Vocabulary
This word means "able to recognize or understand something clearly."
She was able to _______ the subtle shift in his tone.
What is jumbo shrimp?
OXYMORON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Identify the dependent clause:
“Although the rain continued, the game went on.”
What is “Although the rain continued”?
“Their going to the store after school.”
They’re going to the store after school.
A writer places two contrasting ideas side by side to highlight their differences.
Juxtaposition
“Marcus slammed his notebook shut and stared out the window while the teacher continued speaking.”
Infer Marcus’s emotional state.
Frustrated, bored, upset, disengaged, etc.
The coach's schedule was so _________ that the team never knew when practice would start.
a. commendable
b. erratic
c. monotonous
d. inherent
B. erratic
Euphemism
Which FANBOYS conjunction best completes the sentence?
“She was exhausted, _____ she continued studying.”
A. for
B. or
C. yet
D. so
Yet
“The students was excited about the pep rally.”
The students were excited about the pep rally.
An advertisement shows a crying child to persuade viewers to donate.
Pathos
“Although Elena smiled during dinner, she barely touched her food and avoided eye contact.”
What can the reader infer?
She is upset, anxious, hiding emotions, uncomfortable, etc.
Which word best describes something that is naturally a part of its character? (from within)
a. demoralizing
b. falters
c. inherently
d. discern
What is inherently?
Time is a thief.
Metaphor
Which sentence uses parallel structure correctly?
A. She likes running, to swim, and biking.
B. She likes running, swimming, and biking.
C. She likes to run, swimming, and biking.
D. She likes running, swimming, and to bike.
B. She likes running, swimming, and biking.
“The teacher said the essay was excellent however many students failed to include evidence.”
The teacher said the essay was excellent; however, many students failed to include evidence.
“The road sighed beneath the weight of the travelers.”
Personification
“The trophy sat untouched in the dusty corner of the room.”
What might this symbolize?
Lost passion, forgotten success, regret, change over time, etc.
In the sentence below, determine the meaning of falters:
Her voice falters as she begins speaking about the tragedy.
“Freedom is slavery.”
This statement from dystopian literature is best classified as:
A. irony
B. oxymoron
C. paradox
D. euphemism
Paradox
Which sentence uses a colon correctly?
A. She brought: pencils, paper, and notebooks.
B. I have one goal: to graduate college debt-free.
C. The dog barked: loudly at the stranger.
D. We visited: Paris and Rome.
B.
“After reading the novel the theme became easier to understand.”
After reading the novel, the theme became easier to understand.
“The mansion stood beside the collapsing shack, its marble walls glowing against the rusted metal roofs nearby.”
Which literary device BEST contributes to the contrast?
Juxtapositon
"The author repeatedly describes the city as mechanical, gray, and crowded.”
Infer the author’s attitude toward the city.
Negative/critical/disconnected.
What is the correct pronunciation of monotonous?
muh-not-nus
Explain the difference between symbolism and metaphor using the example of a storm representing emotional conflict.
A metaphor directly compares two things (“her anger was a storm”), while symbolism uses the storm as a recurring object/image representing emotional conflict indirectly.
Choose the sentence that uses the semicolon correctly.
A. I studied all night; because the exam was difficult.
B. She enjoys reading; the dog jumped over the fence.
C. I bought apples; oranges; and bananas.
D. The storm grew stronger; however, the pilots continued flying.
D.The storm grew stronger; however, the pilots continued flying.
“The students finished the project they presented it the following day.”
The students finished the project, and they presented it the following day.
OR
The students finished the project; they presented it the following day.
An author repeatedly describes clocks ticking throughout a story whenever the protagonist avoids making decisions.
What literary device is MOST likely being developed?
Symbolism
“He reread the message three times before deleting it and setting his phone face down.”
What can be inferred about the character?
Emotional conflict, regret, sadness, hesitation, heartbreak, etc.
“The volunteers’ willingness to work through the storm to deliver supplies was widely considered ______ by the community.”
A. erratic
B. commendable
C. monotonous
D. inherently
Commendable
The silence was deafening.
Is this an oxymoron or a paradox?
Paradox because the statement seems contradictory but reveals a truth. Oxymorons are two words next to each other that mean the opposite.
Which sentence is written in active voice?
A. The ball was kicked by Jordan.
B. The novel was assigned by the teacher.
C. Jordan kicked the ball across the field.
D. The homework was completed before class.
C
“Its obvious that the experiment failed because the data was inconsistent.”
It’s obvious that the experiment failed because the data was inconsistent.
An author hints early in the story that a character is afraid of heights before later falling from a rooftop.
Which literary device is being used?
Foreshadowing
What is the difference in meaning in these two sentences when we emphasize the word in bold?
She didn't SAY he broke the vase.
She didn't say he BROKE the vase.
The emphasis on say suggests that she may have implied it, hinted at it, or thought it—but she never directly said the words.
The emphasis on broke suggests that she may have said he did something to the vase, but not necessarily that he broke it. Maybe he moved it, dropped it, chipped it, or damaged it in another way.
“The novel’s ending remains intentionally ______, leaving readers uncertain whether the protagonist achieved freedom or simply exchanged one form of imprisonment for another.”
Part A: Which word BEST completes the sentence?
A. explicit
B. ambiguous
C. superficial
D. conventional
Part B: What does the context suggest about the ending?
A. The ending clearly resolves every conflict.
B. The ending is confusing because of poor writing.
C. The ending is open to multiple interpretations.
D. The ending focuses only on action.
Part A: B
Part B: C
“The river curled through the valley like a silver snake.”
What TWO figurative devices are present?
Which sentence correctly uses apostrophes?
A. The students’ essays were impressive.
B. The student’s essays were impressive.
C. The students' essay's were impressive.
D. The students essays’ were impressive.
A
Which sentence correctly uses a dash for emphasis?
A. The answer however was incorrect.
B. The answer—however—was incorrect.
C. The answer, however—was incorrect.
D. The answer however—was incorrect.
B
“The audience knew the murderer was hiding in the house, but the protagonist continued searching alone upstairs.”
Which literary device creates tension here?
Dramatic irony
The possibility of the character being hurt or killed. The alleyway could represent darkness, evil, etc.