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED... 1
,Phonemes & Graphemes - ....ANSWER ...-Phonetic alphabet /k/. Alphabetic
symbols used to describe phoneme.
Graphemes - an illustrative series of lettesr to describe sounds (phonemes). C in cold. K
in kilogram. Long "i" as in "fly" or "igh" in sigh.
Morphology - ....ANSWER ...-the study of the structure of words. Words are
constructed out of letters. The smallest meaningful unit of a morphological system is a
(morpheme). EX: Boy can stand alone or boys with other letters. (Many English
exceptions: man --- men).
Syntax - ....ANSWER ...-Basic structure of a sentence. Order of words to make
sense.
Phonetics - ....ANSWER ...-The study of the sounds of language. Phones have
distinct properties with respect to production. Real measureable sounds rather than
sound unites (phonemes).
Minimal Pairs - ....ANSWER ...-A pair of words that differ by only a single sound
and are recognized by speakers as different words. i.e. bat/cat or hare/dare
Onset & Rime - ....ANSWER ...-The sound that initiates a syllable while the vowel
& any consonants after the vowel are called the rime.
i.e. "Boy" - "B" is onset, "oy" is rime.
Intra-language - ....ANSWER ...-Concerns the differences within a language, such
as over-generalizations about plurals, tenses,
etc.
....FOR STUDY PURPOSES...©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED... 2
, Inter-language - ....ANSWER ...-transitional system in which a person uses rules
from two or more languages simultaneously
a jumble of rules from both languages
Sociolect - ....ANSWER ...-a social dialect or variety of speech used by a particular
group, such as working-class or upper-class speech.
Idiolect - ....ANSWER ...-an individual's accent and dialect features, as a result of
their personal upbringing and experiences. Be careful not to pre-judge a student due to a
dialect.
Semantics - ....ANSWER ...-Meanings of the words. Denotations (primary
meaning) & Connotations (personal feelings) of words.
Consonant diagraph - ....ANSWER ...-Diagraphs are "voiceless" combinations of
two consonants. Following are examples: st, ch, sh, th, wh.
Pragmatics - ....ANSWER ...-The appropriate use of language in different contexts.
Intuitive understanding of different meanings "Will you go out with me?"
Dialect - ....ANSWER ...-A form of language spoken by people in a particular
region or group.
Zone of Proximal Development - ....ANSWER ...-Describes the difference between
what a person knows & what he would know if given assistance. Vygotsky. The process
of giving temporary aid to facilitate language learning (Scaffolding). Modeling, cues,
encouragement.
....FOR STUDY PURPOSES...©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED... 3
