Figurative Language
This comparison uses the words "like" or "as."
simile
Use this mark to separate items in a list or before a conjunction in a compound sentence.
colon
Unlike the plot, which is what happens, this is the underlying message or lesson.
theme
The beginning of the story where characters and setting are introduced.
exposition
Usually found at the end of the first paragraph, this sentence states the main argument of the entire essay.
thesis statement
An extreme exaggeration not meant to be taken literally, like "I’m so hungry I could eat a horse."
hyperbole
This mark is used to show a sudden break in thought or to emphasize a point at the end of a sentence.
dash
A theme should be stated as a universal statement, not just one of these—the specific people in the story.
character
The turning point or the most intense moment of the story.
climax
These words or phrases, like "however" or "consequently," help the essay flow smoothly.
transition words
Giving human qualities to non-human objects, such as "the wind whistled."
personification
These are used to enclose direct speech or a word-for-word quote from a text.
quotation marks
A theme like "good vs. evil" is called this because it applies to people all over the world.
universal theme
This part of the plot builds tension through a series of complications.
rising action
This is the very first sentence of an essay, designed to grab the reader’s attention.
the hook
A direct comparison that says one thing is another thing.
metaphor
You’ll need this mark to show possession or to create a contraction.
apostrophe
This is the specific "lesson learned" at the end of a fable.
moral
The final part of the story where the "loose ends" are tied up.
resolution
These are the middle paragraphs that provide evidence and explanation for the thesis.
body paragraphs
Words that imitate the natural sounds of a thing, like "Boom" or "Zip."
onomatopoeia
This punctuation mark follows a strong command or expresses intense emotion.
exclamation mark
This is what we call the subject of the story (like "friendship") before it is turned into a full theme statement.
topic
A scene that interrupts the present action to show something that happened in the past.
flashback
This final paragraph restates the thesis and leaves the reader with a final thought.
Conclusion