Your FREE PSAT Flashcards 2026 – 100+ Cards

The main point a passage makes — the claim every sentence supports; broader than any one detail but never beyond what the text says.

A specific fact, example, or statement in a passage that backs up the central idea; a detail question asks for one stated fact, not the main point.

Identifying the textual quotation or quantitative data point that best supports a given claim or conclusion.

A specific quotation or line from a passage that supports a claim; the right choice must directly back the claim, not just be true.

A value read from a graph or table that supports a claim; check axis labels and units before choosing.

A logical conclusion a passage implies but does not state outright; the correct inference is the one the text most strongly supports.

The main idea is the overall point of a passage; a detail is one specific piece of information that supports it.

Pinning down exactly what a passage argues before evaluating answer choices, so each choice is judged against the text's actual point.

A data display crossing two categories; read the correct row and column, and watch for 'given that' conditional wording.

Crossing out any answer that needs information the passage never gives — a key move on inference and evidence questions.

The overall direction a graph shows (rising, falling, steady); evidence answers must match the trend actually displayed.

The logical endpoint a passage's information leads to; choose the conclusion the text best supports, not the most dramatic one.

Choosing the word or phrase that best completes a passage based on the surrounding meaning, tone, and logic — not the dictionary definition.

The emotional or tonal shade of a word beyond its literal meaning; a synonym with the wrong connotation is still wrong in context.

Covering the choices and predicting your own word first, then picking the closest match — the best Words in Context strategy.

Why an author wrote a passage and how each part functions — whether a line states a claim, gives an example, or qualifies.

The reason a writer includes a passage or line — to inform, persuade, illustrate, contrast, or qualify; name the role before checking choices.

A question pairing two short passages on one topic, asking how their authors relate — does Text 2 support, challenge, or extend Text 1?

An author's stance or attitude toward the subject; cross-text questions require pinning down each author's viewpoint separately.

The author's attitude conveyed through word choice — e.g., cautious, critical, enthusiastic, ambivalent; supported only by the text.

A comparison using 'like' or 'as' — 'fierce like a lion.'

A direct comparison without 'like' or 'as,' stating one thing is another — 'a heart of stone.'

Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis or effect, not meant to be taken literally.

An object, person, or image that stands for a larger idea — e.g., an old diary representing memory or the past.

Hints or clues an author plants that suggest an event will happen later in the text.

Using the same grammatical form for items in a series — 'reading, writing, and playing music' — for clarity and emphasis.

An Expression of Ideas task: combine bulleted notes into one sentence that meets a stated goal (emphasize a contrast, introduce a topic).

The specific purpose a rhetorical-synthesis question gives; read it first, then pick the sentence that actually accomplishes it.

A word or phrase (however, therefore, for example) signaling the logical relationship between ideas — contrast, cause, addition, or example.

furthermore, moreover, in addition, also — signal that the next idea adds to the previous one.

however, nevertheless, on the other hand, conversely — signal that the next idea opposes the previous one.

therefore, thus, consequently, as a result — signal that the next idea is a result of the previous one.

for example, for instance, specifically — signal that an illustration of the previous idea follows.

first, next, finally, subsequently — signal the order of steps or events.

Expressing an idea in as few words as needed without losing meaning; the PSAT rewards the most concise correct choice.

Using a contrast word where the ideas actually agree, or 'for example' where no example follows — name the relationship yourself first.

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

A clause with a subject and verb that cannot stand alone (often starting with because, although, when); it needs an independent clause.

Joining two independent clauses with only a comma — an error; fix with a period, semicolon, or comma plus a conjunction.

Joins two complete, related sentences with no conjunction; can replace a period between closely linked independent clauses.

The coordinating conjunctions — for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so; a comma + FANBOYS can join two independent clauses.

Introduces a list or explanation after a complete sentence — 'three items: a book, a pen, and a key.'

A verb must match its subject in number; ignore words between them and match the true subject ('the list of items is long').

