PERT reading terms and question cues.
PERT Reading questions use a small set of ideas: main idea, inference, word meaning, purpose, tone and argument. This sheet lists 25 of them with the wording that usually signals each one, a short example and the free lesson that teaches it.
Test Ninjas Research · Updated November 5, 2026 · 7 min read
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How to use this sheet
The fastest way to improve in PERT Reading is to know what a question is asking before you look at the choices. Each row pairs a term with the question wording that points to it and the move that answers it.
- Learn the cue words. “Suggests” and “most likely” ask for an inference; “as used in” asks for meaning in context; “serves to” asks for a function.
- Say the move before you answer. For an inference, that means finding the line that supports it; for tone, it means pointing to specific words.
- Test yourself with the flashcards, then practice on passages in the inference and evidence guide and the purpose and vocabulary guide.
The examples are short on purpose. On the test every answer depends on the passage in front of you, so treat each row as a reminder of the method, not a rule that works without reading.
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Main idea, summary and scope
| Term | Common question wording | What to do | Mini example | Lesson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main idea | “The passage is mainly about…”; “the central idea is…” | Name the point the whole passage develops, not just its topic | Topic: community gardens. Main idea: the gardens last only when neighbors share the upkeep | Main ideas, summaries, and the scope of a conclusion |
| Summary | “Which best summarizes…?” | Keep the main idea, its key development and any limits the author states | A pilot raised attendance at two of five schools; a summary that says “raised attendance” drops the limit | Main ideas, summaries, and the scope of a conclusion |
| Scope | Any main idea or conclusion question | Reject answers broader or narrower than the passage | A passage about one city’s bus routes does not support a claim about transit everywhere | Main ideas, summaries, and the scope of a conclusion |
| Explicit detail | “According to the passage…” | Find the sentence that states it; no inference needed | If the passage says the library closes at 6, the answer is 6, not “early evening” | Inference and evidence guide |
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Inference and support
| Term | Common question wording | What to do | Mini example | Lesson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inference | “The passage suggests…”; “it can most reasonably be inferred…” | Choose the smallest conclusion the text supports | A locked door and a posted closure notice support “the office is closed now,” not why it closed | Explaining causes while preserving uncertainty |
| Supporting detail | “Which detail best supports…?” | Pick the line that would prove the claim to a skeptic | For “the plan saved money,” choose the budget figures, not the description of the new building | Inference and evidence guide |
| Cause or correlation | “What caused…?”; “the results show that…”; “which explains…?” | Keep the author’s uncertainty; two things happening together is not proof of cause | Students in a quiet room recalled more words, but the groups chose their own rooms, so the room may not be the cause | Explaining causes while preserving uncertainty |
| Limits of a record | “The record shows…”; “the source cannot establish…” | A source supports only what it recorded | A week of crossing counts shows that many people cross; it does not show how many crashes happen there | Historical sources and the limits of a record |
| Fact and opinion | “Which is an opinion…?”; “which claim can be checked?” | A fact can be checked; an opinion judges or recommends | “The library closes at 6” is a fact; “the hours are inconvenient” is an opinion | Facts, judgments, and evidence that fits a claim |
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Vocabulary in context
| Term | Common question wording | What to do | Mini example | Lesson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meaning in context | “As used in the sentence, the word … most nearly means…” | Cover the word, predict a replacement from the sentence, then match it | A “sound” proposal is well reasoned, not loud | Literal meanings, figurative phrases, and contextual evidence |
| Figurative phrase | “The phrase … suggests…” | Translate the image into a plain statement | “The plan hit a wall” means progress stopped | Literal meanings, figurative phrases, and contextual evidence |
| Context clues | Any vocabulary question | Use nearby contrast, example or restatement words such as “but,” “for example” and “in other words” | “Unlike her talkative brother, Ana was reticent” signals that reticent means quiet | Literal meanings, figurative phrases, and contextual evidence |
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Purpose, tone and organization
| Term | Common question wording | What to do | Mini example | Lesson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Author’s purpose | “The main purpose of the passage is to…” | Pick the verb that fits the whole passage: explain, argue, describe, compare | A passage listing the steps to renew a permit explains a procedure | Purpose and vocabulary guide |
| Function | “The second paragraph serves to…” | Say what the part does for the whole: introduces, illustrates, contrasts, concedes | A paragraph that opens “Critics disagree” introduces a counterargument | Organization as a way of making meaning |
| Tone | “The author’s tone is best described as…” | Point to specific word choices and match their strength; don’t pick an extreme word for mild language | “The results are encouraging, though early” is cautiously optimistic | Tone, humor, and restrained emotional language |
| Organization | “How is the passage organized?” | Track what each paragraph does, not just its topic | A problem followed by two remedies is problem and solution | Organization as a way of making meaning |
| Procedure and purpose | “Why does the author include the steps…?” | Connect each step to the goal it serves | “Label each box before shelving it” exists so records can be found later | Applying procedures and recognizing their purpose |
| Point of view | “The author’s attitude toward … is…”; “the author would most likely agree…” | Find where the author shows approval, doubt or criticism, and separate it from views the author only reports | A writer who reports “critics call the plan costly” but then answers them does not share that view | Purpose and vocabulary guide |
| Character and motive | “The character most likely…”; “how does her view change?” | Track what a person wants and what changes their understanding | A narrator who mocks a chore at first and later praises it has changed her view | Character, motive, and changing understanding |
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Arguments and paired passages
| Term | Common question wording | What to do | Mini example | Lesson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claim | “The author argues that…” | Find the position the passage defends, usually stated near the start or end | “The city should extend the bus route to the college” | Claims, counterarguments, and conditional recommendations |
| Counterargument | “The author mentions … in order to…” | Separate the opposing view from the author’s answer to it | “Some say the route costs too much; however, fares would cover half” raises and answers an objection | Claims, counterarguments, and conditional recommendations |
| Conditional recommendation | “The author recommends…” | Keep the condition attached to the advice | “Extend the route if ridership passes 500 a day” is not “extend the route now” | Claims, counterarguments, and conditional recommendations |
| Assumption | “The argument assumes…”; “which would weaken…?” | Find the unstated link the conclusion depends on | A survey of evening visitors assumes morning visitors feel the same | Inference and evidence guide |
| Paired passages | “Both authors would agree…”; “unlike Passage 1, Passage 2…” | Note each author’s position separately, then compare | Both support a school garden; one wants native plants, the other food crops | Paired arguments: agreement, additions, and shared limits |
| Comparing purposes | “The two passages differ in that…” | Ask what each text is for, not only what it says | A museum guide and a historian’s essay can cover the same canal for different readers | Comparing purposes and complementary forms of access |
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Flashcards
Eight core reading terms as flashcards. Before you flip each card, say the definition and make up your own example from something you read this week.
1 of 8 · Select the card to reveal the meaning and example.
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Put the terms into practice
Terms help only when you spot them under test conditions. Build a 10-question Reading set in the question bank and, before answering each question, name the term from this sheet that it tests. Then work through the twelve Reading lessons in the free PERT course, or let the PERT study plan schedule them for you.
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Frequently asked questions
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Sources
PERT rules are set by Florida law and by each college. These are the pages this guide relies on; your testing center’s current instructions take priority.
- Florida Department of Education, P.E.R.T. Student Study Guide (undated, linked from the FDOE page). Accessed October 3, 2026.
- Florida Department of Education, Demonstration of College Readiness (Formerly Common Placement Testing/PERT). Accessed October 3, 2026.