Literary Skills
What is the main idea of a story?
What the story is mostly about
Use context clues means—
Using words around it to figure out meaning
What is the main idea of an informational text?
What the text mostly teaches
An inference is—
A conclusion based on clues + thinking
Theme means—
Lesson or message of the story
How a character changes from beginning to end is called—
Character development
“Transformed” most nearly means—
Changed
What is a supporting detail?
A fact or example that explains the main idea
If a character smiles after helping, how do they feel?
Proud / happy
Which of the following is a theme?
A. Friendship
B. Friends can help you through hard times
B. Friends can help you through hard times
What should you do if a question asks for text evidence?
Go back to the passage and find proof
Which strategy helps most with unknown words?
Context clues / rereading
What text feature helps you find information quickly?
Headings, bold words, table of contents, captions (any one)
Why do authors expect readers to infer?
Not everything is directly stated
How can you figure out the theme of a story?
Look at characters’ actions, problems, and what they learn
Why do authors include details like butterflies in a story?
To support ideas or create imagery/theme
If a word has a prefix, what should you do?
Break it apart to understand meaning
What is the difference between fact and opinion?
Fact = can be proven
Opinion = what someone thinks or feels
Which requires inference:
A. Stated fact
B. Hidden meaning
Hidden meaning
Which is the BEST example of a theme?
A. Dogs
B. Kindness can make a difference
B. Kindness can make a difference
How does the setting of a story influence the plot?
It affects events, characters’ actions, and what happens in the story
In the sentence: “The once barren land became vibrant,” what does barren most nearly mean? Explain your thinking.
Empty or lifeless (context clue: opposite of vibrant)
Why do authors use cause and effect in informational texts?
To show how or why something happens (relationship between events)
Why is answering in your head BEFORE looking at choices a strong strategy?
It prevents being tricked by wrong answers and keeps focus on the text
Why is theme important in stories?
It teaches a lesson or message the author wants readers to understand