Vocab
Test Taking Strategies
Open Responses
Topic Sentence
Figurative Language
100

What does "setting" mean?

The location/environment where a piece of writing takes place

100
What should you do with instructions?

READ THEM

100

What should be the first thing you write in a paragraph or essay. 

A topic sentence restating the prompt/ question. 

100

In "My Father's Feet" explain how the young penguin's feelings change throughout the poem. 

In "My Father's Feet," the young penguin's feelings change throughout the poem. 

100
Figurative or Literal: "My piano lesson will be an hour"

Literal 

200
What is a verb? Give one example.

An action word.

Examples: run, jump, write

200

Should you ever leave a question blank?

No!

200

What should be included in an Essay?

Topic Sentence, 3 examples from the text, Concluding Sentence. At least 11 sentences (but more is better).  

200

Write a paragraph to explain how the author of “Humpback Whale: The Singer” describes whale songs. Support your response with important details from the article.

The author of "Humpback Whale: The Singer" describes whale songs in several ways. 

200

Figurative or Literal: "She was as quick as a fox"

Figurative

300

What is the difference between a paragraph and an essay? 

Paragraph is 5-7 sentences, an essay is at least 11. 

300

When a word in a passage is bold or underlined what does that mean?

It is important and you should pay attention to it.

300
How can you use scrap paper for tomorrow's MCAS? 

Reminder about topic sentence, 3 examples, concluding sentence. 

300

Write an essay that explains how the author uses text features to help the reader understand grizzly bears. 

The author uses text features to help the reader understand grizzly bears in several ways. 

300

Figurative or Literal: "Mrs. Kuppy is over 5 feet tall" 

Literal 

400

What is a noun? Give one example. 

Person, place, thing, or idea

panda, kindness, Mrs. Geary

400

What can you do to help narrow down options for multiple choice questions?

Eliminate (literally crossing out) answers you know are wrong, that way increasing your odds of picking the right answer.

400

An essay is an informative writing. If the open response asks you to write a narrative or a story what do you need to include? 

 a beginning, middle, and end, characters and setting, and dialogue. 

400

Based on the passage, explain how the author shows that Tony was a clever person. Support your answer with important information from the passage.

Based on the passage, the author shows that Tony was a clever person in several ways. 

400

Is this figurative or literal: "It's raining cats and dogs". 

Figurative 

500

What does Main Idea mean? 

A main idea is what the text is mostly about. The big who and the what of the text. 

500

How can you get all 3 points in the spelling, punctuation, and capitalization category? 

Reread your work at least 2 times. Pretend you are the MCAS grader. 

500

What is something you can do while reading to identify important information from the text?

Highlight, circle, underline etc. 

500

In “My Father’s Feet,” explain how the young penguin’s feelings change throughout the poem.

In "My Father's Feet, the young penguin's feelings change throughout the poem. 

500

Figurative or literal: "The homework was a piece of cake." 

Figurative

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