A pronoun must match its antecedent in number — a company is 'it,' not 'they.'

Keeping verb tense consistent with the passage's timeline unless the meaning requires a shift.

An opening modifier that does not describe the noun right after the comma; fix by putting the modified noun first — 'Walking to school, the students...'

A group of words punctuated as a sentence but missing a subject, a verb, or a complete thought; fix by attaching it to an independent clause.

Two independent clauses joined with no punctuation or conjunction; fix with a period, semicolon, or comma + FANBOYS.

'Its' is possessive (the dog wagged its tail); 'it's' means 'it is' or 'it has.'

'Their' = possessive; 'there' = a place; 'they're' = they are.

Shows possession (the student's book) or a contraction (don't); not used to make a noun plural.

Place the comma or period inside the closing quotation mark — 'I will go,' said John.

Detail that can be removed without changing the core meaning; set it off with a pair of commas, dashes, or parentheses.

The steepness of a line: change in y divided by change in x (rise over run). In y = mx + b, slope is m.

y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept (where the line crosses the y-axis).

m = (y2 − y1) ÷ (x2 − x1), the change in y over the change in x.

The point where a line crosses the y-axis; in y = mx + b it is b, the value of y when x = 0.

Lines with equal slopes; they never intersect.

Lines whose slopes are negative reciprocals (their product is −1); they meet at a right angle.

Two or more equations solved together; the solution is the point that satisfies all of them — where the graphs intersect.

Solve one equation for a variable, then substitute that expression into the other equation.

Add or subtract the equations of a system to cancel one variable, then solve for the other.

Occurs when the lines are parallel — same slope, different y-intercept; they never cross.

Occurs when the two equations are multiples of each other — the same line; every point satisfies both.

When you multiply or divide both sides of an inequality by a negative number, reverse the inequality sign.

An equation whose graph is a straight line, expressible as y = mx + b; it changes by a constant amount per step.

Isolate the variable by doing the same operation to both sides — e.g., 3x + 7 = 22 gives 3x = 15, so x = 5.

|A| = b (b ≥ 0) means A = b or A = −b — two cases; |A| = (negative) has no solution.

An equation of the form ax² + bx + c = 0; solve by factoring, completing the square, or the quadratic formula.

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

b² − 4ac inside the quadratic formula; positive = two real solutions, zero = one, negative = none.

Writing ax² + bx + c as a product of binomials; if it factors cleanly, factoring is faster than the formula.

For ax² + bx + c = 0, the roots sum to −b/a and multiply to c/a.

The U-shaped graph of a quadratic; its vertex is the maximum or minimum point.

The highest or lowest point of a quadratic's graph; the axis of symmetry passes through it at x = −b/(2a).

y = a · bˣ, where a is the starting value and b is the growth (b > 1) or decay (0 < b < 1) factor; changes by a constant percent.

Growth factor b > 1 (e.g., 5% growth makes b = 1.05); decay factor 0 < b < 1 (e.g., 5% decay makes b = 0.95).

Linear adds a constant amount each step; exponential multiplies by a constant percent each step.

Writing a rule as f(x); f(3) means evaluate the function at x = 3.

a² − b² = (a + b)(a − b).

(a + b)² = a² + 2ab + b²; (a − b)² = a² − 2ab + b².

xᵐ · xⁿ = xᵐ⁺ⁿ — add exponents when multiplying powers of the same base.

(xᵐ)ⁿ = xᵐⁿ — multiply exponents when raising a power to a power.

x⁻ⁿ = 1 ÷ xⁿ — a negative exponent means reciprocal.

An equation with a variable in a denominator; solve by clearing fractions, then check for excluded values that make a denominator zero.

A sum of terms each with a variable raised to a whole-number power; degree is the highest exponent.

Change ÷ original value × 100; always divide by the starting amount, not the new one.

To increase a number by 25%, multiply by 1.25; to decrease by 25%, multiply by 0.75.

