Elements of Fiction
Nonfiction & Logic
Figurative Language
Testing Tactics
The Writing Lab
100

This is the message, lesson, or moral the author wants you to learn.

What is Theme?

100

This is the main point or "big idea" found in a nonfiction text.

What is Central Idea?

100

A comparison of two unlike things using "like" or "as."

What is a Simile?

100

This method involves making an educated guess using text clues and prior knowledge.

What is an Inference?

100

The "R" and "A" in the R.A.C.E. strategy stand for these two steps.

What are Restate and Answer?

200

The sequence of events in a story: the beginning, middle, and end.

What is Plot?

200

The way a nonfiction text is organized, such as "Cause and Effect."

What is Text Structure?

200

A direct comparison that says one thing is another (e.g., "Time is a thief").

What is a Metaphor?

200

When reading, you should do this to main ideas, key terms, and your own reflections.

What is Annotation?

200

In an essay, these go in the middle and must include a Topic Sentence and Evidence.

What are Body Paragraphs?

300

The problem a character faces, which can be internal or external.

What is Conflict?

300

A statement of belief or opinion that must be supported by facts.

What is a Claim?

300

This occurs when you give human qualities to non-human things.

What is Personification?

300

Before guessing on a multiple-choice question, you should eliminate this many wrong answers.

What is two (2)?

300

This final part of an essay should restate the claim and readdress the hook.

What is the Conclusion?

400

In this Point of View, the narrator is in the story and uses "I" or "me."

What is First Person?

400

These are hints within a sentence that help you define a word you don't know.

What are Context Clues?

400

"I've told you a million times!" is an example of this extreme exaggeration.

What is Hyperbole?

400

You should always do this because every answer must be supported by evidence.

What is "Go back to the text"?

400

This strategy is used for constructed responses to ensure a complete answer.

What is R.A.C.E.?

500

This Point of View uses "he," "she," and "they" to describe characters.

What is Third Person?

500

These "Five Senses" help a reader picture ideas and feel emotions.

What is Imagery?

500

Show, Don't Tell" replaces "She was scared" with this type of descriptive writing.

What is Imagery (or Sensory Details)?

500

These are answers that are "partly true" but are intended to trick the test-taker.

What are distractors?

500

The very first part of an Intro paragraph, used to grab the reader's attention.

What is a Hook?

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