QUIACreated by Nina Yang

APPOSITIVE

Also called apposition; a grammatical construction in which 2 usually adjacent nouns having same reference stand next to one another: often separated by commas

PRIMARY SOURCE

Text and/or artifacts that tell or show a first-hand account of an event; original works used when researching (letters, journals, etc.

IMAGERY

A word or group of words in a literary work that appeals to one or more of the senses

FLUENCY

The clear, easy, written, or spoken expression of words typically in oral reading

PROTAGONIST

The good/positive character in a story

RISING ACTION

Part of story where the plot becomes increasingly complicated, leads to the climax

FICTION

Made up story rather than a documented fact

GENERALIZATION

Conclusion drawn from specific information, that is used to make a broad statement about a topic or person

MULTIPLE-MEANING WORDS

Words that have several meanings depending upon how they are used in a sentence

PREFIX

Group of letters that an be placed before a word to change its meaning

EXPLAIN

To make clear by telling “how” or “why” within an essay

IMPLICIT

Meanings which, though unexpressed in the literal text, may be understood by the reader; implied

LEGENDS

Story about mythical or supernatural beings or events, often not true

ALLITERATION

The repetition of initial constant sounds in words

RHYME

Identical or very similar recurring final sounds in words usually at the end of lines of a poem

COUNTERARGUMENT

An argument offered in opposition to another argument

FAIRY TALE

Short stories featuring mythical beings, such as fairies, elves, and sprites

IDIOM

Expression can not be understood if taken literally

NONFICTION

Type of writing that is not fictional and is designed to explain, argue, instruct, or describe

FOLKTALES

Type of story that is based on historical figures and events and which is orally retold

PROBLEM/SOLUTION

Type or organizational structure in nonfiction texts, where the author typically presents a problem and possible solution to it

THEME

Topic of discussion or writing; major idea broad enough to cover entire scope of literary work

POINT OF VIEW

Vantage point of which the story is told

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A list of sources found at the end of a written piece where other people's work or ideas were used

CAUSE/EFFECT

Cause statements stem from actions and events, and effects are from what happened as a result of the action or event

EDITORIALS

A newspaper or magazine article that gives the opinions of the editors or publishers

TONE

The attitude of the author toward the audience and characters

DYNAMIC CHARACTER

A literary or dramatic character who undergoes an important inner change, as a change in personality or attitude

SONNET

A lyric poem of fourteen lines whose rhythm scheme is fixed

SUMMARIZE

Briefly state the main idea and the major details in an essay

PLOT

Structure and sequence of events in a story

RESOLUTION

End part of a story where the conflict is resolved

LIMITED VIEW

When the speaker in a story is unable to know what is in any character’s mind but his or her own mind

SETTING

Time and place in which a story unfolds

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

The story of a person’s life written by him or himself

PLAGIARISM

To take ideas, writings, etc., from another and to pass them off as one’s own work

LITERARY ELEMENTS

Essential parts that make up literature

FABLE

Story in which animals or inanimate objects are given human characteristic in order to convey a moral

RESEARCH

An inquiry into a subject or problem in order to discover, verify, or revise relevant facts or principles having to do with that subject or problem

COMPOUND WORDS

Word composed of 2 or more smaller words

INFORMATIONAL TEXTS

Nonfiction, written primarily to convey factual info.

ONOMATOPOEIA

Use of words whose sounds express or suggest its meaning

VOICE

The fluency, rhythm, and liveliness in writing that make it unique to the writer

ILLUSTRATE

Make an answer clear pictures, charts, or diagrams within an essay

CONFLICT/PROBLEM

Struggle or clash between opposing characters, forces, or emotions in a story

CONCLUSION

Ending of the story or the summarization of ideas or closing argument in nonfictional texts

MOOD

The emotions of a work or of the author in his/her creation of the work

VENN DIAGRAM

Diagram made up of two or more overlapping circles that is used to show similarities and differences in characters, stories, poems, events, and major ideas between two texts

RETELL

Recounting in a reader’s own words a story or article that has just been read

ANALYZE/ANALYSIS

To examine in detail and then explain those details

MAIN IDEA

Author’s central thought; chief topic of a text expressed or implied in a word or phrase; topic sentence if a paragraph

CONTRAST

To compare or show differences

STEREOTYPING

Makes an oversimplified statement about a group based on limited info.

