Grammar & Usage
Identify the subject and verb: "The students read silently during class."
Subject: "The students" / Verb: "read"
What is the theme of a story?
The central message or lesson in a story
What is the main idea of a passage?
The most important idea or point the text makes
What does “abandon” mean in this sentence: “The captain had to abandon the ship”?
To leave or give up completely
What is the purpose of a thesis statement?
It states the main idea or argument of an essay
Which sentence is correct? A) He don’t like pizza. B) He doesn’t like pizza.
B) He doesn’t like pizza.
Define “protagonist.”
The main character or hero in a story
What text feature would you use to find key ideas quickly in a nonfiction text?
Headings, subheadings, bold words, or bullet points
Use context clues to define: “The eerie silence filled the abandoned house.”
Strange or creepy (based on "eerie silence" and “abandoned house”)
Choose the better topic sentence: A) “My favorite food is pizza.” B) “Pizza, with its crispy crust and melted cheese, is my go-to comfort food.”
B) Pizza, with its crispy crust and melted cheese, is my go-to comfort food.
Choose the correct verb: "Neither the dog nor the cats ___ allowed on the couch."
are (Subject closest to verb = plural "cats")
Identify the point of view: "I couldn't believe what I saw when I walked in."
First-person point of view
How do you determine the author’s purpose? Name one clue.
Look at tone, word choice, and if the author is trying to inform, persuade, or entertain
What does “meticulous” most likely mean? “She was meticulous when organizing her notes.”
Very careful and detailed
What is one way to improve the flow of a paragraph?
Add transitions, remove repetition, or rearrange for clarity
Combine: “She was tired. She kept studying.” (Use a subordinating conjunction.)
"Although she was tired, she kept studying."
What type of conflict is this: “A student struggles with feeling accepted at school”?
Internal conflict (character vs. self)
Define the term “central idea” and explain how it differs from a summary.
Central idea = main point; Summary = brief restatement of key ideas
Which word is a synonym for “reluctant”? A) Eager B) Hesitant C) Excited
B) Hesitant
Rewrite this sentence to eliminate wordiness: “The reason why I didn’t go is because I was feeling sick.”
“I didn’t go because I was sick.”
Correct the sentence: “Me and him was going to the store but didn’t buy nothing.”
"He and I were going to the store but didn’t buy anything."
How does the author create suspense in a story? Give one technique.
By using foreshadowing, pacing, or cliffhangers
How can the structure of a text (compare/contrast, cause/effect) affect comprehension?
Text structure helps readers organize and understand how information is presented
Use a word part (prefix, root, suffix) to figure out the meaning of “unpredictable.”
“Unpredictable” means not able to be predicted (un = not, predict = to forecast)
Combine these two sentences into one: “The sun set. The sky turned orange and pink.”
“As the sun set, the sky turned orange and pink.”