Story Elements
When and where the story takes place
Setting
first, next, then, before, after, finally, following, dates, and times
sequence
Erick's mom is having a birthday party this weekend. He wants to do something special for her. Erick knows that his mom always wanted to go to the Grand Canyon. He turned on the computer and looked at the different prices of airline flights. What is Erick doing? How do you know?
Erick is going to plan a trip to the Grand Canyon for his mom.
Today these ancient ruins served as a home for a type of monkey called the toque macaque (pronounced toke ma-KAK).
What change, if any, is needed in this sentence?
A Change served to serve
B Change called to they are called
C Change the period to a comma
D No change is needed in sentence 5.
A
The word “today” helps the reader know this sentence is in present tense. The rest of the paragraph is also in present tense.
I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!
Hyperbole - it uses exaggeration to over-emphasize that the person is REALLY hungry!
A person, animal, or object that plays an important role in the plot.
Characters
same as, similar, alike, as well as, also, both, instead of, on the other hand, different from, and as opposed to
compare and contrast
"Kenneth!" Mom called out as she opened the front door. "Please help me with my groceries. Kenneth!" mom called out. Still there was no reply. Mom walked into the kitchen and saw the shattered pieces from the window all over the floor and a baseball not far from there. Why do you think Kenneth was not answering to his mom? Why do you think so?
Kenneth accidentally broke a window while he was outside playing baseball. He's not answering because he doesn't want to get into trouble.
Many people come to the temple ruins to see the monkeys and study his habits.
What change needs to be made in this sentence?
F Change come to coming
G Change and to they
H Change his to their
J No change needs to be made in this sentence.
H.
His and their are possessive pronouns. “His” refers to “monkeys”. “Monkeys” are plural and need a plural pronoun.
He was as quiet as a mouse.
Simile
Compares two things using the words “like,” “as,”
The most important/ interesting part of the story
Climax
problem is, question is, puzzle is, to solve this, and one answer is
problem and solution
Elizabeth was so proud of her garden. She planted the seeds early in the spring and watered the plants every morning. Last Friday, her mom called and asked her to come over for the weekend because she was feeling sick. When Elizabeth came back home, her plants were bent and drooping. Why were the plants drooping? How do you know?
She had not watered them for a few days, so the plants were not doing well.
Temple monkeys are golden brown weigh about 10 pounds, and are usually around 17 inches tall.
What change, if any, should be made in this sentence?
A Insert a comma after brown
B Change weigh to wiegh
C Change are usually around to were usually around
D No change should be made in this sentence.
A
This is a list of 3 items and it needs a comma
The flowers danced with the moonlight.
Personification
Where you give human qualities or actions to something that is not human, like an object, animal, or idea
The main message or lesson of the story.
theme
so, because, since, therefore, if/then, this led to, as a result, a reason why, may be due to, consequently, for this reason
cause and effect
I pressed the button and after a few seconds the door opened. I stepped inside and pressed a button with the number 10 on it. The door closed. Then, I felt the floor was moving up. Where am I?
On an elevator
At night the member’s of a family gather in a warm, cozy huddle to sleep.
How should this sentence be changed?
F Change member’s to members
G Change gather to gathering
H Change cozy to cozey
J The sentence should not be changed.
F
The members don't own anything. There is no sign of possession
The crocodile's teeth are white knives.
Metaphor
One thing is described as something else to create a comparison and suggest a likeness, without using "like" or "as"
The five elements of the Plot diagram
1. Exposition - Introduction (Beginning)
2. Rising Action - the journey, series of events, all the problems that lead up to climax
3. Climax - Most interesting/exciting Part
4. Falling Action - all the events that are after the climax
5. Resolution - End
for instance, such as, an example, an illustration, characteristics
description
Dad and Anna were finishing up a project in the garage together. "Can we paint the roof red?" asked Anna. "Sure," said Dad. "Then when the paint dries we can find a place to hang it on a tree in the backyard." What do you think Dad and Anna are making? Why do you think so?
Dad and Anna are making a birdhouse.
Filmmakers and animal experts spent three years making the movie, which was called monkey kingdom.
What change should be made in this sentence?
A Change spent to spended
B Change making to macking
C Change which to it
D Change monkey kingdom to Monkey Kingdom
D
Monkey Kingdom is the title of a movie and needs to be capitalized
What does, "He let the cat out of the bag" mean?
This idiom means someone shared a secret.
A phrase or expression whose meaning cannot be understood literally from the individual words themselves.