FREE VERSE

Poetry that lacks regular material and rhyme patterns but that tries to capture the cadences of everyday speech

INTERPRET

Give you ideas about something in an essay

SYNTAX

The pattern or structure of word order in sentences, clauses, and phrases

SUFFIX

Group of letters that can be placed after a word to change its meaning

BANDWAGON

Tries to persuade the reader to do, think or buy something because it’s popular or because “everyone” is doing it

PROPAGANDA

Tactic used to influence people to believe, buy, or do something.

CONTEXT CLUES

Information from the reading that identifies a word or group of words.

COMPARE

Placing together characters, situations or ideas to show common or differing features in literary selections

TESTIMONIAL

Attempts to persuade the reader by using famous people to endorse a product or idea

ANTAGONIST

The bad/evil that is against the protagonist in a story

DEFINE

Give the meaning of a word in a sentence or essay form

EMOTIONAL APPEAL

Tries to persuade the reader by using words that appeal to the reader's emotions instead of his logic or reason

IRONY

The use of a word or a phrase to mean the exact opposite of its literal or usual meaning

SYNONYM

One of two or more words in a language that have highly similar meanings

FLASHBACK

A device used in literature to present action that occurred before the beginning of the story

CHARACTERIZATION

Method author uses to reveal characters and their various personalities

ENUMERATE

To list; to name one by one in an essay

POETRY

Type of writing that gives ideas and which causes the reader to experience emotion through the use of figurative language

FALLING ACTION

Events occur after the climax of the story

SIMILE

Figure of speech that compares two unlike things using like or as

EXPOSITORY TEXT

Text written to explain and convey information about a specific topic

BIAS

Tendency to believe that some people, ideas, etc. are better than others that usually results in treating some people unfairly

LITERARY DEVICES

Tools used by the author to enliven and provide voice to the writing

METAPHOR

Figure of speech that compares two unlike things not using like or as

TEXT STRUCTURE

Author’s method of organizing a text

METER

Repetition of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry

SYMBOLISM

A device in literature where an object represents an idea

EPIC

Long narrative poem about the advantages of a hero of great historic or legendary importance

OMNISCIENT

The narrative point of view from which a literary work is presented to the reader from a “godlike” perspective; the omniscient view can see actions and look into the minds of the characters

NARRATIVE

Type of text that tells a story

DIFFERENTIATE

To tell about and recognize the differences between two or more items

LITERARY NONFICTION

Stories or texts that are true about people, places, or events

STYLE

How an author writes; an author’s use of language

DESCRIBE

Tell about something using words; to crate a picture with words in an essay

PARAPHRASE

Restate text or passage in other words, often to clarify meanings or show understandings

ANTONYM

Word that is the opposite of another word

SECONDARY SOURCE

Text and/or artifacts, used when researching and which are derived from something original (biographies, magazine articles, research papers)

SATIRE

A literary work using wit or sarcasm to make fun of something

AUTHOR’S PURPOSE

Author’s intent either to inform or teach someone about something, to entertain, or to persuade or convince their audience to do or not do something

FORESHADOWING

Device used in literature to give the reader a clue to something that will happen later in a story

DIALOGUE

Conversation between two people in a literary work

AFFIX

1 or more letters that are attached to the beginning or the end

NAME-CALLING

An attack on a person instead of an issue.

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

Diagram or pictorial device that shows relationship

EXPLICIT

Referring to specific text that is included in the reading passage or in the directions

ROOT WORD

A word to which prefixes and suffixes can be added to form different words

RHYTHM

Pattern or beat of a poem

REPETITION

Attempts to persuade the reader by repeating a message over and over again

BIOGRAPHY

Story of a persons life that written by someone else

EXPOSITION

Beginning part of plot where reader learns about characters and setting of a story.

EVALUATE

To give good points and bad points in an essay

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Language that cannot be taken literally since it was written to create a special effect or feeling.

HOMOPHONE

One of two or more words pronounced alike, but different in spelling and meaning

ALLUSION

A reference in literature to a familiar person, place, event or other artistic or literary work

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT

Allows reader to picture the scene or setting in which the action of a story takes place

LIMERICK

Light of humorous verse form of five lines

GENRE

Category used to clarify literary works

STATIC CHARACTER

A literary or dramatic character who undergoes little or no inner change; a character who does not grow or develop

INFERENCE

Conclusion based on facts or circumstances; understandings gained by “reading between the lines”

CLIMAX

The turning point of the story when the conflict is at most intense

HYPERBOLE

Exaggeration or overstatement

PERSONIFICATION

An object or abstract idea given human qualities or human form