Definitions
The reason an author writes a text.
What is purpose?
“Some argue uniforms limit individuality.”
What is counterclaim?
You may be asked who the text is intended for.
What is audience?
A brief retelling including main ideas only.
What is summarize?
Flashbacks and chronological order.
What is structure?
The circumstances surrounding a text (time, place, situation).
What is context?
A dove representing peace.
What is symbolism?
You may be asked to identify the message of a passage.
What is theme?
Appeal to credibility or trustworthiness.
What is ethos?
“The world is a stage.”
What is figurative language?
Prejudice or favoritism that affects fairness.
What is bias?
Short, choppy sentences create urgency.
What is syntax?
You may identify the main argument.
What is claim?
Subject performs the action.
What is active voice?
Facts, examples, or data that support a claim.
What is evidence?
An author’s word choice.
What is diction?
A veteran writes about war differently than a civilian.
What is perspective?
You may interpret metaphors or similes.
What is figurative language?
A category of writing (fiction, nonfiction, drama, etc.).
What is genre?
A group of words with a subject and verb.
What is a clause?
Using the same grammatical structure repeatedly.
What is parallel structure?
The author uses words like “gloomy,” “bleak,” and “hopeless" to communicate their feelings about the topic.
What is tone?
You may analyze how a text is organized.
What is structure?
The emotional meaning of a word.
What is connotation?
Understanding the Civil Rights Movement helps explain a speech.
What is context?