Your FREE HiSET Flashcards 2026 – 250+ Cards

The central point a passage conveys — what the whole text is mostly about.

A fact, example, statistic, or reason that explains or develops the main idea.

The reason a text was written — to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain.

The author's attitude toward the subject, shown through word choice.

The feeling or atmosphere a text creates in the reader.

A logical conclusion drawn from text evidence plus prior knowledge — not stated outright.

The underlying message or insight about life that a literary work conveys.

Imaginative writing — fiction, poetry, drama; 40% of HiSET Reading passages.

Nonfiction — essays, articles, editorials, documents; 60% of HiSET Reading.

The emotional or implied meaning of a word, beyond its literal meaning.

The literal, dictionary definition of a word.

Language meaning beyond the literal — metaphor, simile, personification.

A comparison that states one thing IS another (e.g., 'time is money').

A comparison using 'like' or 'as' (e.g., 'brave as a lion').

Giving human qualities to non-human things (e.g., 'the wind whispered').

Using an object or image to represent a larger idea.

A contrast between what is expected and what actually happens or is said.

The perspective from which a story is told (first person 'I', third person 'he/she').

The voice that tells a story; may be a character or an outside observer.

How an author reveals a character's traits through actions, words, and thoughts.

A brief restatement of a text's main idea and key supporting points.

Understanding the explicit, stated information in a text.

Combining ideas from two or more texts to draw a broader conclusion.

Examining how two things are alike (compare) and different (contrast).

A text structure showing how one event leads to another.

A text structure presenting events in chronological order.

A text structure that states an issue and proposes a way to resolve it.

Words or phrases nearby that help reveal an unfamiliar word's meaning.

An author's claim supported by reasons and evidence.

A debatable position an author argues for.

Facts, examples, and reasoning used to support a claim.

A point that opposes the author's claim, often addressed to strengthen the argument.

An author's unfair leaning that shapes how information is presented.

A fact can be proven true; an opinion is a personal belief or judgment.

A firsthand record from the time studied (letter, diary, speech).

A later account that analyzes or interprets primary sources.

Hints early in a text about what will happen later.

An interruption that shows an earlier event.

Descriptive language that appeals to the five senses.

A reference to a well-known person, event, or work.

A category of writing (e.g., memoir, editorial, poetry, biography).

A nonfiction account of the author's own memories and experiences.

An opinion piece that argues a position, usually in a newspaper.

A short nonfiction account of a person's life.

The sentence that states the main idea of a paragraph.

Restating a text's ideas in your own words without changing the meaning.

Using evidence to decide what is logically true beyond the text.

Explicit is stated directly; implicit is suggested and must be inferred.

The art of using language to persuade an audience.

The intended readers a text is written for.

An author's choice of words, which shapes tone and meaning.

A broad statement drawn from several examples or pieces of evidence.

A grouped set of lines in a poem, like a paragraph.

The topic is what a text is about; the theme is the message about it.

A singular subject takes a singular verb; a plural subject takes a plural verb.

Using the same grammatical form for items in a list, pair, or comparison.

A word or phrase (however, therefore) that signals the relationship between ideas.

Two independent clauses joined incorrectly, without proper punctuation.

Two independent clauses joined by only a comma — an error.

An incomplete sentence missing a subject, verb, or complete thought.

A group of words with a subject and verb that can stand alone as a sentence.

A clause with a subject and verb that cannot stand alone.

A pronoun must match its noun in number and gender.

Keep tense the same unless the time frame actually changes.

A modifier with no clear word to describe, causing confusion.

A modifier placed too far from the word it describes.

Use subjective (I, he), objective (me, him), or possessive (my, his) correctly.

The subject performs the action (e.g., 'the team won the game').

The subject receives the action (e.g., 'the game was won by the team').

Shows possession or a contraction — never a plain plural.

Links two closely related independent clauses, or separates complex list items.

Introduces a list, explanation, or quotation after a complete sentence.

Use commas to separate three or more items in a list.

Two independent clauses joined by a comma + conjunction or a semicolon.

An independent clause joined with one or more dependent clauses.

A word joining equal parts: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so (FANBOYS).

A word starting a dependent clause (because, although, since, while).

Arranging a text logically with effective openings, transitions, closings (22%).

Clear, varied, idiomatic sentences and precise word choice (43%).

Correct grammar, usage, punctuation, capitalization, spelling (35%).

The HiSET essay: an evidence-based argument from a pair of source texts.

A sentence that states the central claim of an essay.

The opening paragraph that hooks the reader and states the thesis.

The closing paragraph that restates the position and ties ideas together.

A paragraph that develops one point with evidence and reasoning.

Using more words than needed; HiSET rewards concise standard English.

Needless repetition of an idea (e.g., 'free gift').

Standard phrasing native speakers use (e.g., 'interested in', not 'interested on').

Begin sentences and proper nouns with a capital letter.

A word or phrase (adjective, adverb) that describes another word.

The noun a pronoun refers back to.

Writing that is easy to understand on first reading — a key HiSET goal.

