Adjective - describe nouns by answering one of these three questions: What kind is it?

How
many are there? Which one is it? An adjective can be a single word, a phrase, or a clause.
Adverb - modify the meaning of verbs, adjectives, other adverbs. Adverbs can be single words,
or they can be phrases or clauses. Adverbs answer one of these four
questions: How? When? Where? and Why?
Allusion - a reference in a literary work to a person, place, or thing in history or another work of
literature. Allusions are often indirect or brief references to well-known characters or events.
Analyze - Examine methodically and in detail the structure of something
Antagonist - a character in a story or poem who deceives, frustrates, or works again the main
character, or protagonist, in some way.
Argumentative - response to a question which prompts a witness to draw inferences from facts of
the text or researched texts
Aside - an actors speech, directed to the audience, that is not supposed to be heard by other
actors on stage. An aside is usually used to let the audience know what a character is about to do
or what he or she is thinking.
Audience Who you are writing or speaking to. You are trying to give them the information you
need to make them understand your points in a simple and clear way.
Author's Purpose The effect the writer wants to have on the reader. Authors purpose is
motivation they have based on the topic. There are 4 types: to entertain, to persuade, to inform,
and to inspire.
Bias to preference one item over another.
Central Idea a main idea that is important to an entire piece of writing.
Character's Motivation Explains why a character behaves the way he or she does and can be
based on personality or desires.
Citation a reference in a research paper or other document to an outside source that the reader
used to gain information. Both paraphrases and direct quotations need citations.
Cite to give a writer credit for his or her ideas that you use in your own written work.
Claim a statement that must be proven using specific evidence.
Clarity clearness of thought and style. Clarity is important in a research paper because it allows
your reader to more clearly understand your ideas.

Clauses a group of words consisting of a noun and a verb. Independent clauses can stand alone
while dependent ones need an independent clause to make a complete thought.
Coherence In an essay, coherence is putting your ideas into a logical order which allows your
reader to more clearly understand your ideas. You should put like ideas together and transition
between ideas.
Comedy - a ludicrous and amusing event or series of events designed to provide enjoyment and
produce smiles or laughter usually written in a light, familiar, bantering, or satirical style.
Comedy is the opposite of tragedy.
Compare suggest similarities between items that are different.
Concise to give a lot of information in clearly but in only a few words
Conjunction a part of speech that connects two words, phrases, or clauses together. The most
common are the FANBOYS: F(or) A(nd) N(or) B(ut) O(r) Y(et) S(o)
Connotation an association that comes along with a particular word. Connotations relate not to
a word's actual meaning, or denotation, but rather to the ideas or qualities that are implied by that
word.
Contrast describing the differences between two or more ideas or items; does not always
choose one over the other
Credible literally it means able to be believed; used when discussing research sources. For a
source to be credible, it must use reliable data and must not be unfairly biased.
Culture The characteristics of a particular group of people, defined by everything from
language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music, etc.
Denotation the exact meaning of a word, without the feelings or suggestions that the word may
imply.
Diction a major rhetorical strategy in which a writer chooses words carefully for distinct
effects. Can include slang, allusions, jargon, hyperboles, similes, metaphors, etc.
Direct Characterization - when the narrator tells the reader DIRECTLY what a particular
character is like. It can describe physical characteristics or personality.
Dynamic Character - experience changes throughout the plot of a story. Although the change
may be sudden, it is expected based on the storys events.
Epithet - Using an appropriate adjective (often habitually) to characterize a person or thing.

Essay a written form in which people develop ideas concerning a particular topic. Essays are
focused and specific. In English I, essays are at least 5 paragraphs long, include a thesis
statement, and argue a claim.
Evidence Serves as proof for your claim; usually comes directly from the text (primary) or
from an expert on the topic (secondary)
Expository type of writing where the purpose is to inform, describe, or explain
External Conflict struggle between a literary or dramatic character and an outside force such as
nature or another character, which drives the dramatic action of the plot
Facts something that actually occurred or can be proven true
Fallacy a deceptive, misleading, or false notion, belief, etc
Figurative Language - a type of language that varies from the norms of literal language, in which
words mean exactly what they say. Figurative language does not mean exactly what it says, but
instead forces the reader to make an imaginative leap in order to comprehend an author's point.
Flashback an interruption of the chronological sequence (as of a film or literary work) of an
event of earlier occurrence. A flashback is a narrative technique that allows a writer to present
past events during current events, in order to provide background for the current narration.
Flat Character Character with little development who does not change or grow during the
course of a story
Foil a character who contrasts with another character (usually the protagonist) in order to
highlight particular qualities of the other character
Foreshadowing a literary device in which an author hints certain plot developments that
perhaps will come to be later in the story
Formatting a plan for the organization and arrangement of your essay. In English classes, we
use the MLA Handbook for guidelines on formatting.
Fragment incomplete sentences. Usually, fragments are pieces of sentences that have become
disconnected from the main clause. One of the easiest ways to correct them is to remove the
period between the fragment and the main clause.
Free Verse poetry that does not use consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical
pattern
Parable a short story that teaches a moral or spiritual lesson
Hyperbole an extravagant exaggeration. Ex.) Shes older than the hills.

