| term or phrase |
meaning |
| author's point of view | The author's attitude or opinion about the subject; viewpoint. |
| author's purpose | What the author is trying to accomplish through the writing. |
| cause | The reason , or motive, for an action; why something happens. |
| chart | A group of facts about something, set up in the form of a diagram, table, graph, etc. |
| compare | To examine in order to observe or discover similarities and differences |
| conclusion | A reasonable outcome that can be predicted based on one's own knowledge combined with information obtained from the text. Not always directly stated. |
| contrast | To show differences when two or more things are compared. |
| devices of persuasion | Strategies that a writer uses to convince a reader of something (eg. bandwagon, testimonial, plain folks, emotional words) |
| diagram | A drawing that shows how an item is made or how it works. |
| difference | The way in which two or more things are not the same. |
| effect | The result, or consequence, of an action. |
| fact | A statement that can be proven or tested to be true or false. |
| graph | An illustration of quantity or amount and how it relates to another variable (eg. bar graph, circle, line graph). |
| inference | A combination of one's own knowledge and information supplied in the text which leads to a conclusion or generalization about a subject. |
| main idea | The most important point that the writer makes in a reading selection; it can be stated or implied. |
| map | A small - scale representation of an actual piece. |
| most accurate | Based on the information provided . |
| opposing point of views | Opposite ideas or opinions on the same topic. |
| outcome | The result of something ; the way something turns out; the effect. |
| primary sources | An "informational test passage" or "graphic representation" such as a map, chart, photo, graph, illustration, etc. A first - hand source. |
| relevant/ supporting details | The small pieces of information that support, develop, or explain the main idea. |
| similarity | The way in which two or more things are the same. |
| statistical information | A graph or chart representing facts, numbers, or other data. |
| statistics | Facts or data of a numerical kind which represent significant information about a given subject. |
| true | The opposite of false; real. |
| alliteration | The repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words (eg. Betty, the bug, bit Bob, the boy) |
| central problem | The primary struggle, or conflict, faced by the main character in the plot of a literary work. |
| character | A person or animal who takes part in the action of a literary work; also the qualities and traits that define an individual's personality. |
| character development | The ways in which a character changes . or grows, throughout the course of a literary work. A "dynamic" character changes; a "static" character does not change. |
| conflict | The "problem" in a story which triggers the action ; struggle between two opposing forces. |
| dialogue | Conversation between characters in a story, work of nonfiction, nove, or play. |
| imagery | Words and phrases that appeal to the reader's senses. |
| literary form | Also known as Genre (eg. fiction, drama, nonfiction, poetry, short stories, and novels) |
| major event | The most important incidents that occur in a work of literature; events that cause the greatest impact on the characters of a literary work. |
| metaphor | A comparison of two un-like things in which no words of comparison are used (eg. That test was a bear!). |
| mood | The feeling the author wants to convey to the reader through a work of literature (eg. excitement, anger, sadness, happiness, or pity) |
| nonfiction | Prose writing about real people, places, things, and ideas. |
| personification | A figure of speech in which human qualities are attributed to an object, animal, or idea. |
| plot | The sequence of events in a work of literature; the action in a story. |
| repetition | The repeating of sounds , letters, words, or lines, which helps give poetry its meaning , form, and sound. |
| resolution | The final part of a plot; the events in the story that work out the problem or the conflict. |
| rhyme | The similarities or likeness of sound existing between two or more words. |
| rhythm | The pattern of accented and unaccented syllables in poetry; it brings out the musical quality of language and can create a particular mood. |
| sequence of moods | The order in which events occur in a work of literature ; collectively known as the "Plot". |
| setting | The time, place and conditions under which a story takes place. |
| simile | A comparison of two un-like things using the words "like" or "as" (eg. When he's mad, Mr. Z's eyes are like flamming arrows!) |
| theme | The statement about life or human nature a particular work is trying to convey to the reader. |
| tone | The author's attitude toward his/ her subject. |
