Plot & Structure
“The classroom was silent as Mr. Hanley handed back the test papers. Jessie’s fingers trembled as she turned hers over and saw the red ‘A’ at the top.”
This moment reveals the outcome of Jessie’s main problem. Which part of the plot is this?
What is the resolution?
📖 “Her smile was sunshine after a storm.”
Identify the device and explain its effect.
➡️ What is a metaphor? It compares her smile to sunshine to show warmth and hope.
📖 “Liam shoved the unfinished essay into his backpack and stared out the window. He didn’t even notice the teacher calling his name.”
What can we infer about Liam’s feelings?
➡️ He feels upset or distracted, possibly embarrassed or defeated.
Change this sentence to active voice:
📖 “The novel was written by an unknown author.”
➡️ What is “An unknown author wrote the novel”?
📖 “After losing the race, Malik still walked over to shake his rival’s hand. His heart pounded, but he smiled anyway.”
What theme is revealed through Malik’s actions?
➡️ Answer: What is the importance of sportsmanship and respect even in defeat?
“The ship creaked as dark waves rose higher. Below deck, the passengers clung to each other, whispering prayers.”
Which part of the plot does this most likely represent?
What is the rising action?
📖 “The wind whispered secrets through the tall grass.”
Which device is used here?
➡️ What is personification?
📖 “The lights flickered. The air smelled faintly of smoke. In the distance, sirens wailed.”
What prediction can you make?
➡️ There might be a fire or emergency nearby.
📖 “The cake was decorated beautifully by the chef.”
Explain why this sentence is passive voice.
➡️ Because the subject (cake) receives the action instead of doing it.
📖 “When the power went out, the neighbors who had never spoken before gathered in the hallway with candles and shared stories until sunrise.”
What broader message does this scene suggest?
➡️ Answer: What is that hardship can bring people together and reveal the value of community?
📖 “For days the town had whispered about the stranger in the forest. When he finally appeared in the square, every door slammed shut.”
What kind of conflict does this suggest?
➡️ What is man vs. society?
📖 “He was so hungry he could eat a whole mountain.”
What device and what is its purpose?
➡️ What is hyperbole, used for exaggeration to show extreme hunger.
📖 “Sara smiled brightly at her classmates, but her hands stayed clenched beneath the desk.”
What does this suggest about her internal conflict?
➡️ She’s pretending to be calm but is actually nervous or angry.
You are asked to write a fiction narrative. Which of the following should your essay definitely include?
A. Facts and statistics
B. A thesis statement
C. Characters, setting, and conflict
➡️ What is C, characters, setting, and conflict?
📖 “Maya kept her perfect test hidden in her bag. Her best friend had failed, and she couldn’t bring herself to celebrate.”
What complex theme about friendship does this situation explore?
➡️ Answer: What is that true friendship involves empathy and understanding, not competition or pride?
📖 “Just as the dragon’s fire burst toward her, Mei swung her sword with all her strength — and everything went black.”
What stage of the plot is this and why?
➡️ What is the climax, because it’s the turning point of the main conflict.
📖 “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”
Name this device and explain the relationship it compares.
➡️ What is an analogy? It shows that reading strengthens the mind as exercise strengthens the body.
📖 “He watched his friends laughing together on the playground and turned away, kicking the dirt.”
What does the author want the reader to understand without saying it directly?
➡️ He feels left out or lonely.
📖 “The cat chased the mouse through the dusty attic.”
Add imagery to this sentence.
➡️ “The black cat darted through the dusty attic, paws thudding softly as the terrified mouse squeaked and vanished into the shadows.”
📖 “When the explorer finally reached the golden city, he found only sand and silence. He dropped to his knees and laughed until he cried.”
What deeper theme is suggested by his reaction?
➡️ Answer: What is the realization that chasing wealth or glory often leads to emptiness — that the real treasure lies in the journey or self-discovery?
📖 “After the drought ended, the villagers rebuilt their homes together. The river flowed again, but quieter, as if remembering.”
How does this resolution develop the theme of the story?
➡️ It shows healing and unity after hardship — the theme is resilience and community rebuilding.
📖 “The scent of rain clung to the earth like a memory, cool and electric.”
Identify two sensory details and explain how they build mood.
➡️ Smell (scent of rain) and touch (cool, electric) create a calm but tense mood, as if something is about to happen.
📖 “When the judge read the verdict, Maya didn’t cry. She simply took off her necklace and placed it on the table before walking out.”
What inference can you make about the verdict and her reaction?
➡️ She lost the case or someone important to her; her silence shows acceptance or emotional strength.
📖 “The town forgot the river until it rose again one stormy night.”
Rewrite this as the start of a narrative hook.
➡️ Example: “No one in Millford thought about the river anymore — until it decided to remember them.”
📖 “The daughter listened as her mother retold the story she’d heard a hundred times before — about crossing an ocean with nothing but hope. This time, she didn’t interrupt.”
What universal theme does this passage express?
➡️ Answer: What is the value of understanding one’s roots and the respect that comes with maturity and empathy?