Idiom expressions that are not meant to be taken literally because the meaning is not consistent
with the wording
Indirect Characterization -- The audience must infer for themselves what the character is like
through the characters thoughts, actions, speech (choice of words, way of talking), looks and
interaction with other characters, including other characters reactions to that particular person.
Inference making a logical decision based on the information one knows to be true
Internal Conflict the struggle occurring within a character's mind
Loaded Language wording that attempts to influence the certain audience by using an appeal to
emotion
Lyric Poetry - a song-like poem written mainly to express the feelings of emotions or thought
from a particular person
Main Idea the central thought or message to a body of text
Metaphor - a type of figurative language in which a statement is made that says that one thing is
something else but, literally, it is not
Generalization the act or process of forming opinions that are based on a small amount of
information.
Monologue is presented by a single character, most often to express their mental thoughts
aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience. Monologues
are common across the range of dramatic media
Noun a person, place, thing, or idea
Nuance a subtle difference or distinction in expression or, meaning
Objective Uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudices
Opinions a belief about matters commonly considered to be subjective
Paradox an argument that produces an inconsistency, typically within logic or common sense
Parallelism a balance within one or more sentences of similar phrases or clauses that have the
same grammatical structure. The application of parallelism improves writing style and
readability, and makes sentences easier to process
Paraphrasing a restatement of the meaning of a text or passage using other words
Parenthetical Citation used to document any external sources used within a document (unless
the material cited is considered general knowledge). The parenthetical citations direct readers to

the full bibliographic citations listed in the Works Cited, located at the end of the document. In
most cases, the parenthetical citations include the author's last name and the specific page
number for the information cited. Also called an in-text citation.
Personal Narrative allows a writer to share his/her life with others and allows a reader to
vicariously experience the things that happen without actually experiencing them
Personification - A figure of speech where animals, ideas or inorganic objects are given human
characteristics
Plagiarism representing someone elses ideas or work as your own without giving credit. To
prevent plagiarism, one must use in-text citations and a Works Cited page. Plagiarism results in a
failing grade and, in some cases, punishment.
Point of View a way the events of a story are conveyed to the reader, it is the vantage point
from which the narrative is passed from author to the reader
Preposition describes a relationship between other words in a sentence
Pronoun a word or phrase that that substitutes for a noun or noun phrase
Pronoun-Antecedent a pronoun must agree with its antecedent (the noun it represents) in
number
Protagonist considered to be the main character or lead figure in a novel, play, story, or
poem. It may also be referred to as the "hero" of a work
Pun -- the humorous use of a word or phrase so as to emphasize or suggest different
meanings or applications, or the use of words that are alike or nearly alike in sound
but different in meaning; a play on words.
Qualitative Deals with descriptions; Data can be observed but not measured; Examples include
colors, textures, smells, tastes, appearance, beauty, etc.
Quantitative Deals with numbers; Data which can be measured; Examples are Length, height,
area, volume, weight, speed, time, temperature, humidity, sound levels, cost, members, ages, etc.
Quotation When you copy an author's words directly from the text and use that exact wording
in your essay. This does not have to be information that was actually said. When you use
quotations, you should give the author credit.
Rhetoric the study of effective speaking and writing
Rhyme Scheme the pattern of rhyming lines in a poem. It is usually referred to by using letters
to indicate which lines rhyme.

Round Character a major character in a work of fiction who encounters conflict and is changed
by it. Round characters tend to be more fully developed
Euphemism a mild or pleasant word or phrase that is used instead of one that is unpleasant or
offensive
Satire a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn
Setting is the place and time when a story takes place
Simile a figure of speech that directly compares two different things, usually by employing the
words "like" or "as"
Soliloquy a device often used in drama when a character speaks to himself or herself, relating
thoughts and feelings, thereby also sharing them with the audience. Other characters, however,
are not aware of what is being said.
Sonnet derives from the Italian word meaning "little song; consists of fourteen lines, each line
containing ten syllables and written in iambic pentameter, in which a pattern of an unstressed
syllable followed by a stressed syllable is repeated five times
Static Character minor characters in a work of fiction who do not undergo substantial change
or growth in the course of a story.
Validity Is based on truth or fact; can be proven
Subjective something that is based on personal opinion
Subject-Verb Agreement Singular subjects need singular verbs; plural subjects need plural
verbs
Supporting Details They come after the topic sentence, making up the body of a paragraph.
They give details to develop and support the main idea of the paragraph.
Anecdote -- a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person. Usually used
to help prove a claim.
Synthesize -- Combine ideas so that they are clear and more complex
Theme -- Unifying or dominant idea in a text
Thesis Statement -- a sentence in your text that contains the focus of your essay and tells your
reader what the essay is going to be about. As discussed, it includes a claim, because, and three
reasons.

Tragedy -- a dramatic composition, often in verse, dealing with a serious or somber theme,
typically that of a great person destined through a flaw of character or conflict with some
overpowering force, as fate or society, to downfall or destruction
Transition words or phrases or techniques that help bring two ideas together
Tone Attitude towards subject or audience in a literary work.
Verb conveys an action, an occurrence, or a state of being
Works Cited a list of citations located at the end of a written work. A works cited page only
contains citations for resources cited by an author within the body of his/her work. A works cited
page must adhere to the format of a citation style