| Term | Definition |
| Imagery | Descriptions of people or objects that appeal to the reader's 5 senses. |
| Simile | A figure of speech that directly compares two objects using the words like or as.
Example: My pillow was as soft as a feather. |
| Metaphor | A figure of speech that directly compares two objects without using the words like or as.
Example: Life is a battle that cannot be won, only survived. |
| Alliteration | Repeated consonant sounds at the beginning of words used to create a rhythm.
Example: Weeping willows watched over me. |
| Personification | A figure of speech where an author gives living qualities to non-living things.
Example: The tree danced to the sounds of the night. |
| Onomatopoeia | The use of words that mimic sounds.
Example: The fireworks crackled as they burst in the sky. |
| Hyperbole | An exaggerated statement used to emphasize a point.
Example: If I had a penny for every time someone told me I was wrong, I'd be a millionaire! |
| Allusion | an implied or indirect reference in literature to a familiar person, place or
event
Example: Get down from the fence, Billy!" the mother yelled at her child. "Remember
what happened to Humpty Dumpty?" |
| Antonym | a word that is the opposite of another word
Example: sharp and dull, hot and cold |
| Author's purpose | the author's intent to inform, to entertain
people, or to persuade or convince their audience
Example: entertain, create mood, convince, persuade, inform, teach |
| Autobiography | the story of a person's life written by himself or herself
Title: Bill Peet An Autobiography
Author: Bill Peet |
| Bias | a judgment based on a personal point of view
Example: A woman votes for a female president just because she is a female. |
| Biography | the story of a person's life written by someone other than the subject of
the work
Title: Michael Phelps Swimming for Olympic Gold
Author: David P. Torsiello |
| Cause and Effect | Actions that have a result or consequence.
Example: You stayed up late studying for a test; therefore, you are tired the next day. |
| Characterization | the method an author uses to reveal characters and their various personalities
Example: How the narrator describes the character mean, nervous, confident |
| Climax | the turning point in a narrative; the moment when the conflict is most
intense |
| Compare | to put two things side by side to find similarities shared between them |
| Conflict/Problem | a struggle or clash between opposing characters, forces,
or emotions |
| Contrast | to compare the differences between two things. |
| Editorials | a newspaper or magazine article that gives the opinions of the editors or
publishers |
| Exaggeration | to make an overstatement or to stretch the
truth
Example “I'm so hungry, I can eat a horse." |
| Figurative Language | Language that cannot be taken literally since it was
written to create a special effect or feeling
Example: personification, simile, alliteration, metaphor, hyperbole, imagery |
| First Person Point of View | Point of view in which the narrator is a character in the story and relates the events to the reader AS they happen.
Example: I, we, us, me, us |
| Flashback | When an author leaves the current time period of the story to show what happened in the past.
Example: One afternoon, a year and a half before |
| Foreshadowing | When an author leaves small clues to reveal something that will happen later in the story. |
| Irony | When the opposite of what the reader expects to happen actually happens. |
| Main Idea | the author's central thought; |
| Mood | The overall emotions created in a work of literature.
Example: humor, frustration, sadness |
| Non-Fiction | Writing that is based on fact and not imagination.
Example: Biographies, Autobiographies, letters, journals, diaries, memoirs, media
accounts, essay |
| Omniscient Narrator | When a narrator is “all knowing” or has knowledge of every character’s thoughts and feelings at all times.
Example: Maria felt nervous as she walked into the room late. |
| Point of View | The angle from which a story is told; dependent upon who is
telling the story.
Examples:
First person: one of the characters is telling the story
Third person: someone outside the story is telling the story |
| Name-calling | a persuasive strategy in which the attack is on a person instead of an issue
Example: Calling someone an "extremist" can damage their reputation. |
| Bandwagon | a persuasive strategy in which
the reader is persuaded to do, think, or buy something because it is popular or "everyone" is doing
it
Example: "If everyone is skipping school, it is OK for me to do it too." |
| Red Herring | a persuasive strategy in which the reader is
distracted with details not relevant to the argument
Example: Mentioning that you did well on your math test when your parents are upset
about your English score. |
| Emotional Appeal | a persuasive strategy in which
the reader is persuaded by words that appeal to the reader's emotions instead of reason
Example: An advertisement about animal cruelty asking for donations to a local
shelter. |
| Exposition | Part of the plot which introduces the characters, setting, and conflict.
(Beginning of the story) |
| Testimonial | a persuasive strategy in which the reader is
persuaded by a famous person to endorse a product or idea.
Example: An advertisement for cereal showing President Obama eating Cheerios. |
| Repetition | a persuasive strategy in which the reader is
persuaded by a repeating a message over and over again |
| Sweeping Generalization | a persuasive strategy in which the author makes a broad statement about a group based on limited information
Example: All boys like to play basketball |
| Resolution | the portion of a story following a climax, in which the conflict is
resolved
Example: End of story |
| Symbolism | a device in literature where an object represents an idea.
Example: A Dove symbolizes peace |
| Synonym | Words that have a similar meaning to one another.
Example: sorrow, grief, sadness |
| Third Person Point of View | a point of view in literature in which the narrator is NOT a character in the story.
Example: he, she, him, her, they, them |
| Tone | the attitude of the author toward the audience and characters |
| Plot | the action of the story consisting of the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and
resolution. |
| Fiction | a literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact |
| Chronological Order or Sequence of events | When a story or article is told in TIME order. |