A comparison of two quantities (5 to 2); set up a proportion to scale it up or down.

An equation stating two ratios are equal; cross-multiply to solve for the unknown.

A rate expressed per single unit — e.g., $3.00 for 12 oz is $0.25 per ounce.

The average: the sum of values divided by how many there are; sensitive to outliers.

The middle value of an ordered data set; unlike the mean, it resists outliers.

The value that appears most often in a data set.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values in a data set.

A measure of how spread out data is around the mean; a larger value means more spread.

Favorable outcomes ÷ total outcomes, always a number from 0 to 1.

Right-skewed: mean > median; left-skewed: mean < median; the skew points toward the mean.

A value from −1 to 1 measuring the strength and direction of a linear relationship; its square (r²) is the fraction of variation explained.

A table crossing two categories of data; read the correct row and column, and watch conditional 'given that' wording.

Apply each change to the running total: a 25% rise then a 20% fall on a price of 50 gives 50 × 1.25 × 0.80 = 50 — back to the start.

For a right triangle with legs a and b and hypotenuse c, a² + b² = c².

Right-triangle trig: sin = opposite/hypotenuse, cos = adjacent/hypotenuse, tan = opposite/adjacent.

An isosceles right triangle with side ratio 1 : 1 : √2; each leg equals the hypotenuse ÷ √2.

A right triangle with side ratio 1 : √3 : 2 (short leg : long leg : hypotenuse).

Whole-number right-triangle sides such as 3-4-5, 5-12-13, and 7-24-25.

Two angles that sum to 90°; sin θ = cos(90° − θ).

The interior angles of any triangle add to 180°.

Angles on a straight line sum to 180°; angles around a point sum to 360°.

Area = ½ × base × height.

Area = πr², where r is the radius.

C = 2πr (or πd), where r is the radius and d the diameter.

(x − h)² + (y − k)² = r², a circle centered at (h, k) with radius r.

V = (4/3)πr³, where r is the radius.

Each interior angle = (n − 2) × 180° ÷ n, where n is the number of sides (e.g., a regular octagon = 135°).

Triangles with equal corresponding angles and proportional sides; set up a ratio to find a missing length.

When a transversal cuts parallel lines, corresponding and alternate angles are equal; co-interior angles sum to 180°.

Area = (√3 ÷ 4) × side²; for side 12, area ≈ 62.35 square units.

The Preliminary SAT / National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test — a digital practice SAT, given each October, that qualifies juniors for National Merit.

A design where the difficulty of a section's second module depends on your first-module performance; doing well on Module 1 unlocks a harder, higher-scoring Module 2.

Half of a PSAT section; each section has two modules — R&W is 27 questions × 32 min, Math is 22 questions × 35 min.

320–1520 total, the sum of a Reading & Writing section score and a Math section score, each 160–760.

(Reading & Writing score × 2 + Math score) ÷ 10, ranging 48–228 — the number National Merit uses for recognition.

A scholarship competition juniors enter by taking the PSAT/NMSQT; high scorers become Commended Students, Semifinalists, and Finalists.

A National Merit recognition for scorers above the nationwide Commended cutoff (usually a Selection Index around 207–209) but below the state Semifinalist cutoff.

A junior whose Selection Index meets the state-specific cutoff; Semifinalists may advance to Finalist and compete for scholarships.

The College Board's digital testing application used to take the PSAT/NMSQT and SAT on a computer.

The graphing calculator built into the PSAT Math section; available on every Math question.

Wrong answers never cost points on the PSAT, so you should answer every question.

The PSAT/NMSQT uses the same digital framework and content domains as the SAT, on a 320–1520 scale instead of 400–1600.

54 questions in two 32-minute modules; short passages, each with one multiple-choice question across four R&W domains.

44 questions in two 35-minute modules; a mix of multiple-choice and student-produced (grid-in) responses, calculator allowed throughout.