Story Elements
The people, animals, or creatures that act out the events in a story.
Who are the characters?
Person who writes the story?
What is the author
The most important point an author is making in an informational text or paragraph.
What is the main idea?
On the LEAP test, if a question has a Part A asking for an answer, you know it will almost always have this right after asking for evidence.
What is a Part B?
If you are stuck on a multiple-choice question, you should cross out the answers you know are definitely wrong. This strategy is called the process of...
What is elimination?
When writing an opinion essay, you must clearly state how you feel or what you think in the very first paragraph. This is called stating your...
What is opinion (or claim)?
The puppy was very timid, hiding under the couch every time the loud doorbell rang." Based on the clues, timid means this.
What is scared (or shy / fearful)?
Where and when a story takes place.
What is the setting?
The person who is telling the story?
What is narrator?
Photographs, captions, headings, and bold words are all examples of these visual tools in an informational text.
What are text features?
If a prompt asks you to look closely at how two things are alike or similar, it wants you to do this.
What is compare?
When taking a timed LEAP test, if you don't know the answer to a hard question after trying for a few minutes, you should use this computer tool to remind yourself to come back to it later.
What is the flag (or bookmark) button?
In a narrative essay, words like first, next, suddenly, and finally help move the story along. They are called these types of words.
What are transition words?
"The scientist used a microscope to look at the tiny bug because it was too small to see with her own eyes." Based on the clues, a microscope is this.
What is a tool used to see very small things?
The big lesson, moral, or takeaway the author wants you to learn from reading the story.
What is the central message (or theme)?
A problem in the story?
What is Conflict?
Words like First, Next, Then, and Finally show that a text is using this type of structure.
What is sequence (or chronological order)?
When a LEAP question has square checkboxes and asks you to select "two" answers, you must click exactly this many boxes to get it right.
What is two?
Reading the prompt carefully and highlighting or underlining exactly what it is asking you to do is known as this strategy.
What is unpacking (or breaking down) the prompt?
When writing an informational essay, your main goal is to do this for the reader, not to tell a made-up story.
What is teach (or inform/explain)?
"Unlike her brother who was always loud and running around, Sarah was very serene." The clue word "unlike" helps you figure out serene means this.
What is calm (or quiet / peaceful)?
Words like brave, greedy, or patient that describe a character's personality based on their actions and words.
What are character traits?
A picture, drawing, or diagram that helps tell a story, explain a concept, or make a book more interesting.
What is a "illustration"
The reason something happens is the cause, and what happens as a result is called this.
What is the effect?
This is the word used in a prompt when you need to show how two things are different.
What is contrast?
Before clicking "submit" on your typed LEAP essay, you should always take time to do this to fix your spelling, punctuation, and capitalization mistakes.
What is proofread (or edit)?
When doing research to write a report, you must gather facts from books, articles, or websites. These materials are called your..
What are sources?
"We had an abundant harvest this year, gathering baskets and baskets full of ripe tomatoes, corn, and green beans." Based on the clues, abundant means this.
What is plentiful (or a lot / more than enough)?
The series of events in a story, which usually includes a problem and a solution.
What is the plot?
Something a character does
What are actions?
The specific details, quotes, or facts from the text that you use to prove your answer is correct.
What is text evidence?
In a LEAP written response, you should always restate the prompt to create this very first sentence of your paragraph.
What is a topic sentence?
You should always do this to before you read the text?
What is "read the directions and question"
A narrative story often includes characters talking to each other. You must put these punctuation marks around the exact words they say
What are quotation marks?
"The hiker was parched after walking in the hot desert sun for three hours without his water bottle." Based on the clues, parched means this.
What is very thirsty?
Words like happy, sad, angry, excited, surprised that describes how a character feels.
What is the format of a paragraph?
What is a
topic sentence
evidence , explain
evidence , explain
evidence, explain
closing sentence
If a question asks what a character will "most likely" do next, you have to use text clues to make a smart guess, which is also called this.
What is an inference (or a prediction)?
When writing a narrative essay, you write in what person?
What is "first person"
In Language Arts, you should provide ______ pieces of evidence.
What is "3"
The reason a character does something in the story?
What is "motivations"
What is the format of a letter?
What is a
heading (dear ____,)
body
ending (signature)
True or False: A essay has 2 or more paragraphs in it and you shouldn't close the essay out until the very last paragraph?