Literary Terms
This is the central message, lesson, or "big idea" that the author wants the reader to take away from a story.
What is theme?
This is the most important sentence in your entire essay; it must directly answer the prompt and provide a roadmap for your body paragraphs.
What is Thesis Statement
This error occurs when two independent clauses are joined together with only a comma and no coordinating conjunction.
What is a comma splice?
A reference within a text to a well-known person, place, event, or another work of literature (often Biblical or Mythological).
What is an allusion?
In a persuasive text, an author who uses statistics, facts, and logical reasoning to support their claim is primarily employing which rhetorical appeal?
What is Logos
The perspective from which a story is told (e.g., first-person, third-person omniscient, or third-person limited).
Point of View
After providing a quote or specific example from the text, you must provide this to explain how the evidence proves your point.
What is reasoning
Reviewing text for organization and structure
What is revising / revision?
This is the use of hints or clues early in a story to suggest events that will occur later in the plot.
What is foreshadowing?
This term describes poetry that does not follow a specific rhyme scheme or consistent metrical pattern.
What is Free Verse?
In a persuasive or argumentative text, this is the author’s specific stance or position on a particular issue.
What is a claim (or thesis)?
This is the "E" in the R.A.C.E. strategy—it requires you to pull direct wording from the provided passage.
What is evidence
It didnt seem like such a small amount would be enough to make a pancake but I soon realized just how much the batter spreads out.
Insert an apostrophe in 'didn't' and a comma after pancake.
This rhetorical device involves repeating the same grammatical structure in a sentence or across multiple sentences to create rhythm and emphasis.
What is parallellism
An author includes this device to demonstrate they have considered and can respond to opposing views.
What is a rebuttal?
This term describes the atmosphere of a piece of writing, specifically the feeling the reader gets while experiencing the text.
What is mood?
The body paragraph (*not* the counterargument) should include these three components:
1) Main idea
2) Supporting evidence from text
3) Explanation of why the evidence matters/supports the main idea
This punctuation mark is used to join two closely related independent clauses when a coordinating conjunction (like "and" or "but") is not used.
What is a semi-colon?
In drama, this specific type of irony occurs when the audience knows something that the characters on stage do not.
Dramatic irony
This term refers to the pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem, often labeled with letters like ABAB or AABB.
What is a rhyming scheme
The distinct difference between Denotation (the literal dictionary definition) and Connotation (the emotional or cultural baggage a word carries).
What is the diction
These are words or phrases (like "Furthermore," "Conversely," or "As a result") used to link ideas and create a logical flow between paragraphs.
What are transitions
"When I grow up, I want to work at KIPP Mosaic. I see how happy and joyful Mr. Mearns and Mrs. Bradfields classrooms are every day and think it must be so rewarding teaching 10th graders."
"When I grow up, I want to work at KIPP Mosaic. I see how happy and joyful Mr. Mearns and Mrs. Bradfield's classrooms are every day and think it must be so rewarding teaching 10th graders."
This technique involves placing two concepts, characters, or ideas side-by-side to highlight their differences and create a deeper meaning or irony.
What is juxtaposition
A deliberate exaggeration used for emphasis or humor, not meant to be taken literally (e.g., "I've told you a million times").
What is hyperbole?