Comma Chameleon
Correct this sentence: "We need to buy apples milk and bread."
What is "We need to buy apples, milk, and bread"?
If the prefix "bio-" means life, this is the study of living things.
What is biology?
"The sky was immense, stretching out forever with no clouds in sight." What does immense mean?
What is vast, huge, or very large?
This part of the plot introduces the characters, setting, and basic situation.
What is the exposition?
"The wind howled in the night." This is an example of what device?
What is personification?
Fix the comma splice: "I love ELA class, it is my favorite."
What is "I love ELA class; it is my favorite" OR "I love ELA class because it is my favorite"?
The Latin root "aud" (as in audio or auditorium) relates to this sense.
What is hearing (or listening)?
"Unlike his boisterous and loud brother, Jason was completely taciturn." What does taciturn mean?
What is quiet, reserved, or untalkative?
This is the turning point of the story, usually the most intense or exciting moment.
What is the climax?
"My backpack weighs a ton!" This is an extreme exaggeration.
What is a hyperbole?
Where does the comma go to fix this sentence: "Before we eat the dog needs to go outside."
What is after "eat"?
This Greek root means "write" or "draw," and is found in words like biography and autograph.
What is "graph"?
"The teacher's stringent rules—no phones, no talking, and no lateness—made the students nervous." What does stringent mean?
What is strict, rigid, or severe?
A struggle between a character and an outside force (like nature or another person) is known as this type of conflict.
What is external conflict?
"The classroom was a zoo during the indoor recess." This compares two things without using like or as.
What is a metaphor?
This type of comma usage is found after words like However, Therefore, or Suddenly at the start of a sentence.
What is an introductory comma (or transition comma)?
If "chrono" means time, this term describes events arranged in the order they happened.
What is chronological order?
"The old pirate ship was abandoned; it was completely empty and left to rot." What type of context clue is used here to find the meaning of abandoned?
What is a synonym clue?
This specific part of the plot happens right after the climax, where things start to wrap up.
What is the falling action?
"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers" is a classic example of this sound device.
What is alliteration?
Identify the error in this sentence: "My sister, who is a genius won the spelling bee."
What is a missing comma after "genius"?
The prefix "mal-" means bad or evil. Name a word that uses this prefix.
What is malicious (or malevolent, malfunction, malpractice)?
"The storm caused ephemeral damage; by the next morning, the sun was out and everything was dry." What does ephemeral mean?
What is temporary, short-lived, or brief?
If a protagonist is fighting against their own guilt, fear, or flaws, they are facing this specific conflict layout.
What is Man vs. Self (or Internal Conflict)?
A fire station burning down or a marriage counselor filing for divorce are examples of this specific type of irony.
What is situational irony?