The attitude your word choice conveys; match it to your audience and purpose.

Expressing ideas in as few words as possible without losing meaning.

Improving content, organization, and clarity of a draft.

Correcting grammar, punctuation, and spelling in a draft.

Set off direct speech, quotations, and certain titles.

Indicative (states a fact), imperative (commands), or subjunctive (hypothetical).

Comparative compares two (taller); superlative compares three+ (tallest).

Words that sound alike but differ in meaning/spelling (their, there, they're).

Adjust word choice, tone, and style to fit who you write for and why.

Specific support from the source texts that backs your claim.

Ordering points so each builds logically on the last.

Grouping related sentences; start a new paragraph for each new idea.

The widely accepted formal grammar and usage tested on the HiSET.

A pronoun with no clear antecedent, causing confusion.

Mixing short and long, simple and complex sentences for better flow.

Rise over run: the change in y divided by the change in x; the m in y = mx + b.

PEMDAS: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiply/Divide, Add/Subtract (left to right).

Where a line crosses the y-axis (x = 0); the b in y = mx + b.

An equation whose graph is a straight line; variables to the first power.

ax² + bx + c = 0; its graph is a parabola; solve by factoring or the formula.

x = (−b ± √(b² − 4ac)) ÷ (2a), where ax² + bx + c = 0.

In a right triangle, a² + b² = c² (c is the hypotenuse). NOT on the formula sheet.

The average — add all values and divide by how many there are.

The middle value of a data set arranged in order.

The value that appears most often in a data set.

The highest value minus the lowest value in a data set.

Favorable outcomes ÷ total outcomes; a number from 0 to 1.

Divide by 100 (move the point two places left): 25% = 0.25.

Multiply by 100 (move the point two places right): 0.4 = 40%.

Convert to a decimal and multiply: 20% of 80 = 0.20 × 80 = 16.

(new − old) ÷ old × 100.

A comparison of two quantities by division (e.g., 3 to 4, or 3:4).

Two equal ratios; solve by cross-multiplying.

To solve a/b = c/d, set a×d = b×c.

When multiplying like bases, add exponents: xᵃ × xᵇ = xᵃ⁺ᵇ.

When dividing like bases, subtract exponents: xᵃ ÷ xᵇ = xᵃ⁻ᵇ.

A value that, multiplied by itself, gives the number: √25 = 5.

A number written as a digit × a power of 10 (e.g., 3 × 10⁸).

A number that can be written as a fraction of two integers.

A number that can't be written as a fraction (e.g., √2, π).

A whole number and its negatives (…, −2, −1, 0, 1, 2, …).

A number's distance from zero, always non-negative: |−5| = 5.

A rule assigning exactly one output to each input; written f(x).

Domain = all input (x) values; range = all output (y) values.

A statement using <, >, ≤, or ≥; flip the sign when multiplying/dividing by a negative.

Two equations solved together by substitution or elimination.

Area = length × width.

Area = ½ × base × height.

Area = π × r² (r is the radius).

C = 2 × π × r, or π × diameter.

Volume = length × width × height.

Volume = π × r² × height.

The total distance around a 2-D shape (add all side lengths).

Two angles whose measures add to 180°.

Two angles whose measures add to 90°.

Opposite angles formed by two intersecting lines; they are equal.

Triangles with equal angles and proportional sides.

Figures with the same size and shape.

Use the median over the mean when a data set has extreme outliers.

A trend line through a scatter plot; its slope is the rate of change.

A grid defined by the x-axis and y-axis; points are written (x, y).

distance = rate × time (d = rt); NOT provided on the formula sheet.

Rewriting an expression as a product (e.g., x² + 5x + 6 = (x+2)(x+3)).

An expression of terms with whole-number exponents (e.g., 2x² + 3x − 1).

Terms with the same variable and exponent that can be combined.

Mass per unit of area or volume (e.g., persons per square mile).

A data value far from the rest, which can skew the mean.

A bar graph showing the frequency of data in equal intervals.

A display of a data set's median, quartiles, and range.

A table showing counts for two categorical variables.

How one quantity changes relative to another — the slope of a line.

Use inverse operations on both sides to isolate the variable.

HiSET Math doesn't require a calculator; one is provided on request.

Plants use sunlight, CO₂, and water to make glucose and oxygen (in chloroplasts).

Cells break down glucose to release usable energy (≈ reverse of photosynthesis).

The variable the experimenter deliberately changes.

The variable measured to see if it responds to the independent variable.

A variable held constant so an experiment fairly tests one change.

A testable, falsifiable proposed explanation, often an 'if…then…' prediction.

Observe, hypothesize, test, analyze data, and conclude.

The basic structural and functional unit of life.

The cell's control center, containing DNA.

The plant-cell organelle where photosynthesis occurs.

The organelle that produces energy through cellular respiration.

The molecule carrying genetic instructions for an organism.

A segment of DNA that codes for a trait.

A dominant allele masks a recessive one when both are present.

