Vocabulary Literary Elements character trait describes how characters

Vocabulary

Literary Elements

character trait • describes how characters act or what kind of people they are What is this character like?

mood • the emotional feeling a reader gets through the author’s word choice How does it make you feel?

tone • the way the author expresses their attitude through their writing toward a subject How does the author feel about this topic? defensive hopeful humorous

imagery • A word or group of words that appeal to one or more of the senses “Now the wind came thundering with the force of a locomotive. ” What words make me see, feel, or hear?

internal conflict • a mental struggle within a character that usually involves a tough decision What is the decision or choice that the character is struggling with?

external conflict • a struggle between a character and another person, society or nature Who or what is causing a problem for the character?

More Literary Elements

plot • sequence of events that make up a short story, novel, play, or movie What is the order of events that make up this story?

climax • The point in the plot where the conflict is most intense. Often, this is the point when the character has to deal with the conflict. What is the point in the plot where the conflict comes to a head?

resolution • the solution to the conflict How was the conflict settled?

setting • the time period, location and physical characteristics of the story’s surroundings Where and when does the story take place?

theme The underlining meaning of a literary work. A general truth about humankind. What is the message the author is trying to convey?

point of view • the perspective from which a story is told Who is telling the story?

SMOPAH

simile • makes a comparison between two different things using a word such as like, as, or than in order to make something more clear or to create a mood The bear was as big as a house.

metaphor • makes a comparison between two different things by calling one thing something else in order to make something more clear or to create a mood The bear was a house.

onomatopoeia • a word that imitates the sound it describes meow buzz sizzle tic toc

personification • when an animal, object, natural force (wind), or an idea is given human traits or described as if it were human The wind whispered. The old oak tree stood guard over the field. My computer hates me!

alliteration • The repetition of a consonant sound, usually the first sound in a group of words. Big black bears buy bagels.

hyperbole Exaggeration to create emphasis or effect. We have a million things to do in class today.

Nonfiction words in boxes are words that have similar meanings

central idea • most important or central thought of text gist main idea fundamental or basic idea main point

paraphrase • express the meaning of something written or spoken by someone else using your own words rewrite reword rephrase

direct quotation • copying into writing or speaking the exact words of someone else quote exact words

claim • a statement saying that something is true when some people may disagree • a primary point to support or provethesis statement assertion topic sentence

text evidence • information/facts from a text used to support or prove a claim. May be a direct quotation or paraphrased. details support

analysis • The thinking that shows how the text evidence supports the claim you chose reasoning explanation your thinking

citation • Using MLA style to show where your text evidence came from. This is giving the author credit. cite the source

Controlling

restrict *to put a limit on After suffering diarrhea, the dog was restricted to a diet of rice and boiled chicken. *keep under control The city can restrict groups of protesters from gathering on residential streets. *deprive someone or something of freedom of movement or action After the chemical spill, people were restricted from entering the contaminated area. Synonyms: hinder, interfere with, block

dominance *power and influence over others Fortnite has a dominance in video games. Synonyms: supremacy, domination, rule

regulate *control or supervise something by means of rules and regulations Some people believe we need better laws to regulate what is put on the internet. Synonyms: supervise, monitor, check up on

consequence *the result or effect of an action A low test grade was the consequence for not completing the homework assignments. Synonyms: result, outcome, effect

defiant *being resistant or disobedient When Gilly first went to her new school, she had a defiant attitude towards Ms. Harris. Synonyms: uncooperative, resistant

censor *the act of examining and then deleting or preventing others from seeing, hearing, or reading material *a person who examines and then deletes or prevents others from seeing, hearing, or reading material. If someone in authority censors letters or the media, they officially examine them and cut or delete any information that is regarded as secret or inappropriate for others to see, hear, or read. Synonyms: delete, unpublish, black out