LITerary Terms
A comparison between two things not using "like" or "as".
What is a metaphor?
The prefix that means "before".
What is "pre-"?
When writing your thesis statement, you should always do THIS with the prompt.
What is "TTQA" or "Turn The Question Around"?
The dates of the 2026 ELA MCAS exam.
What is "March 24th and 25th"?
These are five characters in Shakespeare's Macbeth.
Who are "Macbeth", "Lady Macbeth", "Banquo", "Fleance", "King Duncan", "Malcolm", "The Three Witches", "Macduff", "Lady Macduff", etc.
Attributing human characteristics to non-human things.
What is personification?
The meaning of the suffix "-less".
What is "without"?
A "HOT" introductory paragraph has these three things.
These are the three types of essays you may encounter on the MCAS exam.
What are "synthesis", "compare/contrast", and "argumentative/persuasive"?
These are five of the ten Gothic elements.
What are "castles", "confinement", "women in distress", "violence", "hero villains", "doubles", "extreme emotion", "supernatural", "bad weather", and "wild nature"?
Using objects or actions to represent abstract ideas.
What is symbolism?
The root of the word "mistake".
What is "take"?
When writing a formal essay, one should always write in this perspective.
What is "third person"?
When referring to a short text title, one should do this. When referring to a long text title, one should do this.
What is "put it in quotes" and "italicize/underline"?
This woman killed her husband with a frozen leg of lamb.
Who is "Mary Maloney"?
The character in conflict with the main character.
What is an antagonist?
The prefix "inter-" means this.
What is "between"?
Before reading the passages, it is a good idea to do this.
What is "read the questions first"?
This is the difference between tone and mood.
What is "the author's voice/attitude" versus "the feeling created for the reader"?
This is the poem that discusses symbols such as "a raisin in the sun" and "rotten meat".
What is "Harlem"?
An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally.
What is a hyperbole?
The meaning of the suffix "-ful".
What is "full of"?
This type of essay responds to non-fiction texts and asks you to take a side.
What is a "persuasive" or an "argumentative" essay?
A well-developed essay should have this many direct quotes and this many paragraphs.
What is "3" and "5"?
This is the name of your summer reading book.
What is Solo?