Better-adapted organisms survive and reproduce more — the mechanism of evolution.

The change in inherited traits of a population over generations.

A community of organisms interacting with their non-living environment.

A sequence showing energy flow from producers to consumers.

An organism (like a plant) that makes its own food via photosynthesis.

An organism that eats other organisms for energy.

An organism that breaks down dead matter, recycling nutrients.

An interaction where one organism hunts and eats another.

A relationship in which both organisms benefit.

When organisms vie for the same limited resource.

An organism's maintenance of a stable internal environment.

The basic unit of matter, made of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

A positively charged particle in an atom's nucleus.

A negatively charged particle orbiting an atom's nucleus.

A chart organizing the elements by atomic number and properties.

A pure substance made of one type of atom.

A substance made of two or more elements chemically combined (e.g., H₂O).

Two or more atoms bonded together.

Solid, liquid, and gas; changes between them are physical changes.

A change in form, not identity (e.g., ice melting).

A change forming a new substance (e.g., rusting, burning).

A process in which atoms rearrange; mass is conserved.

Matter is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction.

A push or pull that can change an object's motion.

Force = mass × acceleration (F = ma).

The energy of motion.

Stored energy due to position or arrangement.

Energy transforms but is never created or destroyed.

Force applied over a distance (Work = force × distance).

The rate of doing work (work over time).

The attractive force between masses; gives objects weight.

A property of matter; moving charges produce magnetic forces.

Conductors let electricity flow easily; insulators resist it.

Water moving through evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection.

Liquid water turning into water vapor.

Water vapor cooling into liquid droplets, forming clouds.

Atmospheric gases trapping heat that would otherwise escape to space.

Weather is short-term conditions; climate is the long-term average.

Earth's surface is broken into plates whose movement causes quakes and mountains.

The wearing away and transport of rock and soil by wind or water.

The Sun and the objects orbiting it, including the planets.

Earth's axial tilt causes the changing seasons.

Stars form, fuse hydrogen, then expand and die (some as supernovae).

Reading graphs, tables, and charts — the top HiSET Science skill.

A conclusion follows from data; an assumption is taken for granted.

A relationship between variables does not prove one causes the other.

Legislative (makes laws), Executive (enforces), Judicial (interprets).

Dividing government authority among the three branches.

Each branch can limit the powers of the others.

Congress (Senate + House); makes laws and controls spending.

The President and agencies; enforces laws and commands the military.

The courts; interprets laws and the Constitution.

The power of courts to declare a law or action unconstitutional.

The supreme law of the U.S., establishing the framework of government.

The first ten amendments, guaranteeing individual rights.

The sharing of power between national and state governments.

Government in which power comes from the people, usually via elected representatives.

A government where citizens elect representatives to make laws.

A formal change or addition to the Constitution.

Introduced → committee → both chambers pass → President signs or vetoes.

The President's power to reject a bill passed by Congress.

Congress can override a veto with a two-thirds vote in both chambers.

1776 document declaring the colonies free and asserting natural rights.

Citizens have rights (vote, speech) and duties (obey laws, pay taxes).

Price settles where the quantity supplied equals the quantity demanded.

The basic economic problem: limited resources, unlimited wants.

The price where supply meets demand.

The value of the next-best option you give up when you choose.

Gross domestic product — the total value of goods and services a country produces.

A sustained rise in prices that lowers money's purchasing power.

Government use of taxing and spending to influence the economy.

Central-bank control of money supply and interest rates.

An economy where prices are set by supply and demand, not the government.

Saving, credit, interest rates, and informed financial choices.

The cost of borrowing money, or the return earned on savings.

A required payment to the government to fund public services.

The colonies' war for independence from Britain (1775–1783).

The 1861–1865 U.S. war that ended slavery and tested the Union.

The post-Civil-War era of rebuilding and the 13th–15th Amendments.

Abolished slavery in the United States.

Granted citizenship and equal protection under the law.

Prohibited denying the vote based on race.

A shift to machine manufacturing that transformed the economy.

The severe 1930s economic downturn.

FDR's 1930s programs to fight the Great Depression.

The 1914–1918 global war that reshaped Europe.

The 1939–1945 global war that made the U.S. a superpower.

Post-WWII tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

The 1950s–60s struggle to end legal segregation and expand equality.

European voyages that expanded global trade and contact.

The 1800s belief that the U.S. was destined to expand westward.

A firsthand account from the time studied (letter, speech, photo).

A drawing using symbols and exaggeration to make a political point.

The study of Earth's features and how they shape human activity.

The key explaining a map's symbols and colors.

The ratio of map distance to real distance.

Coordinates locating any point on Earth (north-south, east-west).

The movement of people from one place to another.

The long-term average weather of a region.

Materials from nature (water, oil, minerals) used by people.

The growth of cities as people move from rural areas.

The increasing economic and cultural connection among countries.

Linking events to their causes and consequences — a key HiSET skill.

Distinguishing what can be proven from a personal judgment.

Judging whether a source is trustworthy and unbiased.