Show:
Grammar & Language
Literary Texts
TDA writing
Informative Texts
Figurative Language
100

This is used to create a natural pause, or break in a sentence

What is a Comma?

100

This is the who, what, where, why, and when of a text passage

What is the gist or central idea?

100

Adding these to your thesis gives the reader a sense of your main reasons.

What are three pieces of evidence/your reasons or examples?

100
Nonfiction texts can have one or more of these purposes.
What are to persuade, to inform, and to entertain?
100
Identify the type of figurative language: "When we heard that there was an earthquake in California, we offered the citizens a hand immediately."
What is a metaphor?
200
You can fix this problem with a period & capital letter, a comma & conjunction, or a semicolon
What is a run-on sentence?
200
The overall, worldly lesson that can be learned from the story; a repeated idea or lesson in a literary text that deals with the author's abstract questions, beliefs, or truths about people or life.
What is theme?
200
One of the main ways students lose focus points on their TDA is by not looking for this.
What is a second question within the prompt?
200

An argumentative text is based on this.

What is an opinion you are defending?

200
Identify the type of figurative language: " My grandma used to say she could tell the difference between really cleaning your room and just giving it a lick and a promise."
What is an idiom?
300
A sentence with an independent clause + a dependent clause is called this.
What is a complex sentence?
300
Written conversation between two or more characters and identifiable by quotation marks.
What is dialogue?
300

Each body paragraph should follow this order.

What is the RACER strategy?

300

A statement that is generally accepted to be true by MOST people. 

What is a commonly accepted belief, or a fact?

300
Identify the figurative language: "The hot chocolate warmed Zoe up like a fluffy blanket."
What is simile?
400
To make sure your subject agrees with your verb, you may have to eliminate these distracting word groups.
What are prepositional phrases?
400

When a conflict or problem in a story reaches its absolute peak. 

What is a climax

400
The explanation for each text quote you cite should follow these guidelines.
What is explain how the quote connects with the thesis statement, making sure the explanation is longer than the quote itself? 
400
A reader of an informative text will miss important details unless he reads these on a deep level (close reading).
What are graphics/figures, sidebars, subtitles, and bolded/italicized words/phrases, background paragraphs?
400
Identify the figurative language: "Your budget?  Think about it this way:  You will more likely get to your vacation destination if you draw a map and stick to it.  Same with your money goals."
What is an analogy?
500
When a reader does not know the meaning of an isolated word, he can use his knowledge of these to get 'in the ballpark."
What are prefixes, roots, and suffixes?
500

Name the sections of a plot diagram, or "story mountain". 

What is a beginning/exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution/end?
500

To complete the TDA, a conclusion paragraph should include these pieces.

What are a paraphrased thesis sentence, evidence, and a "take away" idea for the reader to keep thinking about after reading?

500
A reader can get to the heart of an informative text more quickly if he can soon identify one of these structure patterns.
What are cause and effect, problem and solution, chronological order, part-to-whole or whole-to-part, and descriptive or sensory writing?
500
Identify the figurative language: "The lifeguard warned the little boys at the beach not to go into the riptide, or they could end up in Davey Jones's locker!"
What is allusion?