Elements of a Story
The main character of a story is called the...
Protagonist
When a writer uses descriptive language to appeal to the reader's senses (sight, smell, touch, etc.), they are using...
Imagery
Example: The flowers had vivid, crimson petals, and smelled faintly sweet.
A word that names a person, place, or thing is a...
Noun
Example: girl, school, dog
What style of writing is used to tell the audience a story?
Narrative Writing
Example: novel, memoir
Fill in the blank! The five steps of the writing process include prewriting, drafting, revising [blank], and publishing.
Editing
The part of the story that comes between the exposition and the climax is the...
Rising Action
When a writer uses words that go beyond their literal meaning, they are using...
Figurative language
Example: The clouds were a dark blanket, covering the sky.
A word that shows an action is a...
Verb
Example: run, read, eat
What style of writing is used to educate the audience?
Informative Writing
Example: news report, textbook
What is a single sentence that states the main idea or argument of a paper?
Thesis statement
The world where a story takes place is called the...
Setting
When a writer uses a physical item to represent an abstract idea, they are using...
Symbolism
Example: Apples are often used to symbolize temptation (The Bible, Snow White, Twilight)
A word that describes a noun is an...
Adjective
Example: good, bad, large, small
What style of writing is used to convince the audience to do or think something?
Argumentative Writing (Persuasive Writing)
Examples: political speech, advertisement
"At the party I met two clowns, Ms. Kahl and Ms. Loretta."
"At the party I met two clowns, Ms. Kahl, and Ms. Loretta."
The additional comma between "Ms. Kahl" and "and" changes the meaning of the sentence. What is this kind of comma called?
Oxford Comma
What is the main message or idea of a story?
Theme
Similes and metaphors are both types of figurative language. The main difference is that similes often include the word...
"Like"
Example: She sang like a bird.
A word that shows the relationship between a noun and other words is a...
Preposition
Example: in, on, around
A fictional narrative that comprises a whole book (as opposed to a short story) is called a...
Example: The Hunger Games
What are the three modes of persuasion?
Logos, ethos, and pathos
The perspective from which a story is told is called the...
Point of View
When a writer hints at something that will happen later in the story, they are using...
Foreshadowing
Example: Harry Potter talking to the snake at the zoo
A word that connects other words or phrases is a...
Conjunction
Example: and, or, but
All three writing styles refer to fiction and nonfiction writing. Unlike plays or poetry, fiction and nonfiction are almost always written in...
Prose
Why is it important to understand these concepts?
The elements of a story are like building blocks that we can use to understand and create narratives.
Literary devices are tools we can use to find or create deeper meaning within a text.
Understanding parts of speech/grammar will help us communicate as clearly as possible.
Understanding writing styles will help us identify the purpose of a text, and the motivation of a writer. It will also help us better engage with our audiences when we write.
All of these things are essential for becoming active readers, skilled creators, and critical thinkers.