Incest
Give an example of subject-verb agreement
If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular too: "She writes every day."
If the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural: "They write every day."
What is a topic sentence?
A sentence that expresses the main idea of the paragraph in which it occurs.
True or false, the following is a euphemism:
When the man asked if he had been fired, he responded that he was "pursuing other opportunities" after being downsized.
True!
A euphemism is an appropriate expression used in the place of a phrase or words that may be found inappropriate or offensive. Euphemisms are commonly used in daily language and literature to replace language that some may find displeasing.
Saying "I was fired" is more blunt, and can be more painful, so the man used a euphemism to express the same idea in more delicate language.
What are setting and atmosphere, and how do these elements contribute to plot, characterization, and mood?
Setting: The location and time frame in which the action of a narrative takes place.
It can heavily inform a story’s mood. For instance, a story set during a sunny day will be predisposed to a happy or carefree mood, while a story set in a haunted house will be predisposed to a sense of tension or fear.
Atmosphere: refers to the surrounding mood, generally established through setting
The first paragraph of a play, short story, or novel, will usually establish atmosphere almost immediately; it is important for the reader to know if he or she is getting immersed into a comedy, tragedy, historical work, fantasy, or any other genre.
What is a theme?
The main idea or underlying meaning a writer explores in a novel, short story, or other literary work.
Give an example of an incomplete sentence.
Fragment (missing either the predicate or the subject) : "In the dungeon!"
Run-on (too many independent clauses in one sentence) : "Nobody in my family’s magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it’s the very best school of witchcraft there is, I’ve heard – I’ve learnt all our set books off by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough – I’m Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"
What are supporting details?
Supporting details provide information to clarify, prove, or explain the main idea and demonstrate the validity of the main idea.
What is the difference between a metaphor and a simile?
Both are comparisons. A simile compares two or more things using "like" or "as". A metaphor gives direct comparisons WITHOUT "like" or "as".
What are the three points of view? (Bonus score for sub-points!)
First person: I - me -my
Second person: you - your
Third person: he/she/they - his/her/their
Sub-points: objective, limited and omniscient
What is a symbol or symbolism? Give an example.
Symbols are often characters, settings, images, or other motifs that stand in for bigger ideas. Authors often use symbols (or “symbolism”) to give their work more meaning and to make a story be about more than the events it describes.
Example: The Gryffindor lion symbolizes bravery and courage.
Name all (8) of the parts of speech
Noun - person, place, or thing
Pronoun - used in the place of a noun
Verb - an action or state of being
Adjective - describes (modifies) a noun or pronoun
Adverb - describes (modifies) a verb, adjective, or another adverb
Preposition - a word placed before a noun/pronoun to form a phrase of location or time
Conjunction - joins words, phrases or clauses (FANBOYS)
Interjection - A word to express emotion
Name two types of supporting details.
Examples - illustrations of your point
Evidence - quotes, statistics or other ways to prove your point
Anecdotes - stories that form a connection
Cause & Effect - relationship between events where one is a result of the other(s)
Comparison & contrast - note similarities and differences between two or more subjects
Describe the meaning of, and then give an example of, personification.
The attribution of a personal nature or human characteristic to something nonhuman, OR the representation of an abstract quality in human form.
Example: "The wind bit at his cheeks as he flew over the Quidditch pitch." OR "Draco Malfoy is the personification of arrogance."
What are the STEAL traits of indirect characterization?
Speech, Thoughts, Effect on others, Actions, Looks
What is imagery? What can be used to create imagery?
A writer or speaker’s use of words or figures of speech to create a vivid mental picture or physical sensation.
Tools to create imagery: Onomatopoeias, similes, metaphors, the five sense (what the character can see, hear, smell, taste or physically feel), personification.... etc.
Describe the meaning of, and then give an example of, a misplaced OR a dangling modifier.
Misplaced - A modifier that is too far away from the thing it's supposed to modify: "The wizard placed a baby on the steps of a house that was marked by magic."
Dangling - A modifier's intended subject is missing from the sentence: "Flying through the sky, the baby was never woken up."
Define, then give examples of: an appositive phrase, a prepositional phrase and a participial phrase.
Appositive: A noun, noun phrase, or series of nouns that renames the noun next to it. For Example: A record-setting swimmer, Jada practically lived at the pool.
Prepositional: A word or group of words which follow a preposition. For Example: After the storm, I went out to see the damage.
Participial: A group of words containing a participial, modifier, and pronoun or noun phrases. For Example: Running at high speed, the dog crashed into the wall.
What is the opposite of a hyperbole? Give an example.
An understatement. Hyperboles and understatements are distortions used to make a point; while hyperbole is a figure of speech that makes things seem bigger or more important, understatement is language that makes something seem less important than it is in reality.
Example of understatement: You score 100% on a test and tell your freind you "did well".
Draw a plot diagram, then label all 6 elements of plot
1. Exposition
2. Inciting incident
3. Rising Action
4. Climax
5. Falling Action
6. Resolution
What is an allusion? Give an example.
An implied or indirect reference to a person, event, or thing or to a part of another text.
Example: "Chocolate is my kryptonite."
Describe the meaning of, and then give an example of, a pronoun-antecedent agreement.
A pronoun that is referring to an earlier pronoun or noun in a sentence:
"Harry Potter got his wand in Diagon Alley."
What are the 4 components of an effective conclusion?
1. Repeats the topic but not the wording
2. Repeats the attitude
3. Gives a sense of completion
4. Includes specific details/challenge to the reader
Example: Treason, betrayal, usurpation, and authority; these are some of the vivid themes that can be seen in “The Tempest”. As we go through Antonio betraying Prospero, manipulating and then later betraying Alonso with the help of Sebastian, whom he also manipulated, one question appears into our minds – was this legitimate, or treasonous? After thinking about it, the answer was “treasonous” over and over again. However, I urge you as a reader to carefully think about why. Why did Shakespeare choose to make this a dominant theme in his final work, “The Tempest”?
What is an apostrophe (remember, figurative language, NOT grammar!). Give an example.
As a literary device, apostrophe refers to a speech or address to a person who is not present or to a personified object.
Example: ”O, happy dagger! This is thy sheath. Thus let me rust and die.” or "O holy night!"
What is the difference between a static character and a dynamic character? Give examples.
A dynamic character is a character who undergoes significant internal change throughout the course of a story. Dynamic characters are the opposite of static characters; while dynamic characters change throughout a story, static characters stay the same.
Dynamic character examples: Neville Longbottom, Anakin Skywalker, Ebenezer Scrooge
Static character examples: Captain Hook, Sherlock Holmes, Captain America
What is the difference between tone and mood?
Tone is an author's attitude toward their subject matter. The author's tone in a literary work can reflect their personal opinion, or the tone can channel the feelings of a particular character. Authors convey tone through their word choice, punctuation, and sentence structure.
While tone signifies an author's point of view, the mood of a piece of writing is the atmosphere of a piece and the overall feeling it conveys to the reader. Authors convey mood through figurative language and literary devices, letting the reader feel whatever mood the writing evokes.